Sky's the limit for trainee pilots
ONE hundred Bahrainis are to be trained to fly commercial planes for some of the region's biggest airlines as part of a new initiative, it has been announced.
The Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA) has joined forces with world-renowned pilot training organisation the Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA) to provide the young cadets with the tuition necessary to gain the prestigious Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (ATPL).
There are also plans to increase the number in future years if there is sufficient demand in the market for Bahraini pilots.
Twenty cadets, aged between 18 and 20, have already been selected for the two-year Ab-Initio course and will begin their training shortly, at OAA's facilities in Oxford, Melbourne, and Phoenix, the US.
As part of the agreement, a ground training facility will also be set up in Bahrain for the programme.
It is part of a joint initiative launched earlier this year between Mumtalakat (of which GAA is a fully-owned subsidiary), the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and Tamkeen (Labour Fund).
GAA marketing and business development head Khalil Amin told the GDN it was vital to Bahrain's plans to become a regional aviation hub that there was a supply of young, talented and well-qualified local pilots.
"As mentioned by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company chief executive officer Talal Al Zain, Bahrain is aspiring to become an aviation hub in the region and this initiative is directed towards this aim," he said.
"We are looking to build a future pool of Bahraini pilots who are empowered at the highest standards so that they can take up positions in Gulf Air as well as other airlines in the region.
"The majority of experienced pilots that I have met have trained with OAA and they have the quality and infrastructure necessary to make this work, so it was a natural choice."
OAA's Ab-Initio training division managing director Anthony Petteford added that the organisation was looking forward to helping Bahrain become a leading centre in aviation training.
"This new agreement matches OAA's overall strategy of aligning with high quality partners to further develop pilot training opportunities worldwide," he said.
Although the cadets will be expected to pay for the
BD45,000 course, they will initially be given a BDB-provided loan.
The students will have a two-year grace period before they will have to pay anything back and thanks to Tamkeen they will not have to pay any interest as it agreed to take care of the charges.
New batches of prospective pilots will be selected shortly, with the GAA planning to tour schools and universities in an attempt to raise awareness about the course.
Source:
GDN