Located in a quiet corner of northwest Bali is the 1,200-meter-long single-runway Lieutenant Colonel Wisnu Airport, which has served as the departure point for hundreds of young Indonesian men and women with “sky-high dreams” in the global aviation industry.
Founded in 2009 by Indonesian business leader the late Robby Djohan (1938-2016), the Bali International Flight Academy (BIFA) fulfills the financier’s mantra that education is fundamental to improving the quality of the lives of Indonesians.
“Bapak” Robby is a legend in Indonesian business circles credited with merging and restructuring four troubled state banks into a single state bank – Bank Mandiri. He also served as the CEO of Bank Niaga and Bank Mandiri before taking the top job at the national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. During his tenure, his decisive approach to management helped put the flag carrier back on its feet.
In his 70s, at an age when most men prefer to put up their feet and play with their grandchildren, Robby Djohan embarked on creating a world-class aviation training center. In the 14 years since its establishment, BIFA has offered a curriculum endorsed by the Indonesian Director-General of Civil Aviation and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Over this same period, BIFA has graduated some 800 aviators, some of whom, for instance, now occupy the left-hand cockpit seat (i.e., Captain) of a Garuda Airbus A-320, the right-hand cockpit seat (i.e., co-pilot) of an AirAsia Indonesia Boeing B737-800, and as a fleet flight instructor with the Garuda subsidiary Citilink Airlines.
Hundreds more BIFA graduates are employed nationally and in the region, flying with, among others, Garuda, Air Sriwijaya, Citilink, Lion Air, Trans Nusa, Susi Air, and Travira.
As a living legacy of Robby Djohan’s vision, the modern BIFA Campus and Aerodrome at Sumberkima, Buleleng Regency rivals leading flight academies around the globe, boasting facilities that include:
- Air-conditioned classrooms equipped with the latest technological teaching tools.
- Three modern flight simulators are available with various programs to duplicate the experience of operating a wide range of aircraft, airports, and flight conditions.
- Lecture hall.
- A well-stocked library with materials covering many aspects of aviation studies.
- High-speed WiFi connectivity.
- Twin-sharing air-conditioned dormitories are sufficient for 100 co-ed students at the Buleleng Main Campus and the satellite campus at Banyuwangi, East Java.
- Catering facilities and dining areas that are sufficient to accommodate all cadets and visitors.
- A limited number of serviced luxury villas for use by guests, visiting family members, and other visitors.
- A swimming pool and fitness center.
- A training fleet of 18 Cessna 172 single-engine aircraft and 3 Piper Seminole twin-engine turbo-charged training aircraft.
The BIFA Campus is located on the beautiful northwest coast of Bali, a short distance from the former provincial capital of Singaraja and the ferry crossing to East Java at Gilimanuk. Cadets will often take advantage of the light traffic volume of local roads to pursue fitness goals by jogging or cycling with other academy members.
The Bali International Flight Academy (BIFA) offers a curriculum providing a variety of pathways to obtaining aviator certification.
Private Pilot License
A four-month leading to a non-commercial private pilot license comprising:
- 226 hours of ground school.
- 3 hours of simulator training.
- 47 hours of in-fight training, including solo and cross-country flights.
Commercial Pilots License
These levels require passing a Class I Medical Certificate and an ICAO English Proficiency Test.
Instrument Rating comprising:
- 101 hours of ground school
- 25 hours of inflight training
- 16 hours of simulator training
- Commercial Pilot License (PL) comprising:
- 138.5 hours of ground school
- 99 hours of inflight training
- 24 hours of simulator training
- Multi-Engine Rating (M/E) comprising:
- 35 hours of ground school
- 12 hours of inflight training in a multi-engine aircraft
- 12 hours of simulator training in a multi-engine training device
- Airline Transport Pilot License
- This 233-hour ground school program is available to commercial pilots who aspire to fly larger, multi-engine aircraft like B737, Airbus, and corporate jets.
- Private Pilot Executive Course
- This course is for busy executives who have always wanted to fly an airplane. Open to people between the ages of 17 and 60, with a minimum TOEFL Score of 450, and able to pass a Class-2 Medical Examination.
- 186 hours of ground school can be done online to fit flexibly into a busy student’s schedule.
- Designed to be completed in 6 months.
- Includes 47 hours of inflight training, both with an instructor and solo flight, conducted from the BIFA Base.
- 3 hours of simulator training in an advanced Redbird FMX Flight Simulator.
- IELP English language test.
To learn more about learning to fly with BIFA EMAIL
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