The Aviation Knowledge Infrastructure – A 2026 Strategic Update
The Aviation Knowledge Infrastructure – A 2026 Strategic Update
The Aviation Knowledge Infrastructure – A 2026 Strategic Update
SOFIA, BULGARIA, January 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As of January 2026, Sofema Online supports more than 3,500 B2B clients and provides access to a library exceeding 525 regulatory and vocational training courses. The company’s Corporate Freedom Pass (CFP) has become a central focus of its training model.In a recent discussion, Steven Bentley, CEO of Sofema Aviation Services, outlined how the CFP has evolved and how it is currently positioned within the aviation training environment.
Bentley explained that the CFP is no longer viewed as a traditional training package. Instead, Sofema Online now positions it as a form of “knowledge infrastructure” for aviation organizations. Rather than purchasing individual courses as needed, client organizations subscribe to a defined training capacity. This approach shifts the focus from ownership of specific courses to continuous access to competency development across the organization.
At the operational level, the CFP functions through a concurrent seat system. Organizations purchase a number of active training slots rather than enrolling named individuals on fixed courses. When one employee completes a course and exits a slot, that same slot becomes immediately available for another employee. This structure allows a limited number of seats to support a large volume of training activity throughout the year, covering different departments and regulatory needs.
Bentley noted that Sofema Online recently reviewed utilization data from a major national carrier operating a CFP 20 package combined with a Partnership Training Program bonus. In this case, the organization received a total training capacity equivalent to approximately 5,460 training days for an overall cost of around €16,898. This equated to an average cost of approximately €3.09 per training day.
He contrasted this with typical classroom or virtual instructor-led training, which commonly ranges between €500 and €750 per day. According to Bentley, the CFP model enables organizations to deliver regulatory training at a fraction of conventional delivery costs, allowing quality and compliance departments to distribute training more broadly across their teams.
Addressing the scope of the Sofema Online library, Bentley emphasized that the catalogue extends beyond general awareness subjects. The platform includes in-depth regulatory training covering complex areas such as EASA Part 21 (Regulation 748), which is relevant to Design Organisation Approvals (DOA) and Production Organisation Approvals (POA). Alongside regulatory compliance modules, Sofema Online also provides vocational diploma programs supporting structured development pathways in areas including CAMO, logistics, and safety management.
Bentley added that full vocational diploma programs are included within the CFP framework. This allows organizations to use their corporate subscription not only for compliance-driven training but also for longer-term staff development initiatives. Airlines and maintenance organizations can assign diploma pathways to selected personnel as part of structured competency and retention strategies, without requiring separate training budgets.
In terms of administrative control, Bentley stated that CFP clients manage their own enrollments through a dedicated administrative dashboard. Organizations can assign courses directly and immediately, without waiting for manual processing, purchase orders, or invoice approvals. This is intended to support rapid response to audit findings, operational changes, or emerging compliance requirements.
Another component of the CFP model is the provision of downloadable training materials. Upon course completion, both the participant and the organization receive soft-copy PDF versions of the training content. Bentley explained that this supports the development of an internal reference library within the client organization. Even if a subscription ends, the accumulated training materials remain available for internal use.
Regarding typical subscription sizes, Bentley said that CFP packages range from smaller organizations using ten concurrent seats to larger operators using significantly higher volumes. He indicated that many organizations find operational efficiency around the CFP 20 level, particularly when combined with Partnership Training Program bonuses, which can increase the number of available concurrent seats and improve overall unit cost.
Concluding the discussion, Bentley addressed aviation executives and accountable managers who have not yet adopted subscription-based training models. He encouraged organizations to assess their internal unit cost of training delivery. According to Bentley, the CFP is intended to provide budget predictability, rapid access to training following audit findings, and the foundation of a structured internal knowledge system. He stated that the model is designed to reduce administrative delays between identifying training needs and implementing training solutions.
Steve Bentley
Sofema Online
team@sassofia.com
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