Emirates to have full-scale pilot academy by 2013

Emirates airline will have a full-scale academy to produce pilots in less than two years' time, according to a senior official. The project, which has already received the green light from the top management, will be coming up at the newly opened Al Maktoum Airport in Jebel Ali. Adel Al Reda, executive vice-president of engineering and operations, told Gulf News that the academy — which should be up and running by 2013 — should give a big boost towards producing more Emirati pilots from the region. At present, around 300 Emirati pilots are among the 2,800-odd bank of pilots employed by this fastest growing airline in the world. "As per current practice, we train the pilots at our existing aviation college [in Garhoud] on the theoretical aspects and then send them to Spain for the practical course, doing flying hours etc. This, of course, goes in hand in hand with the recruitment of skilled and experienced pilots from all over the world. "Once our own academy gets into full swing, it will be a one-stop institution for building future pilots and will be one of its kind among the GCC countries," Al Reda, who was a member of the delegation of top Emirates officials on their inaugural flight to Seattle, said. This initiative is in addition to the Emirates Aviation College, which has been playing a niche role in providing various career options in aviation so far for Emirati youth. "The pilots academy, open to both UAE nationals and expats, will be open to students clearing high school examinations. The entire course, which should take two years, will cost anything between $150,000-$200,000 [Dh550,950-Dh734,600]," he said.