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43 Air School

South Africa · SACAA-approved ATO (CAA/0240); ICAO-aligned

OperatingSouth Africa

43 Air School is a large flight training academy based in Port Alfred on South Africa's Eastern Cape coast. It trains professional pilots from ab-initio through advanced airline-oriented training for domestic and international students.

With origins as a World War II training facility and re-established in 1988, 43 Air School describes itself as one of Africa's largest flight training establishments and has trained thousands of pilots. It operates under the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), with a fleet reported around 57 aircraft and expanding, including single-engine trainers, Piper Seneca multi-engine trainers, a King Air 200 turboprop and a Boeing 737-800NG, plus ALSIM simulators and MCC devices. The school has bases at Port Alfred and additional operations, employs more than 250 staff and announced a major expansion in 2026 to increase capacity.

School facts

CountrySouth Africa
RegionEastern Cape (Port Alfred); also Bhisho and Lanseria
Base airportPort Alfred Airport (FAPA)
RegulatorSACAA-approved ATO (CAA/0240); ICAO-aligned
CoursesPPL
CPL
IR
Multi-engine
ATPL
Instructor ratings
ab initio airline cadet
Fleet70+ aircraft (largest training fleet in Africa; glass-cockpit complex trainers)
PartnershipsInsight Aviation
IndiGo Airlines (launch customer for Middle East/India ab-initio)
Founded1988
Website43airschool.com

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

Where is 43 Air School located?
In Port Alfred on the Eastern Cape coast of South Africa.
What regulator certifies 43 Air School?
It operates under the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
How large is its fleet?
It operates around 57 training aircraft, expanding, including multi-engine trainers, a King Air 200 and a Boeing 737-800NG.

Sources

Last verified 2026-07-13. Professionally-public, sourced information only.