Allegiant Air broke ground on Aug. 4 on their US east coast training center in Sanford, FL, adjacent to Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB).
The facility is expected to be completed and open for training flight crew members and mechanics by the first quarter of 2017.
The $24 million, 43,000 square-foot facility will be operated by 30 full-time instructors and support staff and will have the capacity to train 150 pilots, 500 flight attendants and 100 mechanics annually via flight simulators, cabin trainers and classroom-teaching for operating Airbus A320 and MD80 aircraft.
Allegiant is accelerating the transition to an all-Airbus fleet by 2019. The 12 newly purchased A320ceo aircraft are expected to start entering into service beginning in May of 2017. The new A320ceos will bring Allegiant’s total of Airbus aircraft to 77, either in service or committed for delivery.
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) is Allegiant’s major focus city airport. 71 cities fly Allegiant routes to SFB, more than the 58 cities that fly Allegiant routes to McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas or the 50 cities the airline flies to St. Petersburg -Clearwater International Airport (PIE) near Tampa, FL.
“Our partnership with Orlando Sanford International Airport, Airports Worldwide and the entire community has grown and thrived,” Allegiant CEO and chairman Maury Gallagher said. “This … facility will place Sanford at the center of training activity and the leading edge of technology for all our East Coast crew members.”
