Leading Edge Aviation Expanding Horizons - BBGA Association Limited

Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) is proud to announce the addition of its new Southern European Campus in Murcia, southern Spain to its already impressive training portfolio.

The expanded operation at Alhama in Murcia will allow LEAL, the fastest growing commercial pilot training academy in Europe, to maximise flying, lifestyle and leisure opportunities offered to its increasing number of staff and students.

Chief Executive Officer Leading Edge Aviation, Andy McFarlane commented, “We are absolutely thrilled to be making this announcement today. Our expansion into Europe has been a long time in the making. Finding exactly the right location for our staff and students, both in terms of flying, accommodation, cultural and leisure opportunities, as well as accessibility has been a huge challenge and we are delighted to have found all that we were looking for and more in our new campus in Murcia”.

The facilities at the Alhama Campus are both comprehensive and of the high standard that LEAL prides itself on. LEAL has exclusive use of the Airport which features a full-length parallel taxiway, a modern operations & planning building with crew facilities and a substantial apron and hangar that will house their growing fleet of Diamond aircraft. An on-site engineering service will support the operation so that students can make the most of the great flying opportunities the area has to offer. The location is ideal for foundation flight training with flat terrain and large open areas for students to develop their flying skills in a perfect environment.

Students will benefit from first class accommodation just minutes away in executive quality, 2-bedroom air-conditioned self-catering apartments. With 24-hour onsite security and a range of impressive social and leisure facilities they will make many great memories – the leisure facilities include a Jack Nicklaus golf course, more than 20 swimming pools, outdoor and indoor gyms, bars, restaurants, shops and boutiques.

Ground School will be completed at the Oxford Campus and students will then move to Alhama, where the 300+ days of glorious sunshine enables an enhanced opportunity for progression in their foundation flying. Operating a modern fleet of Diamond DA40 and DA42 aircraft, this phase culminates with the Commercial Pilot License (CPL) skills test. Students then return to Oxford where they will experience the more challenging UK flying conditions prior to undertaking their Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (MEIR), Advanced Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (A-UPRT), Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Co-operation (APS-MCC) and Graduate Services training to prepare them for their future airline careers. LEAL will continue to be one of the few training providers to offer dual UK CAA and EASA licences.

LEAL are working in close collaboration with the accommodation management team and the regional government of Murcia, who are all looking forward to welcoming academy staff and students into the Alhama community.

Bienvenidos a España

For more Information on training with Leading Edge Aviation please visit leadingedgeaviation.com or call 01865 546 300. Media enquiries should be directed to Sarah Champneys, Head of Marketing at sarah.champneys@leadingedgeaviation.com

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

If abbreviating Leading Edge Aviation, please shorten to LEAL (and not LEA)

Media Enquiries 

Sarah Champneys, Head of Marketing, Leading Edge Aviation. 

01865 546300 

07393 048536

sarah.champneys@leadingedgeaviation.com 

More about Leading Edge Aviation  

Leading Edge Aviation is an inspirational and innovative pilot training academy with a fresh approach and an emphasis on holistic training. Offering the highest standards of regulatory technical training, students also benefit from a comprehensive professional and personal development curriculum to enhance non-technical skills.  

Leading Edge delivers modular (including Ground School, MECPL, CBIR, MEIR, uMAP (university Modular Airline Preparation), A-UPRT (Advanced Upset Prevention Recovery Training), APS-MCC (Airline Pilot Standards Multi Crew Co-operation), LEAP (Leading Edge Airline Preparation) course, a full-time integrated course with BSc degree and a comprehensive graduate airline selection preparation workshop.

Leading Edge aviation students can achieve a UK CAA or dual UK CAA & EASA licences.

Based at London Oxford Airport & Alhama, Murcia, Leading Edge students receive wellbeing support, along with the most advanced learning aids. Virtual and mixed reality tech, and neuro training techniques are used to embed and refine new knowledge and skills, creating pilots who enter the industry airline ready, with strong leadership skills. 

Paul Cremer

My name is Paul Cremer, and this marks my 42nd year working within the business and general aviation industry. Over this time, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing a diverse array of sector activities, ranging from aircraft charter and management to air ambulance services, ground operations, air traffic control, airport management, technology implementation, and the outsourcing services I currently manage.

In my role focused on delivering advisory, technology, and outsourcing services to aviation customers, I handle a wide spectrum of responsibilities. This includes overseeing International Trip Support, Operations Control Centre Services (OCC), Continuing Airworthiness Management Service (CAMO), Airworthiness Reviews, ARC Services, Aircraft Delivery and Re-delivery Support Services, Maintenance Coordination Services including AOG, Tech Ops (Maintenance Control Centre), and managing myairops software products. As the Head of Aviation Delivery, I lead the customer-facing delivery of Technology & Outsourcing products and services for the market, drawing upon a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and industry connections within Gama Aviation’s Technology and Outsourcing Strategic Business Unit.

My journey into Business and General Aviation began during my teenage years while still in school. I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the industry, starting at a flying club, and later working at the Air Traffic Services Unit at Blackbushe Airport. There, I maintained the ATC Movement Logs in the Control Tower during weekends, solidifying my passion for aviation. Upon completing my schooling, I seized opportunities at Fairoaks Airport, where I began as Ground Crew while pursuing my Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer’s license. Advancements in my career led me to the role of Air Traffic Services Manager.

Since joining Gama Aviation in 1996, I’ve held various positions, including Operations Manager (Post Holder), Operations & Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager, Operations Delivery Manager, Head of Business Aviation Delivery, and currently, Head of Aviation Delivery. This role encompasses Gama Aviation Group’s Gama Aviation, myairops, and FlyerTech companies.

In 2023, I was honoured to be invited to serve as the Chair of the Operations Working Group for the British Business & General Aviation Association. This opportunity allows me to contribute to industry initiatives within BBGA’s membership of nearly 200 industry companies, focusing on challenges such as regulatory compliance, Air Services Agreements, technological advancements, workforce development, operational matters, and sustainability.

Marc Bailey

Marc Bailey has spent his entire career in aviation and has worked in most areas of Aviation Services with scheduled airlines, MRO’s, military contract support and latterly with associations, government, and its agencies.

Marc represents your position in Europe (even post Brexit) – as President of ECOGAS (European Council of General Aviation Support) which maintains a voice with EASA. All the major member states are represented on the ECOGAS board. With EASA restructuring its meetings with industry, ECOGAS is now well positioned to represent our position in all areas following industry partnerships with the European Independent Maintenance Group and with ARPAS the new drone and autonomous association.

Marc is chair of the UKASF (United Kingdom Airworthiness Strategic Forum) as part of an initiative to develop Aviation Services across all aviation activities. The UKASF pulls together airlines, MROs, Rotary, Drones, and commercial GA bodies to work with CAA and DfT. The objective is for industry to take the lead to drive strategic issues to benefit all parties. We are well positioned after four years to continue our good work and with the re-established role of Chief Surveyor in the CAA we have a good focal point to do this.

Marc chairs the CAA Finance and Services Forum which allows industry in the UK to discuss in the financial plans for the CAA and the value for money delivered by those funds paid by industry. This is a new and valuable new platform for all parties.

Under recent developments Marc has formed an alliance with, ARPAS, AOPA, BHA and BBGA so that we can strengthen our voice under a joint ‘GA 4 Biz’ banner. This alliance is working to do everything possible to represent the industry’s business interests with UK government and to help realise the Government’s desire to make UK General Aviation a Global Leader in a post Brexit environment. GA4Biz – GA4Biz

The next Generation initiatives with industry and government have continued to develop with the retention platform now evolving into the “Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform”. The platform now not only offers a vehicle for those offering and seeking posts in aviation, it also provides pathways with its TalentView portion seeking to provide pathways for new entrants into our sector. The recruitment platform is being further developed to include training opportunities across a wide range of providers, from government agencies through academic bodies. Getting our next generation activities right in the UK over the next couple of years is our single most important issue which we in aviation must grab with both hands. Marc is playing a central role to help develop many of these channels.

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