Air International 2018-11
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D.Bower - Patria Pilot Training /Commercial/
Formation flying is not generally part of the Patria training syllabus, but several of the company's ex-military instructors retain the skill.
To meet required EASA Part 145 requirements and Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation standards, all aircraft maintenance is undertaken on site. Here, as part of the required 2,000-hour inspection on a DA42 a fully licensed Patria maintenance engineer removes the right-hand wing to inspect the fuel tank.
Patria now operates three Diamond DA42s, with a fourth soon to be received. Here one DA42 is pictured over the lakes and forest surrounding Tampere, which provide wide open spaces for instructional flying.
Nine factory-new Tecnam P2002JFs replaced Patria's previous basic trainer fleet of seven AS202 Bravos, the first being delivered in 2011.
The whole fleet is fitted with full glass cockpits, as seen on this DA40 on final approach to the eastern runway at Tampere-Pirkkala Airport.
Patria's extensive fleet of modern glass cockpit aircraft, which train students from ab initio through to full Multi-Crew Pilot Licence, lined up on the school's 5,000m2 dedicated aircraft apron.
The brand-new training facility at Tampere was designed and built to Patria's exacting standards.
Initially installed at Patria's Helsinki-Malmi facility, the A320 fixed base simulator was transported to and reinstalled in the new building complex at Pirkkala.