Airbus and All Nippon Airways have launched a comprehensive ab-initio pilot training agreement that will see the European manufacturer train ANA Group and partner-airline cadets from no prior flying experience. The programme will begin later this year with 19 trainees and will be based at Sevenair Academy in Ponte de Sor, Portugal, expanding Airbus’s role from aircraft supplier to pilot development partner.
The curriculum will use a standardised Airbus training path built around competency-based training and assessment principles, alongside Airbus learning tools. The arrangement is designed to help ANA secure a more predictable pipeline of future flight crew as demand for commercial pilots continues to rise, particularly across Asia-Pacific. It also extends a relationship between Airbus and ANA that has spanned nearly four decades.
No financial terms were disclosed, and the timing for the first graduates to enter ANA operations has not been confirmed. The programme covers cadets from ANA Group and partner airlines, broadening the carrier’s recruitment and training base beyond its own internal needs.