Italian Airline Launches New Pilot Pathway

With the launch of its new Multi-Pilot Licence (MPL) program, ITA Airways is establishing a structured training pathway for the airline’s future pilots. For the initial training phase, the carrier has selected Urbe Aero Flight Academy, renewing a partnership first developed during Alitalia’s MPL program.

With the launch of the new initiative, ITA Airways and Urbe Aero Flight Academy now make up Italy’s only fully certified, integrated MPL training pathway according to the company. The pathway covers the entire process from cadet selection through to operational qualification with the airline. The theoretical phase will be delivered at the ITA Airways Training Center at Rome-Fiumicino Airport, while the initial practical training will take place at Urbe Aero Flight Academy.

The portion of the syllabus entrusted to the Academy will cover the Core and Basic phases, comprising at least 161 hours of actual and simulated flight training, plus an additional three hours of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) for each cadet.

For the program, Urbe Aero Flight Academy will deploy a fleet of 20 latest-generation aircraft equipped with fully digital glass cockpits. One of the youngest training fleets in Europe, it is complemented by modern Diamond DA-42 FNPT II simulators and the Academy’s new Airbus A-320neo FNPT II MCC simulator.

After completing the Rome Urbe phase, the trainees will continue their program at the ITA Airways Training Center in Fiumicino, where they will undertake the subsequent MPL stages on Airbus A-220 and Airbus A-320 Full Flight Simulators, before progressing to line operations.

According to the latest international forecasts, the air transport sector will face steadily growing demand for new pilots over the coming years. MPL programs are therefore becoming an increasingly important tool for ensuring qualified workforce renewal and delivering training that is closely integrated with airline operating procedures.

ITA Airways plans to train approximately 280 pilots over the next four years, with the first courses scheduled to begin in October 2026.