Vista makes history with EBT Certification
Image courtesy Vista
This milestone distinguishes Vista from its peers and validates years of strategic investment and planning towards shaping the future of flight safety.
VistaJet Limited began implementing EBT in 2018, years ahead of any other business aviation operator and is now the first business aviation company in the world to receive this approval. This proactive, early adoption reflects the Group's longstanding investment in safety innovation and its commitment to leading the industry by building systems and implementing training standards that go well beyond regulatory requirements.
Nick van der Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Vista, noted: "Whilst others wait, Vista builds. We were the first to implement EBT in business aviation — years ahead of the industry — and we've set the blueprint others now look up to. Achieving this certification is more than a regulatory milestone; it's proof of Vista's relentless commitment to protecting our clients and crew. Safety is a responsibility we take personally, every single day.
"EBT is part of our vision to continuously raise the bar for private aviation by investing in the people, systems, and training elements that support our operating partners and define how we lead. We invest early, think long-term, and set standards not just for ourselves, but for the entire sector. And we'll continue driving progress – because safety leadership is a responsibility, not a title. A privilege we work hard to maintain."
Aviation is undergoing rapid transformation. Increased aircraft utilisation, more complex flight operations and evolving risk factors are creating new requirements for pilot training and safety management. To meet these challenges, evidence-based systems are pivotal to tailor instruction to specific operational needs and crew performance data.
EBT is a cutting-edge, data-driven training methodology formally recognised by European regulators and widely regarded as the gold standard in commercial aviation training. It enables flight crews to develop and strengthen the core competencies required to manage real-world scenarios, promoting critical thinking and resilience in dynamic flight environments.
At the core of VistaJet Limited's EBT programme are several components that go beyond standard practice in business aviation, including:
- In-house team of simulator instructors and examiners: Significant worldwide experience across a range of aircraft types removes the need to rely on outsourced trainers who are often unfamiliar with complex operations.
- Robust standardisation and concordance programme: Consistent training delivery across fleets and crews.
- Comprehensive data gathering: Tens of thousands of data points are recorded and analyzed to continuously refine training programmes.
- Direct integration: Including both operational and broader industry safety data into training content and delivery.
This set of solutions results in pilots being better equipped to anticipate and manage real-case scenarios, ultimately building greater resilience and increasing overall operational safety.
Vista's commitment to safety extends across every aspect of operations:
- Award-Winning Safety Record: Vista and its operating partners have been repeatedly recognised for exceptional safety programmes and operational excellence. These recognitions reflect a deep-rooted culture of accountability and performance across fleet and crew operations.
- Vista Training Academy: Conducted across the regional operating centers, the Academy trains cabin hosts and pilots to the standards of renowned institutions — including the British Butler Institute, MedAire and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust — to ensure every flight meets the highest standards of safety and client experience.
- In-House Standardisation Programmes: Vista's instructors and check pilots conduct both initial and recurrent training programmes for crew flying across the Vista Members' fleet — including Global, Challenger and Citation aircraft. The programmes drive operational standardisation and sustain best-in-class crew proficiency across all fleet operations.
Representing a paradigm shift in pilot training, EBT moves away from the traditional model, where only a limited number of manoeuvres were trained repetitively and exhaustively. Instead, it focuses on adaptive instruction guided by real performance data, ensuring training is relevant, targeted and operationally effective.
