A simulator can be installed, tested and ready for demonstrations, but formal qualification is the milestone that establishes its approved training capabilities.
Atlantic Flight Academy (AFA) has achieved that milestone with its new Simnest Airbus A320 FNPT II MCC simulator in Istanbul, following an evaluation by Türkiye’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The evaluation, completed in late October 2026, concluded without any findings, according to the manufacturer. The qualification marks Simnest Aviation’s first simulator installation in Türkiye and expands AFA’s resources for advanced airline-oriented pilot training.
Supporting Multi-Crew and Airline Pilot Training
The new device is intended to support AFA’s Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) courses and selected phases of its airline Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) programmes.
An FNPT II MCC is a fixed-base flight navigation and procedures trainer qualified for specified training activities, including multi-crew cooperation.
It is not equivalent to a Level D full-flight simulator, which provides a different level of aircraft-specific simulation capability and is used for training and checking activities requiring that qualification.
For pilots preparing to enter multi-crew airline operations, APS MCC training develops competencies including crew coordination, communication, workload management and decision-making.
The A320-representative environment allows these skills to be practised within a cockpit layout and operational context relevant to airline flying.
From Partnership to Qualification
The project progressed from an initial memorandum of understanding signed at the European Aviation Training Summit (EATS) in 2025.
A purchase agreement followed in December 2025, with the simulator installed at Atlantic Flight Academy’s Istanbul facility in August 2026.
The successful qualification represents the next stage in that programme.
AFA Chief Executive Officer Erkan Akçay described the outcome as confirmation of the academy’s decision to work with Simnest, highlighting the evaluation result and cooperation between the organisations.
The manufacturer has also designated the installation as a regional demonstration platform for prospective customers.
Expanding Simulator Training Capability
For training organisations, obtaining qualification for a new simulator is a significant regulatory and operational milestone.
It establishes the device’s approved capabilities, although the qualification itself does not confirm how many students have completed training or whether additional courses have already commenced.
The installation also gives Simnest a reference facility in Türkiye as it seeks to expand its presence beyond its existing markets.
For Atlantic Flight Academy, the immediate significance is a newly qualified training resource intended to support the transition from individual pilot skills to coordinated multi-crew airline operations.
