Belgium's Hub'Air Aviation Academy is to open a flight school in October at the former Belgian air base at Brustem. Hub'Air says the academy will be the first to provide European JAR-approved ab initio flight training in aircraft equipped with flat screen instrument panels instead of conventional dials. The company will transfer its operation from St-Hubert, near Luxembourg.
Hub'Air says use of modern flightdecks in trainers cuts out the later conversion training to state-of-the-art airliner cockpits and slashes the duration and cost of training.
The company says it is responding to increasing international demand for flying training and type rating from the former CIS, the Middle East and Asia.
Hub'Air will operate diesel-engined Diamond Aircraft DA40 Diamond Stars and twin-engined DA42 Twin Stars, which will reduce operating costs. Diesel cycle engines burn Jet A fuel at €0.42/ litre ($1.97/USgal) compared with €1.60 for AvGas used in conventional piston trainers, the company says. Hub'Air has options for five DA40s and two DA42s, but will increase the fleet only as demand grows.
HERMAN DE WULF
Source: Flight International
