The training center for helicopter pilots Slovak Training Academy / hereinafter referred to as STA / has completed the first 3 successful years of its activity. The company was established at the international airport in Košice on October 30, 2017. The grand opening ceremony at that time started a new era of aviation training in the metropolis of the East and brought millions of investments to the region and created hundreds of jobs.

STA is the frst and only civilian operator of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters in Europe . And not one helicopter, but we have four. These machines are used not only for the needs of pilot training, but also for the maintenance training. In the hangar of the Faculty of Aviation of the Technical University in Košice, STA students, as well as students of the Faculty of Aviation, including adepts for pilots and mechanics of the Slovak Air Force, have the opportunity to get acquainted with technical details of the legendary American helicopter. “Our company and our subcontractors have employed more than 300 people since coming to Košice. However, our contribution to the region is not just economic. Thanks to the cooperation with the Faculty of Aviation, the tradition of aviation training in Košice, which has a rich history here, has come to life, “states Lukáš Halás, Executive Director of STA. The private aviation academy has already reconstructed several buildings on the university campus, which received not only new clothes, but also technical facilities, including the aforementioned hangar with a helicopter and flight simulators. “The establishment and operation of the Slovak Training Academy at Košice Airport marked not only the beginning of a strategic partnership for the Faculty of Aviation of the Technical University in Košice, but also a significant historical milestone in the ability to provide our students with full practical aviation training as an important part of training new aviation specialists. Three years of mutual cooperation have fully confirmed the mutual benefit of this partnership based on mutual support not only in the field of daily practical training of our students and teachers, but also significant assistance from STA in improving the teaching and training base of our faculty. Thanks to this partnership, the Faculty of Aviation of the Technical University in Košice is able to create conditions for study in attractive study programs fully applicable in the pan-European aviation area. ”Stanislav Szabo, Dean of the Faculty of Aviation, evaluates the operation and mutual cooperation with STA.

STA has a total of 20 helicopters in its fleet in Košice – from light types such as the MD-530 to heavy infantry helicopters UH-60 Blackhawk. This type of originally American military helicopter is the showcase of the Academy. The Blackhawks in the STA squadron have undergone disarmament and overhaul and are now used exclusively for civilian and training purposes. In addition, since arriving in Košice, the company declares its willingness to assist the state and local government in emergency situations, such as natural disasters, and can deploy its aircraft at any time to help residents in need. “We want and can help if necessary. At the same time, we care about the inhabitants of the region in which we operate. During the recent floods, for example, we offered to the Ministry of the Environment and representatives of the Regional Crisis Staff and subsequently carried out aerial monitoring of flooded areas in the Hornád river basin. We can imagine a similar cooperation in the future as well, “adds Lukáš Halás, Executive Director of STA.

Dozens of Slovak and foreign graduates have undergone pilot training and training in mechanics since the opening of the Academy. The interest in the courses is extremely high, especially from the member countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. The space for the growth of another company is also provided by the successful cooperation with the international airport in Košice, which is an important business partner for STA. “We have a positive perception of the operation of the Slovak Training Academy since its inception. I would like to highlight the professionalism and high expertise of this company. The seat of the Slovak Training Academy in Košice clearly strengthens the position of Košice and Košice Airport on the aerial map not only of Europe but also of the world, “concludes Tomáš Jančuš, Deputy Executive Director of Košice International Airport.