IFA International Flight Academy

IFA International Flight Academy trains pilots, cabin crew and aircraft mechanics in Portugal. Its sister company, IFA Industries, maintains aircraft from Viseu. Both belong to IFA Group.

The academy is an Approved Training Organisation certified by EASA and ANAC. It says it has trained thousands of pilots and cabin crew over the past 25 years. Graduates now fly for airlines in Europe, Asia and Africa. Flight training runs from bases including Cascais, Viseu, Lisbon and Braga.

Students train on a fleet of 27 aircraft, from analogue to digital cockpits. The fleet includes the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the first fully electric trainer in Portugal. It also includes the Pipistrel Explorer and Virus, the Cessna 172 with a G1000 cockpit, the Cessna 152, other Cessna 172 models and the Grumman GA-7.

IFA Industries is a maintenance, repair and operations organisation. It was founded in 1979 as Aviometa and was later bought by IFA Group. It works at Viseu airfield and looks after the academy's fleet and private clients. It holds ANAC Part CAO approval to maintain aircraft and Part M Subpart G approval for airworthiness control. Its focus is mainly general aviation.

Authorised work covers Cessna 150, 152, 172, 182 and 337 types, the Liberty XL-2, Piper PA-28 and PA-32, the Grumman GA-7, the Mooney M20 and the Pipistrel SW121. Its engineers and technicians hold EASA Part 66 licences with C and B1.2 ratings, including composites work on Pipistrel aircraft. It also offers AOG support, sales of materials and component repair management.

IFA Industries is the official service centre in Portugal for Pipistrel, Continental and Rotax. It is also the official Portuguese distributor for TRIG, Electronics International, Avidyne and Lightspeed.

It also runs a Part 147 maintenance training organisation, approved by ANAC under EASA rules, with training centred at Viseu. Courses include a full aircraft maintenance technician course for B1.1 and B1.2 licences, an option with online theory and in-person exams, and an exam-only route. Entry needs a minimum age of 18, a high school diploma, English and a clean criminal record.

Services

• Pilot training
• Cabin crew training
• Aircraft maintenance technician training
• Aircraft maintenance
• Airworthiness control
• AOG support
• Sales of materials
• Component repair management
• Pipistrel, Continental and Rotax service centre
• Aviation parts distribution