A320 Type Rating

Year 2012 : First Officer job on Airbus A320 at BH Air

Since 2012, I joined Balkan Holidays Airlines on Airbus A319/A320 and I work on medium-haul sector. During this summer, I performed flights from Burgas in Bulgaria, on the black sea coast. I flew to England (London, Manchester, Edinburgh and more than 19 airports in the UK), Norway, Danemark (more than 23 airports in Scandinavia), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Ukraine...

During the winter season, I am based 1 month in the Middle East (Dubaï) and 1 month in South-East Asia (Bangkok). In the Middle East, I fly between Dubaï, Cairo, Jeddah, Karachi, Lahore, Khartoum, Asmara, Roma and Francfort. In Asia, I fly between Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lampur, Yangon, India and sooner Taïpei, Hong-Kong, Tokyo...

BH Air is a branch of tour operator Balkan Holidays International in the UK, which is the specialist for holidays to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania. They have 45 years of experience in providing memorable holidays to these destinations. BH Air, Bulgaria’s premier private airline currently employs a staff of 250 (herein 150 flight deck and cabin crew).

Airbus A320-200 at Balkan Holidays Airlines

The A320 of my company are mainly equiped with CFM 56 engines and can carries up to 180 passengers. Some ot them are configured as business class (about 140 passengers) and are equiped with IAE V2500 Engines. You will find below some photos of A320 BH Air, and also the different steps (qualifications/licenses) needed to become an airline pilot

Airbus A320-200 BH Air taxing in UK

Airbus A320-200 BH Air in cruise and at landing

Macro photos of Airbus A320-200 BH Air

Year 2009 : Base Training A320 at CSA Airlines near Prague

During this phase, you have to perform 6 takeoffs and 6 landings on Airbus A319/A320/A321, without any passenger on board.

Photos of A319 CSA used for the training (l'OK-NEM):

Base Training Airbus A320 at CSA near Prague, A319 OK-NEM

Let's start the Base Training on Airbus

First powerset and takeoff on Airbus (Takeoff weight 66 700 kg)

First landing without autopilot nor autothrust (full manual), near Prague

On final runway 27 at LKPD

Year 2009 : Airbus A320 Type Rating at IFTC, Istanbul

This training allows you to fly 4 of the 10 Airbus existing aircrafts A318 / A319 / A320 / A321, due to the use of identical cockpit. The cabin depends of aircraft type and varies from 140 passengers for A319 to 220 passengers for A321. The duration of this training is usually between 6 and 8 weeks.

Flight training procedure system (IFTC Istanbul)

Theoretical part of type rating on A320, in Turkey, Istanbul

A320 Full Flight Simulator at Istanbul

Emergency procedures, engine fire...

Emergency procedures, emergency descent, engine failure...

Year 2008 : Business aviation

Flights between France and UK, on Piaggio P180, based at Cannes Mandelieu airport.

Business aviation with Piaggio P180

Year 2007 : Multi Crew Cooperation

Training about the task sharing between pilot flying (PF) and pilot not flying (PNF).

Multi Crew Cooperation on FNPTII type Piper PA34 Cheyenne

Year 2007 : Instrument Rating

This training allows flying under any weather condition, ILS approaches (fog, clouds)...

Twin-engine Cessna C303 used for Instrument Rating

First flight of Instrument Rating with Cessna C303

Flight training near Malaga, in southern Spain

Year 2006 : Professional pilot license

This license is the first step to become a commercial pilot.

Preparation of flights at Airways Formation

First flight of commercial pilot license with Piper PA28 Arrow IV (turbo)

Years 2003-2005 : Private pilote license

This is the first pilot license you need to fly a light aircraft.

Flights with Piper PA28 in France and Corsica

Flight to southern Corsica (Cannes-Calvi-Propriano-Figari)

Back to Cannes from St Raphaël, Esterel and Lérins islands

Years 2004-2005 : Theoretical ATPL exam

Before starting any airline pilot training, you will need to get 14 theoretical ATPL certificates. The content of these certificates is huge as it covers reglementation, electronics/electricity, mechanics, instrumentation, weight and balance, human factors, meteo, navigation, operationnal procedures, radio communications... It requested from me 18 months, about 1600h, 65 books to study and 3 exam sessions to get all 14 certificates.