At the airBaltic Pilot Academy in Riga, Latvia, the dream of becoming a commercial pilot attracts students from across Europe—and even beyond. While the Academy is open exclusively to holders of EU, EEA, or Swiss passports, some students from distant parts of the world, such as Brazil and Argentina, have joined the program through dual citizenship, bringing unique global perspectives to the classroom and cockpit.
Bernardo Winkeler, from Brazil, has followed airBaltic for years. “I’ve always been an avgeek, so I knew about airBaltic from a young age, back when the company operated Boeing 757s, 737 Classics, and other aircraft types that fascinated me at the time. The livery was also one of my favorites in the world, especially because I’ve always loved green and blue. So even from all the way back in Brazil, I always kept an eye on what airBaltic was doing.
When airBaltic started introducing the Airbus A220-300s, and later launched the airBaltic Pilot Academy with a state-of-the-art fleet of Diamond DA40 and DA42 aircraft, I immediately began planning, both personally and financially, to pursue this opportunity.”
Bernardo’s story reflects the determination and vision that define many of the Academy’s students. His long-held admiration for airBaltic’s innovation and professionalism ultimately guided him from South America to Northern Europe—transforming fascination into a real career in aviation.
Kevin Klau from Argentina. “I’m originally from Argentina (holding an Italian passport) and discovered airBaltic Pilot Academy while working as a cabin crew in Dubai.
As I was trying to find a flight school in Europe, Pilot Academy immediately stood out — not only for its modern training environment and connection to a successful airline, but mainly for how quickly and professionally they responded. While some schools took months to reply — or never did — Pilot Academy got back to me within hours. Just a week later, I was already doing my first online assessment.
What truly convinced me to join was the clear opportunity to become a First Officer with airBaltic after successfully completing the training and also the financial aid from the airline loan program. Having that structured career path gave me confidence that I was investing in a serious, future-oriented flight school.
Living in Latvia has also been a great experience. It’s a peaceful and safe country with a good quality of life, and it’s been an ideal environment to focus on my training. I’ve really appreciated the chance to immerse myself in a new culture. Looking back, now that I’ve completed my training, I must say that I’m very happy with my decision to come here — the journey has been both challenging and rewarding in the best possible way.”
Bernardo and Kevin’s journeys are a reminder that aviation unites people from all corners of the world. At the airBaltic Pilot Academy, talent and ambition converge in Riga—where future pilots from more than 20 countries share one common dream: to fly.
