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Etihad to hire 1,000 pilots

At present, the airline has over 2,300 pilots and a cabin crew with more than 4,000 men and women.

“We have 520 cadets now out of which 450 are Emiratis,” said Captain Saleh Awadh Alfarjalla Al Ameri, senior vice-president of aviation security and the pilot cadet programme at Etihad Airways, while speaking at a ceremony in which a documentary “Emirati High Flyers” was released. The 30-minute documentary to be telecast on national television has filmed the dreams and aspirations of three young Emiratis including adventures girls. All the three youngsters achieved what they wanted to do in life, by flying Etihad Airways’ jets.
Captain Al Ameri said the fast-expanding airline was planning to have 1,000 Emirati pilots, due to its on-going route expansion programme, in the coming five to six years. The airline would have 45 per cent Emirati pilots in 2020, Al Ameri said.

At present, the airline has over 2,300 pilots and a cabin crew with more than 4,000 men and women. Abu Dhabi University, he said will commence a four-year Bachelors’ in Aviation programme from next year.

Earlier, an inspirational documentary on the three pilots was shown to the audience, which included top executives, cadets and trainees at the Etihad Airways Academy. The documentary showed how two young Emiratis Hassan Al Bloushi, first officer; Fasial Al Naqbi, first officer; and Ayesha Al Mansoori turned their childhood passion to fly into reality by taking advantage of the opportunities provided by Etihad Airways’ Pilot Cadet programme.

Ray Gammell, Etihad Airways chief people and performance officer speaking on the occasion said: “We are the fastest growing airline in commercial aviation history and our progress from a start-up airline to world’s leading airline has been nothing short of phenomenal.”

Giving details on the cadet Pilot Programme, he said “there are 387 UAE nationals taking part in the programme.” Since it started in June 2007, 209 Emirati men and women have successfully graduated to start a flying career, he said. “Of these people, we now have 141 first officers and 76 second officers in the skies.”