Iceland Aviation Academy press-release
Iceland Aviation Academy will receive 80 million ISK annually for the next three years as a result of a new support initiative by the Icelandic government. The goal is to increase and support professional pilot training in Iceland.
Iceland Aviation Academy was founded at the merger of Keilir Aviation Academy and the Icelandic Flight School last year. With the merger, the school became one of the largest flight schools and a market leader in the Nordic region. Over 1.200 professional pilots have graduated in total from the merged schools, around 60 students receiving their Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) annually. A number which has seen continued growth in recent years following increased international tourism and interest in learning to fly. The number of female student pilots has also seen a great increase in recent years and women now represent a quarter of the Iceland Aviation Academy student body, a higher percentage than the global average.
The number of students, local and foreign, clearly indicates that Icelandic flight schools have an important role in the education of pilots, not only in Iceland but on an international level. An ambitious aviation academy in Iceland is an important part of ensuring the success of airlines both locally and globally in the coming years with the foreseeable reinvigoration of the tourism industry.
Kári Kárason, Director of Iceland Aviation Academy elaborates “In 2008 we said it was a good time to learn to fly despite the recession. It takes around two to three years to finish the program for an Airline Transport Pilot License so the time to study is during low seasons in tourism. Despite the pandemic, the aircraft manufacturer Boeing predicts demand for 147.000 new pilots in Europe in the next 20 years. Many have made the choice to learn to fly in Iceland due to the one of a kind, challenging and scenic conditions.”
