Center Air Pilot Academy

Name

Center Air Pilot Academy

Legal name

Center Air Pilot Academy

Website

https://centerair.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roskilde

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Integrated Pilot Training Tuition: The primary revenue stream is tuition for the integrated ATPL/MPL pilot training program priced at 827,000 DKK plus ~20,000 DKK in regulatory fees to Trafikstyrelsen. Payment is made via monthly installments aligned to the 24-month training period. The program is self-financed by students and also eligible for elevated Danish SU (student grant). CAPA Credit provides in-house financing, generating interest income during and after the training period.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Center Air Pilot Academy delivers EASA-approved integrated ATPL and MPL pilot training combining 750 hours of theoretical instruction with 245+ hours of practical flight training and 55 hours of simulator time over a 24-month program. The academy offers airline-specific pathways (SAS, Jettime, Finnair, Norwegian, Air Greenland) that transition graduates directly into co-pilot positions, supplemented by an APS MCC course, flight instructor certification, Aviation Camp, campus accommodation, and in-house CAPA Credit financing.

Product overview

Center Air Pilot Academy (CAPA) operates as Denmark's largest flight school with over 30 years of experience, offering an integrated pilot training program as its primary product. The main offering consists of a 24-month integrated pilot training leading to Commercial Pilot License (CPL), Instrument Rating/Multi Engine (IR/ME), and APS MCC certification. An alternative pathway is the MPL (Multi-Crew Pilot License) program conducted in partnership with SAS, providing direct airline employment. Supporting products include Flight Instructor (FI) training for career advancement, Aviation Camp and Aviation Math as preparatory courses, campus accommodation, simulator gift cards via FunFlight, and CAPA Kredit financing. The school also provides enrollment services including admission tests and monthly information meetings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Integrated Pilot Training Program (Den integrerede pilotuddannelse) 24-month full-time professional pilot training program combining theoretical ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License) education with practical flight training and simulator exercises, culminating in CPL, IR/ME ratings and APS MCC certification.
• MPL (Multi-Crew Pilot License) Program Airline-integrated pilot training program conducted in partnership with SAS, providing a direct pathway to employment as a first officer. Includes 750 hours of theoretical training and 245+ hours of practical flight training across four phases.
• APS MCC (Airline Pilot Standard Multi Crew Cooperation) Extended 40-hour simulator course in B737 or A320 simulators, including Jet Orientation Course (JOC), preparing pilots for multi-crew airline operations and job interviews.
• Flight Instructor (FI) Training Flight instructor licensing program enabling commercial pilots to obtain FI(A) certification. Includes 125 hours of theoretical teaching training and 30 hours of practical flight instruction, conducted typically during autumn/winter seasons.
• Aviation Camp 4-day residential introductory program for aspiring pilots (minimum age 15), offering hands-on experience with flight simulators, actual flight lessons, aviation theory, and overnight accommodation at the campus.
• Aviation Math Course Mathematics refresher course designed to strengthen mathematical skills relevant to pilot training. Price is 800 DKK. Conducted upon interest.
• Campus Accommodation Student housing at the campus in Roskilde Airport with furnished rooms (Cloudbase campus) at 3,800 DKK/month or unfurnished rooms (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie campuses) at 3,700 DKK/month, all including utilities and WiFi.
• Simulator Gift Cards (FunFlight) Gift vouchers for B737-800 or A320 simulator experiences, offered in collaboration with FunFlight. Includes simulator flight for 2 persons with jump seat access for guests, and cabin with 18 seats.
• CAPA Kredit Financing solution for pilot training with deferred repayment during studies, interest-free for first 6 months, variable interest rate between 6.70%-9.95% p.a., requiring minimum down payment of 200,000 DKK.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates employed by partner airlines (SAS, Jettime, Norwegian, Air Greenland, Finnair) upon completion, with type ratings on A320 or B737 already incorporated in training.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• FinnaircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Finnair selected 41 candidates from approximately 1,500 applicants for its MPL training program at CAPA. The two-year program (starting September) is resuming for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Training costs 60,000 euros total (paid by candidates), primarily conducted at CAPA in Roskilde, Denmark, with final months at Finnair Flight Academy in Vantaa, Finland. Graduates expected to be employed by Finnair by summer 2028 on Airbus A320 aircraft, with starting salaries around 5,000 euros/month potentially rising to 20,000 euros.
• SASflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SAS and CAPA signed a strategic partnership to train 48 MPL (Multi-Crew Pilot License) pilots per year. The two-year program is developed jointly, with SAS providing airline-specific procedures training from day one. CAPA was the world's first flight school to offer MPL certification. Graduates transition directly to SAS as first officers on Airbus A320 aircraft. The partnership was described as 'groundbreaking' and timed to meet rising demand for qualified commercial pilots. SAS Chief Pilot Rasmus Ilsøe stated the timing was ideal and the partnership matches the growing demand for highly qualified commercial pilots.
• JettimecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Jettime and CAPA partnered to follow a cohort of 12 pilot students through their 24-month training at Roskilde Lufthavn. This is Jettime's first partnership of this kind. Jettime is actively involved in student development, providing hangar visits, Boeing 737 access, and mentoring by experienced pilots. While no job guarantee is given, graduates have strong employment prospects at Jettime, which operates 11 Boeing 737NG aircraft with plans to add two more. New pilots receive type rating on Boeing 737 as part of onboarding.
• NorwegiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian offers CAPA graduates a direct employment pathway. After completing the integrated training with APS MCC, graduates undergo a job interview and Boeing 737 type rating at Norwegian, then start as first officers. Norwegian's core values include a caring heart, working together, and passionate Norwegian spirit.
• Air GreenlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPA and Air Greenland have maintained a partnership exceeding 10 years, training pilots directly for employment at Air Greenland. Special admission requirements include Greenland residency (5 years minimum or 10 years with max 3 years abroad after age 18), Danish citizenship, and completion of Air Greenland's own selection process. Training leads to employment as first officer on routes within Greenland. Application deadline is March 1 annually.
• SunClass AirlinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPA is audited and accredited by SunClass Airlines. Aspirants who meet other employment requirements can apply directly without the general flight hour experience requirement.
• Lufthansa CitylineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPA is audited and accredited by Lufthansa Cityline. Graduates meeting other employment criteria can apply directly without the general experience requirement for flight hours.
• Wizz AirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPA is audited and accredited by Wizz Air. Graduates meeting other employment criteria can apply directly without the general experience requirement for flight hours.
• FunFlightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunFlight partners with CAPA to offer B737 and A320 simulator gift voucher experiences to the public. The vouchers are sold through www.funflight.dk, allowing anyone to experience professional flight simulation. This partnership creates brand awareness and an aspirational touchpoint with potential future students.
• Trafikstyrelsen (Danish Transport Authority)coreOthersTrafikstyrelsen is the regulatory authority that approves CAPA's training programs, conducts examinations, and issues pilot licenses. CAPA is approved by Trafikstyrelsen under EASA Part-FCL regulations and participates in the Good Practice 1 scheme for student payment protection.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Flight Training Europe (FTE): Flight Training Europe (FTE) is a Spain-based EASA-approved integrated ATPL and MPL provider serving cadet pathways for airlines including easyJet and other European carriers. It competes directly for European cadet trainees seeking airline-backed programs similar to CAPA.
• Lufthansa Aviation Training: Lufthansa Aviation Training runs integrated pilot training programs in Germany and Europe with direct pathways to the Lufthansa Group. It competes directly with CAPA for both aspiring cadets and airline-sponsored MPL partnerships across Northern Europe.
• Egnatia Aviation: Egnatia Aviation is a Greece-based EASA-approved integrated ATPL academy offering airline pathway programs with European carriers. It competes with CAPA for Mediterranean and South European cadet markets with a similar integrated model.
• OSM Aviation Academy: OSM Aviation Academy operates integrated pilot training programs in Norway and Sweden and shares direct employer ties with Norwegian Air Shuttle. It is the closest Nordic competitor to CAPA in terms of geography, customer base, and airline sponsorship model.
• Airways Aviation: Airways Aviation operates EASA-approved integrated ATPL/MPL academies across Europe (UK, Spain, France, Italy) with airline pathway partnerships. It offers a directly comparable curriculum, multi-site European footprint, and graduate-placement model to CAPA.
• BAA Training: BAA Training is a Lithuania-based integrated ATPL/MPL provider with multiple European locations and partnerships with airlines such as airBaltic and SmartLynx. It is a direct competitor in the European integrated pilot training segment CAPA operates in, with comparable scale and price positioning.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International is a long-established broad incumbent in commercial pilot training, operating worldwide with extensive full-flight simulator infrastructure. While its core strength is type-rating and recurrent training, its academy offerings overlap with CAPA's integrated pilot training.
• Pan Am Flight Academy: Pan Am Flight Academy is a US-based flight training organization with integrated pilot programs and extensive simulator infrastructure. As a broad incumbent with growing international reach, it represents global competitive pressure on European integrated academies like CAPA.
• CAE: CAE is the world's largest civil aviation training organization, operating flight academies across multiple continents with integrated ATPL/MPL programs and a fleet of training aircraft/full-flight simulators. It is the dominant broad incumbent in commercial pilot training and the primary global benchmark for scale competitors like CAPA aspire to.

Regional players

• Czech Aviation Training Centre: Czech Aviation Training Centre offers integrated ATPL training in the Czech Republic as a Czech Airlines-affiliated program. It is a regional competitor addressing Central European cadet demand adjacent to CAPA's Nordic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CenterAirPilotAcademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/centerair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-air-pilot-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/centerairpilotacademy

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Center Air Pilot Academy