For more than 20 years, AXIS Flight Simulation and Aviation Academy Austria (AAA) have worked together to deliver advanced flight training solutions. What started as a brave investment has evolved into a trusted, long-standing relationship that continues to strengthen business aviation training.

Shaping flight training through collaboration

Austrian-based AAA was AXIS’ first customer. Back then, both companies were preparing to enter the flight simulator market from different angles: AXIS as a new manufacturer and AAA as an ambitious training provider.

“AXIS was the obvious choice for us,” said Michael Holy, managing director at AAA. “We were both starting out in a competitive market. Frankly speaking, the price was also tempting compared to other manufacturers that existed at the time.”

Since then, the two businesses have completed multiple successful projects, navigated technical challenges together and set a new standard in business aviation training. AXIS has delivered six Level D Full Flight Simulators (FFS) to AAA over the past two decades – including Europe’s first Level D Bombardier Challenger CL350 – whilst AAA has refined its operations into a centre of excellence in business jet training.

Christian Theuermann, executive board member at AXIS Flight Simulation, reflects on the longstanding relationship with pride. “AAA is a standout customer in our portfolio. Not only because they placed their trust in us early on, but because they continue to push us to be better. They’ve helped us shape product development in a way that reflects real-world operator experience. That feedback loop is invaluable.”

This emphasis on collaboration is echoed by AAA. “We’ve always appreciated AXIS’ openness to implementing customer input,” Holy said. “Because we use the products every day, we can offer insights that feed directly into future simulator designs. There’s a mutual willingness to find constructive compromises, even on difficult issues, which sets AXIS apart from other providers.”

Advancing flight training solutions through technical expertise

The technical capabilities of AXIS’ simulators have evolved considerably over time, meeting the growing complexity of AAA’s curriculum. The result is a suite of training devices that match the highest standards of realism and reliability. Today, AAA can deliver a wide portfolio of training courses using the latest Level D FFS devices, specifically tailored for business aviation.

According to Theuermann, that’s exactly the mission. “We see ourselves as not only as manufacturers, but as engineering collaborators. Our goal is to create tailored, scalable and maintainable simulators that meet both current and future training demands.”

Reliability remains paramount and the importance of strong technical expertise is something AXIS continues to deliver with care. “Without ongoing technical support, we would not be able to consistently improve our training devices or offer customers such high reliability,” Holy commented. “AXIS supports our in-house technicians in troubleshooting and has worked with us on numerous upgrades over the years.”

That level of responsiveness has proved critical in high-stakes moments. AAA recalls one particularly memorable example: “During the set-up of our FFS Citation CJ1+ simulator, an error led to a component in the visual system breaking during testing. Replacing the system would have delayed the start-up by several months. But thanks to AXIS’ flexibility, we were supplied with a swift fix, meaning there were no delays and the FFS went into service on time.”

Adapting to the future of flight training

Over the years, AXIS has supported AAA’s business aviation training strategy with equipment and insight that fits the unique needs of the market. “AXIS has opened up access to this segment for us,” Holy explained. “They’re the only high-quality Level D FFS manufacturer for business jets actively selling to independent training centres.”

As the training landscape faces new opportunities, AXIS is once again responding to what’s next. Alongside simulator development, the company is expanding its product ecosystem to include tools such as the virtual procedure training (VPT), AI-supported grading, flat panel trainers and extended reality applications.

“These innovations will play a major role in how training is delivered in the future,” Theuermann said. “And we’re building them with direct input from customers such as AAA.”

For Holy, this is a welcome direction. “We see AXIS supporting our next phase of growth with tools that align with how people want to learn today. The future of flight training will look very different and thanks to AXIS, we’re ready.”

Two decades in, the collaboration between AXIS and AAA remains defined not by legacy, but by continuous progress.