This year’s LleidaAirChallenge trade fair, to be held at Lleida-Alguaire Airport on October 5 and 6, will see an increase in the presence of aeronautical training, reflected both in the number of companies in the sector and in the number of conferences organized. Specifically, there will be 21 exhibitors dedicated to this activity, representing 21% of the total of 98 registered exhibitors.
As for the briefings, eight of the ten scheduled sessions will focus on aeronautical training in various specialties. This was explained today by the Government delegate in Lleida, Núria Gil, en el transcurso de la presentación de la edición 2024 del evento, en la que también ha participado el , during the presentation of the 2024 edition of the event, in which the The director of Lleida-Alguaire Airport, Antoni Serra, and the director of the Fair, Antonio Gil, attended. Núria Gil highlighted that this increased number of training companies will cover a wide range of career opportunities, ranging from piloting to aircraft maintenance and repair, as well as cabin crew, air traffic control, and handling, among others, all of which are in high demand.
Some of the companies that will be present in Alguaire include BAA Training, Aerolink Flight Academy, Deamair, European Aviation School, Just2Fly, OnAir Academia Aérea, Panamedia International Flight School, CESDA, Centro de Estudios Aeronáuticos, EFAV, Instituto Isla de los Banyols, EuroAula MFS Flight School, Aeroclub de Reus, and Central Escuela Aeronáutica.
Diversity of the areas represented
The fair has reached full capacity. Among the exhibiting companies, and in addition to the 21 flight schools already mentioned, there will also be 21 that supply small or large drones for various uses such as agriculture, construction, or firefighting; four service companies offering air taxis equipped to meet the needs of all customers and others focused on the use of helicopters; 19 dedicated to space exploration, consulting, aerial reconnaissance, products for pilots and aircraft maintenance, repair, and manufacturing, and sales and rental of general aviation aircraft; and another 29 that include aeroclubs, the ULM Pilots Federation, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, among others. Due to the successful sales of aircraft and engine parts, brands such as Wing Master, Cirrus, Ela, UL Power, and Diamond will also be represented this year. The fair will be located the same as last year, on the industrial platform, around the hangars and the campus area, with three large tents dedicated to training, new aeronautical technologies, and new air mobility, respectively. There will also be a space reserved for simulators.
Positive impact on the territory
The Government Delegate praised the increase in aeronautical schools, as one of the objectives of Lleida-Alguaire Airport is also to “strengthen its potential to attract vocations among young people and facilitate their access to the professional opportunities offered by the sector.” Núria Gil also pointed out that this growing area of training at the airport also represents “an increasingly significant contribution to the airport’s overall economic impact on the region.” The airport itself hosts aeronautical schools with a significant number of trainers and students, and is working to open a new aeronautical training center and a pilot residence next year.
For his part, Jordi Candela emphasized that the Lleida Air Challenge Fair “offers exhibitors linked to the five areas on which the airport’s development is based: commercial, technological, industrial, New Space, and training.”
According to Candela, the fair has been taking on “a dynamic very oriented towards aeronautical professionalization and specialization, which helps strengthen the position of Lleida-Alguaire Airport as a benchmark for industrial and service airports, in line with the strategic change that was already proposed a few years ago.” In this regard, he highlighted the presence at the fair of distributors and aircraft manufacturers as well as companies that develop
Other news
This year, unlike previous years, an acrobatic air show will be held alongside the fair and will add a festive atmosphere throughout the weekend. In fact, the festival itself will be held on Sunday morning, but pilot training will take place on Saturday, both at midday and in the afternoon. In addition to the acrobatic flights, there will be displays of helicopters, drones, model airplanes, and more. This year, a rolling train will travel from the Plaza de la Sardana in Alguaire to the airport all day Saturday and all morning Sunday, so that anyone interested in seeing the fair who has no other way to get there or prefers to take it can use it.
10th edition of the fair
This year marks the 10th edition of the fair, which remains the only one dedicated to aeronautics in Catalonia and the Spanish state. The first Lleidaairchallenge was held at Lleida-Alguaire Airport in 2013, with the aim of opening the doors to aeronautics in the region and with the aim of being a meeting place for industry professionals, companies, institutions, and aeroclubs, offering a platform to showcase innovations and market trends and network. It is also a must-see for all aviation enthusiasts in the region, who have the opportunity to learn about the industry’s new technologies and learn about airplanes, drones, and helicopters in an aeronautical environment. Flights to Palma de Mallorca will continue on Friday and Sunday, as the fair occupies a space on the apron that does not interfere with commercial aviation.
