Saudi Aviation Flight Academy (SAFA) will soon launch an Upset Prevention & Recovery Training (UPRT) program.

The program will deliver the skills required to safely prevent and recover from an airplane upset, a precursor to Loss-of-Control In Flight (LOC-I) — the leading cause of fatalities in aviation worldwide.

LOC-I is defined as flight that occurs outside of the normal flight envelope with an inability of the pilot to control the aircraft.

In order to deliver the program, SAFA has partnered with Aviation Performance Solutions (APS), a global-leader in providing UPRT.

SAFA recently took delivery of an Extra 330LX unlimited category aerobatic aircraft to conduct the UPRT program.

Captain William Roe, MD at SAFA, said: “The Extra 330LX was chosen due to its extraordinary operating envelope of +/-10 Gs, which creates an exceptional margin of safety while conducting UPRT. We have partnered with APS, because they have a proven record of providing fully comprehensive and guaranteed lifesaving skills.”

Captain Roe added: “Loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) is identified as the number one cause of fatal aircraft accidents worldwide over the past 10 years. Now with the UPRT program available in Saudi Arabia, SAFA opens up great opportunities to our ab-initio cadet pilots, professional pilots, and airlines in the region. SAFA will currently be the only civilian flight academy in the GCC to provide a comprehensive, industry-compliant UPRT program.”

"It is a great honor to welcome SAFA as a licensed provider of several key APS Upset Prevention and Recovery Training services in the Middle East," said Paul B.J. Ransbury, president of Aviation Performance Solutions. "SAFA is dedicated to producing pilots equipped to significantly reduce the risk of loss of control in-flight both during licensing training and subsequently throughout their careers.”

The first UPRT training course at SAFA is expected to commence in November.