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airBaltic Training – a key driver of general aviation development in the region
airBaltic Training continues to strengthen its role as a key driver of general aviation development in the Baltics and Scandinavia, combining excellent pilot training with comprehensive aircraft maintenance and airworthiness services.
A clear example of this long-term commitment is airBaltic Training’s cooperation with Diamond Aircraft Industries, which has now reached a new milestone with the expansion of maintenance and CAMO (continuing airworthiness management organisation) services for the Diamond DA50 RG aircraft.
The partnership with Diamond Aircraft began in 2018, when airBaltic Training ordered its first four Diamond aircraft – three DA40 NG and one DA42-VI – together with a Diamond DA42-VI / DA40 NG flight simulator. At the time of the initial order, Pauls Cālītis, the Chief Operating Officer at airBaltic, highlighted the strategic importance of the aircraft selection by expressing airBaltic’s confidence in this aircraft: ‘Diamond aircraft are the safest and most modern training aircraft in the market. While primarily preparing our future pilots for our Airbus A220-300 aircraft, it’s vital that the training aircraft also offers a flight deck with large LCD displays with optimised control and display functions, in addition to the overall efficiency of the aircraft.’
Beyond technology and efficiency, the aircraft have proven their value in intensive daily training operations. Diamond aircraft are highly appreciated by students for their predictable handling and overall flying characteristics. At the same time, similarities in flight deck structure and operational logic support a smoother transition from Diamond aircraft to Airbus A220-300 flight decks, helping students adapt more easily when progressing to airline operations.
Since that first delivery, the airBaltic Pilot Academy has accumulated more than 37,000 flight hours on Diamond aircraft, with over 15,000 hours flown in the past two years alone. This high level of utilisation is matched by extensive technical experience: more than 1200 maintenance tasks have been performed across the fleet, including 22 engine changes, underscoring the depth of in-house expertise built over years of continuous operation. Today, the Diamond fleet operated by airBaltic Training consists of ten aircraft, including nine DA40 and one DA42, supporting a stable and airline-oriented training environment. In parallel with flight training, the Diamond simulator has also seen intensive use, logging between 2000 and 3000 training hours annually.
airBaltic Technics General Aviation Services, a subdivision of airBaltic Training, has now added the Diamond DA50 RG to its approved aircraft list for both MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) and CAMO services.
Based at Liepāja Airport (EVLA/LPX), airBaltic Technics General Aviation Services provides complete airworthiness and maintenance solutions for Diamond aircraft. Services include line and base maintenance, warranty repairs, parts procurement, propeller loan solutions, aircraft hangaring, and pre-purchase inspections, supported by EASA-approved CAMO services. Fully paperless operations, powered by MRX Systems electronic flight and technical logs, enable efficient documentation handling and faster returns to service.
By expanding its DA50 RG maintenance capabilities, airBaltic Training further strengthens its position as a leading Diamond Aircraft service provider in the Baltics and Scandinavia.
This expansion ensures that operators across the region can access manufacturer-approved maintenance and continue airworthiness services locally. The DA50 RG is increasingly attractive to regional operators, offering modern performance and the ability to fly approximately 750 nautical miles (1389 kilometres) in a single trip.
‘The DA50 RG is an important addition to the Diamond Aircraft portfolio, and its presence in our region is steadily increasing,’ says Uldis Dzenis, the Maintenance and CAMO Manager at airBaltic Technics General Aviation Services. ‘By extending our approvals, we ensure that operators can rely on comprehensive maintenance and airworthiness support close to home, reducing downtime and operational complexity.’
This new capability was enabled by the certification of airBaltic Technics General Aviation Services as a service partner for Continental diesel engines by Continental Aerospace Technologies, complementing existing approvals for Diamond Aircraft Industries and Austro Engine.
ABOUT DIAMOND AIRCRAFT
The airBaltic Pilot Academy has flown more than 37,000 hours with Diamond aircraft.
The Diamond DA40, which is the prevailing aircraft at the Pilot Academy, can fly approximately 1730 kilometres on a single tank of fuel, which is comparable to flying in a straight line from Riga to Paris.
With certain props, the Diamond DA40 produces around 74 dB(A) of external flyover noise, which is comparable to busy street traffic and quieter than many other training aircraft.
In 2004, a DA42 became the first diesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to complete a non-stop crossing of the North Atlantic (12.5 hours, averaging ~5.7 gallons of fuel per hour per engine).
The DA40 NG variant uses the Austro AE300 jet fuel diesel engine, burning about 5.1 gallons per hour in economy cruise and achieving speeds up to 154 knots – impressive efficiency for a four seat aircraft. In terms of distance travelled per gallon in cruise, the DA40 NG’s fuel efficiency can be comparable to a car on the highway, though aircraft and automotive mpg aren’t directly equivalent.