Airbus and Sevenair Announce Strategic Pilot Training Partnership at EATS 2025

The announcement of a new partnership between Airbus Flight Academy and Sevenair Academy of Portugal made yesterday at EATS 2025, marks a milestone that began right here at the same event two years ago, when both organisations began their initial discussions at EATS 2023 in Cascais.

Halldale had the unique opportunity to sit down with Thomas Aoudia, Head of Operations & Business Development at Airbus Training Services, and Carlos Amaro, CEO of Sevenair Academy, for an exclusive interview on-site at EATS to explore how this collaboration came to life — and what it means for the future of ab initio pilot training in Europe.

Path to Partnership

What began as an initial conversation at EATS 2023 has now evolved into a formal partnership that expands Airbus’ ab initio pilot training footprint across Europe. For Airbus, this collaboration represents a continuation of its long-standing commitment to pilot safety and training excellence. “We’ve been involved in pilot training for 50 years, and our first objective has always been safety,” said Aoudia. “To truly deliver on that, we need to cover the full training spectrum — from ab initio through to type rating. With demand for over 633,000 new pilots globally over the next 20 years, including 119,000 in Europe, partnerships like this are essential.”

He added that Sevenair’s inclusion in Airbus’ global training network strengthens not only its European presence but its ability to serve airline customers worldwide. “The first cadets training here are from Royal Brunei Airlines, which shows the truly global reach of this partnership.”

For Sevenair, the collaboration represents recognition and growth. “Airbus first approached us during EATS in 2023,” Amaro explained. “At first, we were a little intimidated — I like to joke that Airbus isn’t a company, it’s a country! But over the course of a year, we developed a fantastic relationship built on collaboration and shared vision. To be chosen as an Airbus partner validates our training quality and gives our clients even greater confidence.”

Ab Initio Training: A Strategic Focus

Airbus has been involved with pilot training for 50 years, with the first objective always being safety. “We believe we can’t truly address pilot safety if we are not covering the entire training spectrum — from ab initio to type-rating. So, the idea really is to address these needs for pilots,” said Aoudia.

The airframer’s Global Services Forecast projects a need for 633,000 new pilots over the next 20 years with demand in Europe alone for 119,000 pilots. For Airbus the goal of its training programmes and partnerships, has always been to enhance safety, improve training quality, and better support for its airline customers.

“To do this, we rely on strong partners. Sevenair is a key partner for us in Europe — a vital step in growing Airbus’ global network of ab initio training centers. Interestingly, the first cadets training here are from Royal Brunei Airlines. So, we are not addressing only the European markets but also the world market,” Aoudia informs.

Amaro said Airbus first approached Sevenair at EATS 2023. “ At first, we were a bit intimidated — I like to make the joke that Airbus isn’t a company, it’s a country! But as discussions evolved, we became more and more enthusiastic.” Portugal based Sevenair has over 42 years of ab initio training experience. “We’ve long seen a gap between what pilot schools deliver and what airlines require after type-rating. This partnership helps bridge that gap,” Amaro said, adding that becoming an Airbus-approved training organization validates the company’s quality even to its clients.

He added that Airbus had been surprisingly flexible and collaborative. “Even though we’re a smaller company, they treated us as true partners throughout the process. It has been a very good experience for us.”

Shared Values, Common Goals

Both organisations credit shared values — safety, quality, and efficiency — as the foundation of their alliance. “This isn’t a supplier relationship; it’s a partnership,” said Aoudia. “Sevenair met every criterion: weather conditions, airspace, capable instructors, modern fleet, and capacity for growth. But most importantly, they share our mindset. We can’t work with partners who cut costs at the expense of training quality.”

Amaro echoes this sentiment: “It’s not just a fast track; it’s a partnership grounded in respect and shared purpose. Airbus brought the structure, standards and global consistency, while we brought decades of experience and a strong local foundation. Together, we’re bridging the gap between pilot schools and airlines.”

For Airbus, the goal is to provide a consistent Airbus-standard experience across all training centres worldwide — whether in Toulouse, Miami, Singapore, Beijing, or now Portugal. “Sevenair was already operating at a very high level,” Aoudia noted. “We didn’t have to change much; it was a natural fit.”

For Sevenair, the partnership opens new doors. “It’s a major step forward for us and for Portuguese aviation,” Amaro said. “The Airbus brand brings visibility and credibility, especially in the B2B market. We’re expanding our facilities, adding more accommodation, and modernising our fleet with new aircraft. This collaboration strengthens our training capability and enhances the value we bring to our students and partners.”

Growth with Purpose

Training has already begun at with cadets from Royal Brunei Airlines starting their programmes at Sevenair this week. “Sevenair’s facilities met our standards immediately,” said Aoudia. “By combining their resources with our CBTA methodology, we’re ensuring sustainable, quality-driven growth.”

Sevenair currently delivers around 45,000 flight hours annually, supporting 300 flying cadets and over 200 ground students. “We’re not rushing expansion,” Amaro added. “It’s about growing sustainably, maintaining our standards, and continuing to elevate Portugal as a centre of excellence for aviation training.”

Amaro also added that while Sevenair operates Cessna, Tecnam, Diamond, and Piper aircraft, it will be moving toward a more harmonized fleet as part of its future modernization.

EATS: A Platform for Partnership

From Halldale’s editorial perspective, the Airbus–Sevenair partnership is another example of how meaningful collaborations often begin at events like EATS. The European Aviation Training Symposium continues to be a catalyst for industry connection — where relationships form, ideas evolve, and partnerships are built. These alliances not only strengthen the training ecosystem but help shape the global aviation community’s shared mission: to deliver safer, smarter, and more inclusive training for the future.