Emirates Flight Training Academy celebrates record graduate cohort

Policy

Adnan Kazim Deputy President & Chief Commercial Officer | Emirates Airline

By Sky Industry News

Dec 18, 2024

The Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) recently celebrated the graduation of its largest cohort to date, marking a significant milestone in the aviation industry. The ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, alongside senior leadership, graduates, their families, and academy faculty.

Sheikh Ahmed praised the graduates and presented them with certificates. He stated: “Our Emirates Flight Training Academy was built on a vision and a solid strategy, and its journey so far has been nothing short of inspiring, even thrilling. The recognition by the NQC validates our commitment and our robust investments in our academy that is future-fit for the next generation."

He emphasized EFTA's role in developing future pilots not only for the UAE but globally. "It’s incredible that we are training, developing and empowering young adults to drive the future of aviation – right here in Dubai," he said.

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The graduating class consisted of 85 cadets who completed extensive training over several months. Among them were 67 UAE Nationals and 18 international students. Since its inception, EFTA has trained 271 cadets from novices to professional pilots. Four cadets were recognized for exceptional performance: Humaid Al Hammadi, Abdulla Raeisi, Alessandro Muffolini, Sarah Shah; with Abdulla Alkaabi acknowledged for diligence.

Capt Abdulla Al Hammadi expressed pride in the achievements of the cadets: “Today, we’ve witnessed not just a graduation ceremony but the fulfilment of many collective dreams." He also announced a new Advanced Diploma in Pilot Licensing Training aimed at providing graduates with a strong academic foundation.

The program offers 94 credit hours towards further education opportunities. Cadets underwent around 113 weeks of training including over 1,100 hours on ground-based instruction and 270 hours of flight time using advanced technologies at EFTA's Dubai South location.

EFTA is progressing towards obtaining European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) accreditation by early 2025. This will allow graduates to receive both GCAA and EASA licenses.

Cadet Faris Ahmed spoke on behalf of his peers about his transformative experience at EFTA: “Growing up, I was inspired by my father’s love of aviation... These past few years have been life-changing.”