Milestone! SF Airlines Builds New Training Hub for Civil Aviation Maintenance License

On the morning of June 27, 2022, SF Airlines held the opening ceremony for its first CCAR147 (Rules for the Qualification Approval of Civil Aircraft Maintenance Training Organizations) maintenance license training class at the Civil Aviation Skills Training Base in North Campus of Huanggang Normal University, Hubei Province. This marked the official operation of SF Airlines' CCAR147 maintenance license training institution. Representatives from Huanggang Normal University and SF Group unveiled the plaque for the institution, witnessed by the first batch of 24 trainees.

As the only approved civil aviation maintenance training institution in Hubei Province, SF Airlines' CCAR147 training institution is qualified to provide "Turbine Aircraft (TA) License Category" training, offering certification support for aircraft maintenance professionals. The establishment of this institution ends SF Airlines' decade-long reliance on self-study or external training for maintenance personnel, signifying a new phase in the company's talent development system that will effectively support future maintenance personnel growth.

Essential Educational Support for Future Aviation Hubs

With the ongoing development of Hubei International Logistics Core Hub, SF Airlines has been rapidly expanding its fleet and routes, creating higher demands for both the quantity and quality of maintenance personnel. Establishing a local training institution to consolidate resources and build a high-quality talent pipeline has become imperative.

Through active school-enterprise cooperation between SF Airlines and Huanggang Normal University since the project's initiation in July 2019, the partners overcame challenges including lack of experience, equipment limitations, space constraints, and pandemic impacts. By integrating existing resources from both sides, developing new disciplines, acquiring training aircraft, and creating specialized teaching tools, they jointly established the "SF Airlines CCAR147 Maintenance License Training Institution" after nearly three years of effort.

Based on mutual benefits, Huanggang Normal University and SF collaborated to build facilities worth 20 million RMB including hangars and theory classrooms. SF Airlines leveraged its technical expertise to help the university establish a new "Aircraft Manufacturing and Maintenance Engineering" discipline, enriching the school's education system and enhancing its teaching capabilities.

Innovative Transformation of Training Aircraft

The training aircraft serves as the core hardware for developing aviation maintenance training capabilities. To build an industry-leading training institution, SF Airlines' Maintenance Quality Management Department independently completed key technical tasks including design, blueprint drafting, equipment procurement, and construction without existing industry references.

The design team implemented bold innovations by restoring aircraft control systems, installing cabin seats, and adding audio-visual equipment, creating China's first training aircraft combining "theoretical teaching, practical training, and aviation science education" functions. This aircraft gained CAAC approval upon debut, attracted widespread attention as a popular attraction at Huanggang Normal University, and became a visual symbol showcasing SF Airlines' training capabilities and promoting aviation culture.

Meticulous Development of Training Aids

Aircraft maintenance technology is an intellectually intensive field where professionals work with complex systems comprising millions of components - for example, a B737 contains over 6 million parts. Professional training aids are essential for effective education and examination.

To ensure practical training outcomes, SF Airlines' Maintenance Training Center developed specialized teaching tools including standard wiring construction, circuit measurement, avionics computer disassembly, aircraft sealing, and engine component training aids. Using CAD/SolidWorks software and repurposing retired aircraft materials, these CAAC-approved tools not only reduced procurement costs but also contributed to establishing "aging aircraft maintenance standards," providing valuable references for industry training institutions.

Promising Future with Talent Development

On March 15, 2022, with guidance from CAAC's Flight Standards Department, Central-Southern Regional Administration, and local supervision bureaus, SF Airlines' CCAR147 training institution obtained official approval, laying the foundation for its inaugural class.

Moving forward, SF Airlines will continue enhancing the institution's training capabilities to cultivate more highly skilled maintenance professionals for the civil aviation industry.