South Africa goes Mega for engineer training

South Africa’s Mega Aero Training Academy (MATA) is working with Swiss maintenance provider, SR Technics, to establish a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 147 programme that will cover type ratings, basic and specialised training, using website-based training methods. Dave Calderwood reports.

SR Technics is one of the world’s largest independent MRO providers, servicing most Airbus and Boeing aircraft types.
The company started out as the maintenance and engineering section of Swissair, previously Switzerland’s national carrier, and has grown to be a global player.
For MATA, the five-year partnership between SR Technics Training Services will add a recognised engineering training expertise.
SR Technics says the partnership will increase its presence as a training service provider in Africa.
Nora Pimont, strategic account manager at SR Technics, said: “MATA and SR Technics Training Services are moving fast with this opportunity to deliver EASA examinations and training in South Africa. The first EASA examinations, in collaboration between the partners, successfully took place in July 2019.
“The agreement is very well perceived by the South African Government, which supports this major investment from a leading maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider with direct benefit for young people and professionals.
“We are proud to support the development of aircraft maintenance talent to address the shortage of EASA-certified engineers. We look forward to developing our partnership with MATA over the coming months and years.”
MATA was founded in 2010 and is an aviation training academy based at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with satellite training facilities at Grand Central Airport, halfway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
It’s also part of Safomar Holdings Group, a South African Aviation Group active in sub-Saharan Africa.
MATA offers training right across aviation, including apprentice technical training, flight crew, cabin crew, advanced technical training, regulatory training, ground school for pilots, technical type ratings (rotor and fixed-wing), dangerous goods for aviation, and airport worker training. It is also a trade test-certified preparation and examination centre.
MATA holds local accreditation with the South African authorities and several African countries.
“Our facilities consist of a three-storey building with 14 classrooms for theory classes plus a practical training hangar that has a variety of aircraft, helicopters and aircraft engines, structures, landing gear and spares,” said the company. “These are used in the practical training modules for technical apprentice training, giving all MATA-trained aircraft maintenance engineer apprentices the closest experience to what they would be likely to encounter in an aircraft maintenance facility.
“For cabin crew training, MATA is proud to boast a complete Boeing 737 aircraft on-site. We are also equipped with fire pits for firefighter training and approved training aids for first-aid training.
“In addition to initial and re-current training facilities, we have a fully approved aviation trade test centre for mechanical and avionics trades.
“With our focus on industry partnerships, graduate students have access to real-world projects, networking opportunities and up-to-date information that make them desirable future employees and leaders.”