Having read through these threads and received an email from an interested party, its sounds to me that the situation at Al Ain has not progressed one jot since I was there with STATS in 1990-92.
We were engaged to help set up the UAE Air Force training and operations on similar lines to the British Military. We seemed to be fairly successful at the time in spite of AA and even had CFS Staff from Shawbury visit to validate and examine a QHI course we had set up.
I thought Horizon had been set up to train for civilian licences but it seems they are still training for military forces.
I had applied for the post of HOT but was ‘Black Balled’ by an AA who I had difficulties with during my last stint at Bateen and Al Dhafra. Looking at the present situation he has done me a favour.
The main problem with working in the Middle East is that in their minds AA no longer need us for financial or military support as such. However, they still need the westerners’ know how and management skills. We have become the ‘hired hands’’ and once our usefulness is seen by them is no longer there then it’s goodbye.
The AA cannot lose face and if you make a suggestion that he can’t readily accept and it shows up his inadequacies then beware. You maybe on the next flight home.
If you guys can bite the bullet and keep the bank account rolling over then good luck. I must say I enjoyed the expat community in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and miss it.
SH