Emirates Flight Training Academy holds first-ever cadet graduation ceremony

The Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) today held its first-ever graduation ceremony for 25 pilot cadets who have completed its rigorous training programme.

The graduation ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, who awarded certificates to successful cadets, Emirates senior management, as well as Dubai government representatives.

The ceremony was live-streamed for families and friends of the cadets to virtually show their support.

The aviators-to-be underwent over 1,100 hours of ground-based training, along with 315 hours of flight instruction (including simulator flying), to obtain their Integrated Air Transport Pilot Licence, as they now go on to complete their Type Rating. The training EFTA provided its cadets exceeds the guidelines prescribed by the GCAA for ab initio pilot training.

سمو الشيخ أحمد بن سعيد آل مكتوم يشهد حفل أكاديمية الإمارات لتدريب الطيارين بتخريج أول دفعة من طلبتها والتي شملت 25 طيارا مواطناً أنهوا برنامجهم التدريبي الاحترافي في الأكاديمية. #دبي pic.twitter.com/fFjHgC7oVQ

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 16, 2020

Sheikh Ahmed, while speaking on the milestone moment for the academy and its cadets said, "Today, we recognise the hard work and extraordinary accomplishments of our cadets as they embark on the next phase of their aviation journey. The world-class education and integrated training provided at EFTA have not only provided our cadets with the technical abilities needed for the profession, but also the passion and enthusiasm that will be the bedrock for their future careers. We will continue to look at the bigger picture, and as the industry overcomes the setbacks posed by the pandemic, we want to make sure we are ready for the future. I am immensely proud of EFTA's efforts to develop home-grown Emirati talent who will become the next generation of pilots, strengthening the UAE's position as a global hub for aviation."

Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi, Vice President Emirates Flight Training Academy, said, "2020 has been a year like no other, during which the 25 cadets have navigated every obstacle in their path to reach the finish line. Not only did they manage to complete one of the most intense pilot training courses in the world, but they did it during a pandemic. They will always be the first cadets to have flown our EFTA planes, to have trained on our simulators and to have worn our uniform with pride."

Located in Dubai South, the Emirates Flight Training Academy was launched by Emirates in 2017 to qualify UAE nationals and international students to become pilots. The Academy combines cutting-edge learning technologies and a modern fleet of 27 training aircraft (Cirrus SR22 G6 single-engine piston aircraft and Embraer Phenom 100EV very light jet aircraft) to train cadets with no previous knowledge of flying.