With the launch of its new Multi-Pilot Licence (MPL) program, ITA Airways is establishing a structured training pathway for the airline’s future pilots. For the initial training phase, the carrier has once again selected Urbe Aero Flight Academy, renewing a partnership first developed during Alitalia’s MPL program.

Under the previous program, Urbe Aero Flight Academy trained 54 cadets, all of whom now serve as pilots on ITA Airways’ Airbus A320 fleet.

With the launch of the new initiative, ITA Airways and Urbe Aero Flight Academy now make up Italy’s only fully certified, integrated MPL training pathway, covering the entire process from cadet selection through to operational qualification with the airline.

The theoretical phase will be delivered at the ITA Airways Training Center at Rome Fiumicino Airport, while the initial practical training will take place at Urbe Aero Flight Academy.

The portion of the syllabus entrusted to the Academy will cover the Core and Basic phases, comprising at least 161 hours of actual and simulated flight training, plus an additional three hours of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) for each cadet.

For the program, Urbe Aero Flight Academy will deploy a fleet of 20 latest-generation aircraft equipped with fully digital glass cockpits. One of the youngest training fleets in Europe, it is complemented by modern Diamond DA42 FNPT II simulators and the Academy’s new AirbusA320neo FNPT II MCC simulator.

After completing the Rome Urbe phase, the trainees will continue their program at the ITA Airways Training Center in Fiumicino, where they will undertake the subsequent MPL stages on Airbus A220 and Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulators, before progressing to line operations.

According to the latest international forecasts, the air transport sector will face steadily growing demand for new pilots over the coming years. MPL programs are therefore becoming an increasingly important tool for ensuring qualified workforce renewal and delivering training that is closely integrated with airline operating procedures.

ITA Airways plans to train approximately 280 pilots over the next four years, with the first courses scheduled to begin in October 2026.

STATEMENTS
Marzio Caneva, Chief Operations & Accountable Manager at ITA Airways
“The availability of qualified pilots is becoming an increasingly strategic issue for air transport, and ITA Airways has chosen to look ahead by investing in the skills the industry will need in the future. By launching the MPL courses, we intend to create a structured and sustainable pathway for bringing new professionals into the airline, planning for workforce turnover over the coming years and building a pool of highly trained young talent,” said Marzio Caneva, Chief Operations & Accountable Manager at ITA Airways. “The initiative draws on our in-house expertise, strengthens the airline’s ability to meet its operational requirements and underlines our commitment to the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.”

Lorenzo Mezzadri, Accountable Manager & Director General at Urbe Aero Flight Academy
“We are deeply honoured that ITA Airways has once again placed its trust in us. This decision is a source of great pride and also recognises the work carried out over the years through the previous MPL program, which trained 54 cadets who now fly Airbus A320 aircraft for ITA Airways. This achievement further consolidates our position as one of the leading flight schools for professional pilot training, not only in Italy but across Europe. In recent years, international airlines such as Wizz Air and easyJet, together with Aeroitalia, have selected our Academy for strategic training programs. We will continue to invest in training quality, technology and close integration with airlines, because we believe the future of pilot training lies in technical and operational excellence.”