ANA to establish “panda Flight Academy”

[flying.monkeyz]

TOKYO December 1, 2011 – ANA Group, Japan’s largest airline group, today announced it established panda Flight Academy to train licensed and employed pilots for changing the license of aircraft and for promotion, necessary for future expansions, including the Low Cost Carrier ventures.

The company will provide pilots with the training using the simulators in order to assist them shifting the license to A320 for civil aviation businesses.

The new panda Flight Academy will be set up with 75 million yen as the initial capital. The Academy will have both B737NG and A320 plane simulators and is expected to be operational by May next year.

The ownership is split between ANA and ANA Trading Co. Ltd (51% and 49% respectively). Katsumi Nakamura, ANA Executive Vice President of Flight Operations, will be assigned as the CEO of the company.

The academy will be built upon ANA’s established experience as a provider of high-quality training with the cooperation of Pan Am International Flight Academy, the leading pilot training company in the United States.

The new company will be located at Higashi-kojiya, Ota-ku, Tokyo, and will be equipped with the two simulator bays and 11 classrooms.

Press Release (http://www.ana.co.jp/eng/aboutana/press/2011/111201.html)

[oldhasbeen]

..this is open to all Panda's, no matter the citizenship. Polar, Black , Grizzly and Koala's need not apply:p

[Rotorhead1026]

..this is open to all Panda's, no matter the citizenship. Polar, Black , Grizzly and Koala's need not apply

Actually, if a bear decides he's goin', I wouldn't try to stop him ... :eek:

Koalas, of course, aren't eligible due to the fact that they're always wasted. :)

[flying.monkeyz]

Training Dragon Warriors perhaps??

[oldhasbeen]

That's because of their upbringing Rotor.....all they do is eat roots shoots and leaves...:E

[The Dominican]

Smart, why not profit from the impending need of trained crews.

[Fratemate]

The academy will be built upon ANA’s established experience as a provider of high-quality training

At least the article's writer has a sense of humour. If, by 'high-quality', they mean totally scripted (so there's no surprises the locals cannot study for), unimaginative and bizarre in its use of only Shimojishima, then they've got the Diamond Star Award for high-quality.

As for pandas! What is the ANA fascination with a bear that's not even a Japanese native? We've even got a 767 painted to resemble one (although I did think it was a Fresian cow when I first saw it). Well, I suppose it's better than Pikkachu and his mates :ooh:

[Rotorhead1026]

2 giant pandas from China land in Scotland - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501714_162-57336309/2-giant-pandas-from-china-land-in-scotland/)

Perhaps these are the program's first graduates ... :)