Airbus and Thailand’s Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on projects to develop and implement maintenance training and pilot training courses in the country. 

Under the agreement, Airbus and the CATC will identify ways in which they can deepen their cooperation in the training of aviation professionals. Airbus has begun working with the CATC on basic maintenance training courses, and this could be expanded to include additional maintenance courses as well as ab initio flight training courses for pilots. 

The goal is to support the development of the country’s aviation industry by helping to ensure that there is a steady supply of pilots, engineers and mechanics for Thailand’s airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centres. Airbus is forecasting a demand for 220,000 new pilots and more than 260,000 new technicians in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years (Global Services Forecast 2018). 

In June 2018 Airbus and Thai Airways International signed an agreement to work on an MRO joint venture at the U-Tapao International Airport. This facility would be one of the most modern and extensive in the Asia-Pacific region.