The Empower.aero co-founder powering expert EBT/CBTA conversations at EATS 2025

Cascais (Lisbon), November 2025

One of our co-founders, Captain Andy Mitchell lead the EBT/CBTA Implementation table at the Halldale EATS Head of Training round-table event. The table drew high interest from across the industry with airline, ATO and business jet operators keen to align on EBT/CBTA best practices under his expert guidance.

Andy took inspiration from the famous Cascais Casino Estoril next door (widely regarded as Ian Fleming's inspiration for his James Bond Casino Royale book) and held a facilitative master-class on the EBT/CBTA journey based on a different game of chance, Snakes & Ladders. He demonstrated that with the right strategy, implementation of competency-based programmes doesn't to be based on luck to progress up the ladders (to accelerate implementation to regulatory minimums) and avoid the snakes (which can prolong approval timelines and cost signficantly). The participants helped to interactively identify the snakes and ladders by drawing on their own experiences and Andy facilitated them through common misconceptions and best practices of EBT/CBTA implementation.

A representative from the UK CAA commented - "Just fantastic! You have to be at a extreme expert level to break down something so complex into something that appears simple... and fun!"