It is one of the main aeronautical training centers in Spain. The bulk of planes that take off and land in Sabadell are dedicated to training pilots. Communications between the control tower and the new aviators are carried out indistinctly in Spanish and English. Among those who use English there are a good number of students from the Maldives, an Indian country made up of 26 atolls and a thousand islands more than 8,000 kilometers away.
The reason for their presence is that the aviation authority of that country reached an agreement with the EAS Barcelona school to train new aviators of that nationality simultaneously with theoretical classes in the Maldives, where they are the only school. Afterwards, the flight practices are carried out in Spain, where EAS has a fleet of 15 state-of-the-art Tecnam aircraft and an aerobatic Cessna.
“Since our foundation, all the courses we carry out are aimed at training professional pilots. Our fleet is used exclusively for training flights and is not rented for private trips”, highlights Jorge García Veguin, head of teaching at EAS. Between instructors and other staff, the staff is 28 people, in addition to fifteen collaborators. Last fall, it took a big leap forward by inaugurating a new corporate building at the airport, with a hangar for its aircraft, simulators and classrooms, where all classes are taught in English.
In 2022, the aeronautical training firm billed 4.5 million euros and for this year it expects a 15% growth in both employees and billing. On average, about 80 students pass through the school each year in the different integrated EASA/ATPL and modular courses. The difference between the two is that the integrated training lasts 18 months and the modular training usually lasts longer. Students who have resources and want to finish soon, opt for the first one. Those who may have more difficulties to face the cost in a short time or do not have full availability, opt for the modular one.
In any case, to the big question about what is the cost to be a professional pilot, the answer is 92,940 euros. “It is not an economic price, although we know this market perfectly. The problem in many schools is the delay in training due to lack of material or human resources. We have always wanted more. We are oversized in planes, simulators and instructors. Thus we can provide a highly personalized and decisive service that has led us to a high level of global satisfaction in instruction and training. It allows no student to experience delays in their training”, says García Veguin.
