Fiji Airways Aviation Academy is reportedly saving $22.7 million each year. A key benefit of the Academy is its capacity to provide all required training in-house, which encompasses initial and common type ratings, recurrent training, remedial training, and license conversion.
Minister for Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka shared this information in Parliament while discussing plans to maximize the Academy’s potential. He highlighted that by conducting training internally rather than outsourcing to third-party providers, Fiji Airways has successfully avoided considerable fees that would typically be charged by external training centers.
“This strategy guarantees that every dollar spent on training remains within the company, thereby enhancing its financial stability,” Mr. Gavoka stated. He pointed out that in the past, pilots had to travel to international training centers in places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Brisbane, Seattle, and Bangkok. This required payment for training fees as well as substantial expenses for accommodation and subsistence.
With the establishment of the Academy, these costs have been fully eliminated, allowing pilots to receive all necessary training in Fiji and alleviating the financial burden of overseas travel.