Ben Air Flight Academy Flight Training School for the Aviation Industry

Ben Air Flight Academy (BAFA) is a leading flight training organisation based in Belgium. BAFA has been training professional pilots since 1980 and all of its training programs are JAR / EASA approved.

We pride ourselves on being a high-quality flight training school that takes beginner pilots who have never flown before and moulds them into professional ‘airline ready’ pilots. All candidates are trained all the way up to, and including, completing a multi-crew cooperation course.

Flight instructors for trainee pilots

BAFA operates a young, modern fleet comprised of 12 aircraft and two flight simulators, which are all equipped with up-to-date glass cockpit instruments. BAFA is based at Antwerp International Airport and has offices at the International Airport of Ostend and Limburg Regional Airport.

With more than 70 flight instructors and a staff of 25 ground instructors, BAFA has one of the largest pools of aviation training knowledge in the industry. Over the years, and backed by a private equity partner, BAFA has been investing heavily in its flight instructors, the training programs and the infrastructure.

As a result, BAFA has grown significantly and has become the market leader in its area. Unlike many of its competitors BAFA is run by an executive team comprised of members who all have aviation experience.

Aviation training programs

BAFA offers a wide range of training programs that candidate pilots and aircraft operators can choose from including:

• The ATPL ‘S’ (standard) course: a fully integrated ATPL course including the ATPL theory as well as all associated flight training
• The ATPL ‘plus’ program, which combines the ATPL ‘S’ course with a bachelor’s degree in aviation
• Cadet pilots programs on behalf of airlines
• International programs, by which a part of the VFR training is executed in Florida, US, in cooperation with flight safety
• Modular flight training courses
• Flight instructor courses

Airlines and aircraft operators that hire our students have come to expect to receive extremely well-trained pilots whose attitudes and skills exceed what is normally expected from new cadets.

Pilot selection and evaluation for airlines

In addition to its standard training programs, BAFA can offer bespoke, tailor-made training and services like pilot selection. After years of evaluating and training pilots, BAFA now evaluates trainee pilots for airlines during the hiring process. BAFA provides a detailed report about the suitability of the pilot based on:

• Technical interview
• Flight test
• Psychological test

Aviation English

The BAFA English language proficiency test has been certified by the Belgian authorities. It is an interactive test, based on interaction between the pilot and the tutor.

Consulting

The creation and implementation of a training program is a challenging task. BAFA has been instrumental in the creation of JAA / EASA based training programs in several countries.

Tailor-made courses

BAFA staff have a vast amount of knowledge and experience when it comes to aviation. This knowledge and experience can be used to create specific training programs and refresher courses.