Syrianair & FlyCham & the Saudi-Syrian carrier possible Cadet Program
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Europe
Syrianair & FlyCham & the Saudi-Syrian carrier possible Cadet Program
Hi everyone,
I wanted to ask if anyone has insight into whether Syrian Airlines or FlyCham or the newly announced airline might consider launching a cadet pilot 0-ATPL program for Syrian nationals in the future like the case with neighboring countries e.g. Jordan & Lebanon
I’m wondering if something similar can be discussed for us, especially as the sector needs rebuilding, modernization and expansion.
I’ve tried contacting official channels but haven’t received any responses. If anyone here has experience in aviation or knows which offices or email contacts are actually responsive, I’d really appreciate any advice.
I wanted to ask if anyone has insight into whether Syrian Airlines or FlyCham or the newly announced airline might consider launching a cadet pilot 0-ATPL program for Syrian nationals in the future like the case with neighboring countries e.g. Jordan & Lebanon
I’m wondering if something similar can be discussed for us, especially as the sector needs rebuilding, modernization and expansion.
I’ve tried contacting official channels but haven’t received any responses. If anyone here has experience in aviation or knows which offices or email contacts are actually responsive, I’d really appreciate any advice.
Joined: Feb 2026
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2
Likes: 2
From: Syria
Dear
Hi everyone,
I wanted to ask if anyone has insight into whether Syrian Airlines or FlyCham or the newly announced airline might consider launching a cadet pilot 0-ATPL program for Syrian nationals in the future like the case with neighboring countries e.g. Jordan & Lebanon
I’m wondering if something similar can be discussed for us, especially as the sector needs rebuilding, modernization and expansion.
I’ve tried contacting official channels but haven’t received any responses. If anyone here has experience in aviation or knows which offices or email contacts are actually responsive, I’d really appreciate any advice.
I wanted to ask if anyone has insight into whether Syrian Airlines or FlyCham or the newly announced airline might consider launching a cadet pilot 0-ATPL program for Syrian nationals in the future like the case with neighboring countries e.g. Jordan & Lebanon
I’m wondering if something similar can be discussed for us, especially as the sector needs rebuilding, modernization and expansion.
I’ve tried contacting official channels but haven’t received any responses. If anyone here has experience in aviation or knows which offices or email contacts are actually responsive, I’d really appreciate any advice.
but Syrian airlines don't have any pilot in cadet program
Maybe we can make community and when the number of people who wants to become a pilot be high we can have contract with the Syrian Airlines..
Joined: Feb 2026
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: England
Some thoughts
They are very likely to consider it, but I am not sure that consideration will lead to fully funded pilot cadet programmes soon. I should clarify that this is my own opinion rather than insider information. However, I have been following the aviation sector in Syria and the wider Middle East for more than two decades now, so I am not completely clueless.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
Joined: Feb 2026
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2
Likes: 2
From: Syria
They are very likely to consider it, but I am not sure that consideration will lead to fully funded pilot cadet programmes soon. I should clarify that this is my own opinion rather than insider information. However, I have been following the aviation sector in Syria and the wider Middle East for more than two decades now, so I am not completely clueless.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Europe
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Europe
They are very likely to consider it, but I am not sure that consideration will lead to fully funded pilot cadet programmes soon. I should clarify that this is my own opinion rather than insider information. However, I have been following the aviation sector in Syria and the wider Middle East for more than two decades now, so I am not completely clueless.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
The short quick answer is that this is unlikely to happen while Syrian Airlines do their quick expansion in the short term, as they have already signed contracts for 8 used aircraft (manufactured 2017-2019) according to the latest announcement a few days ago. Full pilot training might be a more serious consideration when they move to ordering aircraft from manufacturers in the medium term, as they have announced they are in early talks but with nothing concrete yet. Expected delivery of such aircraft would be 2030 to 2035, according to their announcement. These timeline are more realistic for the assessment of accompanying pilot training if needed with the phased expansion.
The more detailed answer is that it is a complicated matter:
The main issue is that airlines will only start pilot cadet programmes when they have exhausted every other (cheaper) route for pilot hiring. This is because it is costly and risky to train pilots, particularly for smaller airlines like the ones based in Syria. To begin with, Syrian Airlines was over staffed for years, with many pilots not getting many flying hours due to aircraft going out of service while the airline was sanctioned. In addition, there are many Syrian trainee pilots who finished their basic training and hold an ATPL or CPL, with around 250-300 total hours without a type rating. These are the hopefuls who managed to fund their own training but then faced the reality of trying to get hired as a civil pilot in a foreign country with very little experience. Not an easy task. They will be first in line. As it happens, Syrian Airlines announced that they were hiring pilots with ATPLs and CPLs but no further experience a few months back. The wording of the announcement by the caretaker CEO at the time gave the impression that they were being bombarded with queries about pilot hiring from Syrians with some level of training wanting to join the airline.
Then there are those who used to fly for Syrian Airlines in the past and left as conditions deteriorated over the last decade. Some of this group remain current and in active positions in the gulf or elsewhere, for example, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait had Syrian flightdeck crew for their inaugural flight to Damascus. These guys are probably very difficult to head hunt at present for Syrian companies. This might change if the outlook for Syrian aviation improves dramatically over the coming few months/years and salaries/benefits catch up a bit with the sector elsewhere. Incidentally, the new head of the Syrian Aviation Holding Company, which is the new parent company of Syrian Airlines, was working for one of the big Gulf carriers. So, at a managerial and top positions, there is some traction for expat aviation professionals. This will likely trickle down the ranks as things progress and the revival becomes increasingly serious rather than a fairytale.
Then there is the possibility of hiring foreign pilots. My understanding is that Fly Cham already does, although I am not entirely sure. When the FlyNas linked airline takes to the skies, they might bring their own already trained pilots and relocate them to Syria. I suspect they will hire at least some Syrian pilots, if they are already qualified, however training them is highly unlikely in my view. Particularly, since FlyNas is not a government owned company so their assessment will be purely commercial.
Having said all that, you will have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months and years. Syria needs aviation capacity fast, if they run out of trained and willing pilots to fill these positions and start having pilot shortage as the main constraint on expansion and growth, rather than the current aircraft shortage, then something might come up in the future. Don’t hold your breath though, there is a lot of uncertainty about that sort of decision until it is formally announced. Also, the queue on such a programme taking cadets from 0 to hero in Syria is likely to be massive with applicants from those in Syria and the Syrian diaspora, so factor that in as well.
If being a pilot is a passion you definitely want to pursue then I would recommend that you take matters into your own hands and start planning to fund your own training one way or another. There are opportunities and there are Syrians doing that in different regions of the world. The guys and girls who took that initiative will always be ahead of those waiting for a free ride. Funding your own training also means you will have better control over the timeline and better flexibility in choosing your future job.
In all cases, the best way to increase your chances is to invest in yourself, improve your core skills and follow the news of the aviation sector in the Middle East and worldwide. Build up background and technical knowledge as well as knowledge about the airline business and how airlines operate etc. There is an immense amount of free information out there these days.
Having said all that the government might receive a pilot training grant/help from a friendly country and decide to hold such a programme tomorrow, regardless of all the business side, so you never really know.
I hope you find this useful, and apologies if it comes across in a negative sense. It is better to be prepared for the least favourable circumstances, then hopefully you’ll be ready for whatever happens.
Good luck and have a safe journey to the sky.
Thank you very much for your detailed response, all you said makes sense in my eyes from my side I already took the initiative and have my journey to the skies already planned before the liberation, I just to get the finances where I’m trying to figure it out with getting a loan since it’s not an ideal situation to be in at least for me.
I was enquiring about it because I truly would like to represent the country in the skies, but as you mentioned it’s unlikely in the near future.
Again thank you very much for your answer.
Happy Landings!
Joined: Feb 2026
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: England
If you do successfully obtain your ATPL, then you theoretically can start applying for low experience first officer positions. What happens next depends on personal circumstances and luck. You might need to consider a non-piloting job while you are looking for your first position, which is not uncommon with self-funded pilots, particularly if you are restricted in the regions of the world in which you have the right to work as a pilot. The EU, USA, and UK all have strict requirements regarding who qualifies to work as a commercial airline pilot, so you might find that, despite the global pilot shortage, the number of positions available to a minimum experience Syrian pilot are rather limited. It is your bit to do the research required to find the places where you have a shot at getting the crucial first few thousand hours that allow you to become a more competitive hiring proposition elsewhere.
Usually, the airline that hires you will enrol you on a type rating course based on their needs. The cost of obtaining a type rating is significant and would be a major investment on your part if it is not tied to secured employment. Most traditional airlines pay for your type rating as part of a training bond during which you will not be allowed to leave the airline unless you pay back the cost of your training. There are variations though, depending on the airline and industry practices. Historically speaking, if you get hired by Syrian Airlines then they will pay for your type rating, the down side is that resignation is not regarded as an automatic right even though a training bond period might not be formally mentioned. If they hire you, the assumption will be that you stick around until your retirement.
As far as civil aviation jobs in Syria go, unfortunately, there is a severe lack of data that makes planning a personal career extremely difficult. I am not aware of any publicly available reliable statistic for the number of professional pilots in Syria, the number of Syrians currently holding ATPLs and seeking employment, or those working professionally abroad. These would have provided at least some guidance about future projections.
Nevertheless, I will say that the Syrian aviation sector is witnessing rapid change, for example, the launch of the new Saudi Syrian low-cost airline “Flynas Syria” was confirmed last Saturday, with a rather speedy first flight expected in the last quarter of this year. That is very fast by civil aviation standards. Consider Riyadh Air and how long it has been since we first heard about them until they do start their regular service. The number of aircraft Flynas Syria are hoping to operate hasn’t been directly mentioned in the announcement, 8 to 12 has been the rumour going around. This tells you something about the number of new crew they will be looking for.
Another promising indicator is the huge expansion in airport capacity if the current plans come to fruition, with planned jumps in capacity from around 2 million to 31 million in Damascus and from 1 million to 12 million in Aleppo over the next 4 years or so. Such an expansion is likely to be matched with the emergence of new opportunities in aviation through new airlines or expanding the existing ones. Hence, if you are thinking of investing in becoming a civil pilot and understand the risks and potential pitfalls, then now is as good a time as it has ever been for a Syrian to go down that route.
Good luck and have a safe journey.
Usually, the airline that hires you will enrol you on a type rating course based on their needs. The cost of obtaining a type rating is significant and would be a major investment on your part if it is not tied to secured employment. Most traditional airlines pay for your type rating as part of a training bond during which you will not be allowed to leave the airline unless you pay back the cost of your training. There are variations though, depending on the airline and industry practices. Historically speaking, if you get hired by Syrian Airlines then they will pay for your type rating, the down side is that resignation is not regarded as an automatic right even though a training bond period might not be formally mentioned. If they hire you, the assumption will be that you stick around until your retirement.
As far as civil aviation jobs in Syria go, unfortunately, there is a severe lack of data that makes planning a personal career extremely difficult. I am not aware of any publicly available reliable statistic for the number of professional pilots in Syria, the number of Syrians currently holding ATPLs and seeking employment, or those working professionally abroad. These would have provided at least some guidance about future projections.
Nevertheless, I will say that the Syrian aviation sector is witnessing rapid change, for example, the launch of the new Saudi Syrian low-cost airline “Flynas Syria” was confirmed last Saturday, with a rather speedy first flight expected in the last quarter of this year. That is very fast by civil aviation standards. Consider Riyadh Air and how long it has been since we first heard about them until they do start their regular service. The number of aircraft Flynas Syria are hoping to operate hasn’t been directly mentioned in the announcement, 8 to 12 has been the rumour going around. This tells you something about the number of new crew they will be looking for.
Another promising indicator is the huge expansion in airport capacity if the current plans come to fruition, with planned jumps in capacity from around 2 million to 31 million in Damascus and from 1 million to 12 million in Aleppo over the next 4 years or so. Such an expansion is likely to be matched with the emergence of new opportunities in aviation through new airlines or expanding the existing ones. Hence, if you are thinking of investing in becoming a civil pilot and understand the risks and potential pitfalls, then now is as good a time as it has ever been for a Syrian to go down that route.
Good luck and have a safe journey.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Europe
Well said, I'm confident that you will be finding a job back home in 1 year Syrian Air went from 2 aircrafts to 8 aircrafts during the next 2 years that you will be studying in they might get 20 Aircrafts that's a no insider info just an assumption, doing the math 20 A/C's x 6 pilot's for each A/C that's 120 pilots and I think since they're a flag carrier they will handle type rating costs if not they might do something like Ryanair if I'm not mistaken cost for TR will be deducted from your salary upon release as FO
