26 Feb 2015 06:00
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Armed Forces General Headquarters (GHQ) to provide commercial aviation training to a number of pilots, cabin attendants, loadmasters and flight despatchers in the UAE Armed Forces.
The MoU was signed during a visit to Etihad
Airways’ Innovation Centre by a senior UAE Armed Forces GHQ and Air Force
delegation led by Staff Pilot Brigadier Abdullah Mohammed Al Neyadi, Deputy
Commander Air Force & Air Defense.
Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ Chief
Operations Officer, said: “Etihad Airways is committed to training and
developing a national workforce of skilled and motivated Emirati nationals
which includes supporting the UAE Armed Forces and the development of its
personnel employed in military aviation.”
Brigadier Abdullah Mohammed Al Neyadi, said: “This collaboration provides our personnel
with direct access to Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art training programs,
facilities and global aviation operations experience, ensuring that they
receive the training they need to become experienced military aviation
professionals, as well as equip them with the skills and qualifications
required to pursue a career in commercial aviation in the future.”
Initial pilot training will be carried out at
the Etihad Flight College at Al Ain International Airport, with further
training and flying experience being provided at the airline’s state-of-the-art
Training Academy in Abu Dhabi, and in the course of routine flying operations
across Etihad Airways’ fast growing global network.
Etihad Airways is renowned as one of the UAE’s leading
Emirati employers and has been widely acknowledged for its National Talent
Development Program. Currently the airline has more than 2,000 UAE Nationals
employed in various jobs spanning the spectrum of its operations.
Photo caption:
From left
to right: Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ Chief Operations Officer, and Staff Pilot
Brigadier Abdullah Mohammed Al Neyadi, Deputy Commander Air Force & Air
Defense, commit to ongoing collaboration between Etihad Airways and UAE Armed
Forces GHQ in the development of military aviation skills and capabilities.