Airbus and ALT Academy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance training across Africa. The agreement was signed at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo 2026 in the City of Tshwane, South Africa, on 16 September 2026. It establishes a framework to strengthen technical training capacity and support the development of essential aviation maintenance skills across the African continent.
The collaboration will focus on identifying mutually agreed training initiatives and learning solutions. These initiatives are intended to bridge the gap between academic training and industry requirements. In addition, Airbus and ALT Academy aim to align maintenance knowledge with current industry standards.
According to the organisations, this approach will help ensure aviation professionals have the skills required to support increasingly advanced aircraft operations. However, the agreement currently provides a framework for cooperation, with further details on specific programmes to follow as plans progress.
ALT Academy and Airbus target practical maintenance training
Nam-Binh Hoang, Airbus Country Representative in South Africa, said the partnership underscores Airbus’ long-term commitment to supporting Africa’s aviation ecosystem. He said the cooperation would combine Airbus’ learning solutions with ALT Academy’s focus on practical education.
“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,” Hoang said.
Meanwhile, Ryan van Wijk, CEO of ALT Academy, said modern aircraft require a level of technical training that can be difficult to build in isolation. He described the partnership as an important step in ALT Academy’s commitment to building practical and high-quality maintenance training capacity in South Africa.
“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,” van Wijk said.
He added that the cooperation would maintain a firm focus on safety, quality and regulatory requirements for the benefit of operators across the continent.
The agreement will therefore provide a basis for Airbus and ALT Academy to explore training opportunities together. The scope and delivery of the programmes will be developed jointly by the two organisations.
