The Fiji Airways Aviation Academy has achieved annual cost savings of $22.7 million. A major benefit of the Academy is its capacity to carry out all required training internally. This encompasses initial type ratings, common type ratings, recurrent training, remedial training, and license conversion.
During a recent session in Parliament, Minister for Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka addressed inquiries regarding strategies to enhance the Academy’s capabilities. He emphasized that by keeping training in-house, Fiji Airways has successfully avoided considerable fees that would typically go to external training providers.
“This approach ensures that every dollar spent on training stays within the company, directly bolstering its financial health,” Mr. Gavoka stated. He pointed out that in the past, pilots needed to travel to international training facilities in locations like Singapore, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Brisbane, Seattle, and Bangkok, incurring not only training expenses but also significant costs for accommodation and living expenses.
With the Academy now established, Mr. Gavoka noted that these costs have been completely removed. Pilots can complete all their training in Fiji, significantly lessening the financial strain related to overseas travel.