Slovak Training Academy / STA / will continue to operate at Košice International Airport and will continue to train helicopter pilots according to a pre-approved schedule. “We want to assure all business partners as well as the lay and professional public that our company continues to carry out its activities, which is the training of a new generation of helicopter pilots. STA is an economically healthy and dynamically developing company, which is why we can flexibly respond to market needs, “says Dominik Varga, CEO of STA.

He responded to public information about possible problems of the training center due to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. STA has been operating at Košice International Airport for 4 years and during that time has trained hundreds of top helicopter pilots for the needs of domestic and foreign clients. Last year alone, the company achieved sales of almost EUR 50 million. The success of the training center’s business story was mainly due to its uniqueness. It is the only training center in Europe that offers courses for UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilots. In total, the academy has more than 20 helicopters at its disposal, from the smaller Schweizer and MD-500 types to the before mentioned “Blackhawks”.

“Each of our pilot training begins with theoretical training and an aviation English course. Students then continue training on modern flight simulators to acquire all the necessary habits. Only then do they get into the cockpits of helicopters, where a team of our experienced instructors prepares them for all possible situations that may occur in the air, “says Dominik Varga. Last year alone, more than 7,000 flight hours flew on the smaller S300 and MD500 helicopters. On UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, it was about three thousand flight hours. The location of the training center at Košice Airport was decided not only by the excellent technical and professional background of the local airport, but also by the rich, almost 70-year-old tradition of military aviation training in this region. STA has become a general partner of the Faculty of Aviation and since the beginning of its operation it has been investing in building not only its own, but also the university infrastructure. Since its inception, the company has invested more than 50 million euros in Košice and employs approximately 300 highly qualified professionals in the Košice region, not only in the aviation department.

“Our goal is to be a socially responsible company. That is why we participate in various community projects, we support the inhabitants and local governments of the region in which we operate. Since our arrival in Košice, we declare that we are willing to deploy our machines and flight staff in action in the event of emergencies, such as fires or floods. We also offered helicopters to the Czech Republic shortly after the tornado broke out in South Moravia, ”adds Dominik Varga. The training of professional helicopter pilots thus continues in Košice. The historical tradition of military and civil aviation training in the Košice region, the technical background and the professionalism of the professional team of employees predetermine the academy to become a top training center for helicopter pilots not only in Europe but also worldwide.