IFA Receives ANAC Certification for Boeing 737 MAX Simulator

The International Flight Academy (IFA) in Portugal has received certification from ANAC for its FTD.aero Boeing 737 MAX simulator. The academy can now offer MCC and Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) courses on the device.

The fixed-base device is an FNPT II configured for MCC and APS MCC training, allowing pilots to select either platform for these pathways. IFA's current APS MCC programme provides students with two aircraft environments: the Airbus A320 at Lisbon/Cascais and the Boeing 737 MAX in Viseu.

The simulator phase of the APS MCC pathway includes 20 hours of MCC training, 12 hours of advanced swept-wing jet training, eight hours of airline operations scenario training, and a two-hour final assessment. The academy's standard MCC programme comprises 25 hours of theory and 20 hours of simulator instruction across five sessions.

The B737 MAX device was manufactured by Poland-based FTD.aero, with IFA stating it is now the only Portuguese ATO where students can choose between Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 MAX environments for MCC or APS MCC training. The certification completes a development process that began in 2025.