In this interview, Sofema CEO Steve Bentley explains his “partnership-first” strategy for 2026, prioritizing long-term client trust over short-term profits through transparent pricing, “down-selling” unnecessary training, and freezing costs to support aviation budgets. Interviewer: Steve, 2026 is starting with a lot of economic pressure on aviation training budgets. You’ve recently said that Sofema’s goal is sometimes…

Sofema Online (SOL) Reviews ICAO Amendment 178: The Global Standard Introduction Amendment 178 introduced Chapter 5 to Annex 1, specifically defining the technical specifications for EPLs. Its primary goal is to ensure that a digital license issued by one State is recognized and verifiable by any other State. Core Requirements Offline Verification:A license must be…

Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) discusses the following in detail, referencing the relationship between EASA and ICAO. EASA Context: How EASA Standardisation activities align with the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme – USOAP program. The relationship between the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is characterised by a high degree…

Sofema Online (SOL) announces a 20% discount on the Flight & Ground Operations Learning Path Diploma for all enrollments made during December 2025 using the code DECEMBER20. The Flight & Ground Operations Learning Path Diploma is a comprehensive, integrated program designed to help aviation professionals demonstrate a strong understanding of flight and ground operations across…