Aircraft manufacturer, Airbus and ALT Academy have signed “a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance training at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo 2026.” Airbus says, “this agreement establishes a framework to strengthen technical training capacity and support the development of essential aviation maintenance skills across the African continent.”
According to Airbus the collaboration focuses on identifying mutually agreed training initiatives and learning solutions to bridge the gap between academic training and industry requirements. By aligning maintenance knowledge with current industry standards, both organisations aim to ensure that aviation professionals are equipped with the skills necessary to support increasingly advanced aircraft operations.
Airbus Country Representative in South Africa, Nam-Binh Hoang said: “This partnership underscores our long-term commitment to supporting the growth of Africa’s aviation ecosystem. By combining our industry-leading learning solutions with ALT Academy’s dedication to practical education, we are proud to support the development of a robust pipeline of highly skilled professionals ready to meet the evolving demands of modern aviation.”
CEO of Alt Academy, Mr. Ryan van Wijk said: “Modern aircraft demand a level of technical training that is difficult to build in isolation. This partnership is an important step in our commitment to building practical, high-quality maintenance training capacity in South Africa, and it gives us the opportunity to explore how current manufacturer knowledge and learning solutions can be made more accessible to learners and to industry, while holding a firm line on safety, quality and regulatory requirements, for the benefit of operators across the continent.”
Airbus further noted that “the agreement establishes a framework for future cooperation between the parties, with a focus on exploring opportunities to develop training programmes together. The scope and delivery of these programmes will be developed jointly, with further details on course content, accreditation and enrolment to be announced as plans progress and the necessary approvals are secured.”