THE AIR INTER CIPN
 

What was Air Inter’s CIPN?

The CIPN, or Centre d’Instruction du Personnel Navigant (Flight Crew Training Center), was Air Inter’s internal training facility responsible for the instruction and qualification of flight and cabin crew members (flight deck crew and cabin crew). It placed strong emphasis on safety training, emergency procedures, and evacuation drills. This was an in-house structure created to professionalize and standardize crew training across the airline.
 

History / Key Dates

Air Inter’s CIPN operated in a purpose-built training facility set up in 1986 inside a refurbished industrial building located near the airline’s headquarters at Paris–Orly Airport. It was created and expanded over the following years to meet the company’s growing training needs.

Air Inter itself existed from 1958 until its full merger into Air France in 1997. The CIPN therefore operated during the period when Air Inter still maintained its operational autonomy.
 

Mission and Activities of the CIPN

The CIPN provided crew training focusing on onboard safety (evacuation procedures, survival training, operation of safety equipment), practical drills, and emergency scenarios.
It employed dedicated instructors and offered both theoretical lessons and hands-on sessions (simulators, realistic emergency exercises).

The center had a staff of around two hundred instructors who trained both technical and cabin crew, highlighting the scale and importance of the organization.
 

Context and Strategic Importance

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, pilot training and crew shortages were major issues for Air Inter. The company significantly increased its training efforts and throughput.
The CIPN was part of this large-scale internal strategy to maintain operational capability through intensive, standardized crew training.
 

The CIPN within Air Inter Virtual Airlines

Within Air Inter VA, the CIPN becomes the CIPNT — Centre d’Instruction du Personnel Navigant Technique (Technical Flight Crew Training Center), since Air Inter VA does not train cabin crew.

Its purpose is to assist newcomers, whether in flight simulation in general or on online flight networks. It also provides information, documents, and videos related to general aeronautical knowledge. The content is enriched progressively based on member needs and contributions.
 

Arrival of the New Airbus A320 Simulator at the CIPN (1992).
Since the video is in French, you will need to use the subtitles.

Click the image – Duration 6min17sec