IFTC

What IFTC does

IFTC (Istanbul Flight Training Center) is Türkiye's first independent flight simulator training center, founded in 2008 as a subsidiary of Gözen Holding, a diversified Turkish aviation conglomerate with 45+ years of industry experience. The company operates two facilities — IFTC Istanbul (headquarters, in the Istanbul Special Free Zone) and IFTC Antalya (in the Antalya Free Zone, the world's first energy-neutral flight training center, solar-powered) — together delivering more than 42,000 simulator hours per year to domestic and international airline customers across 25,000+ m² of space.

The core product is EASA-approved type rating training for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737NG, delivered through 6 Level D Full Flight Simulators supported by Flight Training Devices (FTD), FNPT II devices, Cockpit Procedure Trainers, Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainers, and Real Fire Fighting Trainers. The training portfolio spans initial type ratings, revalidation, renewal, Cross Crew Qualification (CCQ), B737CL-to-NG differences, Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC), and TRI/SFI instructor certification. Ancillary services — EASA medical examinations, hotel accommodation, transportation, classroom provision, pilot assessment and recruitment, technical support, consultancy, and simulator purchase/investment consulting — round out a one-stop offering. Both facilities operate 24/7/365, and the company holds EASA, ISO 27001-aligned information security, and GDPR compliance.

IFTC monetizes through professional services (type rating programs priced on a quote basis per pilot) and recurring simulator leases (dry lease of simulator time or wet lease with instructors) to airlines, Approved Training Organizations, and individual pilots. Go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales combined with inside sales through a structured contact form, targeting airlines and ATOs globally with a particular regional focus on Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The company's strategic positioning combines a regulatory moat (EASA certification), first-mover brand in Türkiye, parent-group ecosystem advantages, and capital-intensive efficient scale at 42,000+ annual simulator hours.

Name

IFTC

Legal name

IFTC Uçuş Eğitim Hizmetleri ve Tic. A.Ş.

Website

https://iftc.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IFTC is Türkiye's first independent EASA-certified flight simulator training center, operating 6 Level D Full Flight Simulators across Istanbul and Antalya. Founded in 2008 by Gözen Holding, it delivers A320 and B737NG type rating, revalidation, MCC, and TRI/SFI training to airlines, ATOs, and pilots.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Flight Simulator Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (48819)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145) (EDAOAFAN)

Keywords

• Flight simulator training
• Pilot type rating
• Full flight simulators
• Aviation crew training
• EASA type rating

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Type Rating Training Services: EASA-approved A320 and B737NG type rating training programs offered to individual pilots and airlines. Training is customized according to customer requirements and includes initial type ratings, revalidation, and renewal training.
2. Simulator Dry and Wet Leases: IFTC offers dry-leases (simulator time only) and wet-leases (with instructors) to ATOs and individual customers for their training needs.
3. Supporting Services: Additional revenue from hotel accommodation, transportation, classroom provision, consultancy, assessments, EASA medical services, and technical support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

IFTC is Türkiye's first independent flight simulator training center, operating six EASA-certified Level D Full Flight Simulators for A320 and B737NG aircraft across facilities in Istanbul and Antalya. It provides pilot type rating, revalidation, renewal, and instructor training, plus simulator dry/wet leases and ancillary services to airlines, ATOs, and individual pilots.

Product overview

IFTC (Istanbul Flight Training Center) is Türkiye's first independent flight simulator training center, founded in 2008 by Gözen Holding. The company operates two training facilities in Istanbul and Antalya, offering a comprehensive portfolio of aviation training products and services centered around 6 Level D Full Flight Simulators (FFS) for A320 and B737NG aircraft. The core product offering consists of EASA-approved type rating training programs (A320 and B737NG), including initial type ratings, revalidation, and renewal programs. Additional training products include MCC Course, TRI/SFI certification courses, Cross Crew Qualification (CCQ) training, B737CL to NG Differences courses, Cabin Emergency & Evacuation training, and Real Fire Fighting training. Supporting services include EASA Medical examinations, hotel accommodation, transportation, classroom provision, pilot assessment services for airlines, technical support, consultancy services, and simulator investment consulting. IFTC Antalya holds the distinction of being the world's first energy-neutral flight training center, powered by solar panels. The company provides both dry and wet leases to airlines, ATOs, and individuals, with 24/7/365 availability across both facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Flight Simulators (FFS)
• A320 Type Rating Training
• B737NG Type Rating Training
• Cross Crew Qualification Training (CCQ)
• B737CL to NG Differences Course
• MCC Course
• TRI / SFI Course
• Type Rating Revalidation Training
• Type Rating Renewal Training
• Instructor & Examiner Support
• Real Fire Fighting Training
• Cabin Emergency & Evacuation / Water Survival Training
• EASA Medical Services
• Hotel Accommodation
• Transportation Services
• Classroom Provision
• Pilot Assessment Services
• Consultancy Services
• Simulator Investment Consulting
• Technical Support Services
• Simulator Purchase Services
• Simulator Dry and Wet Leases

Quantifiable outcome

• 42,000+ simulator hours delivered annually to domestic and international airline customers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Slovenian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFTC Istanbul has initiated collaboration with the Slovenian Civil Aviation Authority to facilitate EASA ATPL Theory Examinations. This partnership enables pilots to convert their ICAO ATPL License to an EASA License in Istanbul, eliminating the need for extensive travel abroad.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TRU Simulation + Training: TRU Simulation + Training designs and operates full flight simulators and training devices, including for commercial aircraft platforms. It competes with IFTC as both a simulator operator and an FAA/EASA-equivalent training services provider, with comparable focus on narrow-body type ratings.
• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International operates a global network of flight training centers with hundreds of full flight simulators, including A320 and B737NG platforms. It is a direct competitor in EASA-approved type-rating training for commercial airlines, offering the same core service as IFTC at greater scale.
• CAE Inc. CAE is the world's largest civil aviation training services provider, operating a global network of 50+ training centers and over 300 simulators. It directly competes with IFTC in A320/B737NG type-rating training and offers comparable EASA-certified pilot training services to airlines and ATOs.
• Pan Am Flight Academy: Pan Am Flight Academy is an independent flight training organization offering pilot type-rating and recurrent training on commercial aircraft, including A320 simulators. It directly competes with IFTC in the segment serving individual pilots and smaller airlines seeking EASA-certified training.
• SimuFlite (United Aviation): SimuFlite provides professional flight simulator training for business aviation and commercial aircraft. It overlaps with IFTC in the commercial pilot training segment, including type-rating and recurrent training programs for airlines and corporate operators.
• L3Harris Commercial Aviation Solutions: L3Harris Commercial Aviation Solutions operates flight training centers globally, providing pilot type-rating and recurrent training on commercial aircraft including the A320 and B737NG. It competes directly with IFTC in serving airlines and ATOs with EASA-approved simulator training.

Broad incumbents

• Boeing Global Services: Boeing Global Services includes pilot training operations (formerly Jeppesen/Boeing Flight Services) and provides comprehensive commercial aviation training, including B737NG type ratings. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with IFTC's Boeing-specific training offerings while operating at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Aviator Flight Training Centre (formerly Malmö Aviation): Aviator Flight Training Centre operates A320 and B737NG simulators in Scandinavia, providing EASA-certified type-rating training to European airlines. It is an emerging/niche independent center competing with IFTC for international airline customers seeking alternatives to large global providers.

Regional players

• Lufthansa Flight Training: Lufthansa Flight Training operates simulator centers in Germany and Europe providing A320/B737NG type-rating training to airlines globally. It is a regional player with comparable EASA-certified training, though primarily serving European customers and direct competitors to IFTC's European airline clients.
• Turkish Airlines Flight Training Center: Turkish Airlines operates an in-house flight training center in Istanbul for its own pilots, with simulators covering A320 and B737NG. It overlaps geographically with IFTC in Istanbul and serves the same narrow-body pilot training market, primarily for its parent airline but with select external customer engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iftc-istanbul
• Xx.com/IFTC_News
• Facebookfacebook.com/IFTC.Istanbul

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IFTC