The Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) continues to expand their pilot pipeline to meet the airline’s current and future pilot needs. The current batch includes 290 aspiring pilots, and there are over 120 EFTA graduates flying for Emirates now.
On Tuesday (November 7, 2023), Emirates announced the continued expansion of the Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) which currently has 290 cadets of 23 nationalities, including 27 women. Currently, over 120 graduates are flying full-time for Emirates. Started as a national cadet program for Emirates, EFTA now offers their world-class training to cadets from all over the globe. Although most students are recent high school graduates, cadets range in age from 17 to 26 years old, and an Emirates cabin crew member is even now a cadet, having met the academy’s strict eligibility criteria. EFTA is now flying high after the integration of three new Diamond training aircraft.
In Tuesday’s announcement, EFTA’s Divisional Vice President, Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi, said,
“EFTA is fully focused on establishing a reliable stream of pilots for the aviation industry, which has been staring at scarcity in the short to the long term, and giving aspiring cadets a visionary academy based in an iconic and one of the safest cities that is also one of the largest aviation hubs on the planet. We offer one of the most sophisticated cadet training programmes, delivered by our 50+ highly skilled instructors, and backed by the exceptional standards and governance set by Emirates, the world’s largest international airline. It’s inspiring to see the camaraderie and collaboration among our cadets as they graduate real-world ready with the highest levels of skills and competencies required by commercial pilots.”
Infographic on EFTA and cadet numbers - Courtesy Emirates
Cadets of the EFTA program also now fly the Diamond DA42-VI light piston twin-engine aircraft, which has introduced multi-engine piston training to the academy. This means that cadets train on three different aircraft types, namely single-engine, twin engine and multi-engine light jets, a rarity among flight training academies. At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EFTA will be showcasing their Diamond DA42-VI and Cirrus SR22 aircraft, with instructors on hand to share information about the academy’s fleet and cadet training program.
Emirates launched EFTA in 2017 to train UAE nationals and international students with no previous knowledge of flying, offering all graduates the unique opportunity to go through Emirates’ recruitment process. EFTA combines cutting-edge learning technologies and a modern fleet of 29 training aircraft, including 22 Cirrus SR22 G6 single-engine piston, four Embraer Phenom 100EV very light jets and three Diamond DA42-VI light piston twin-engine aircraft. The Academy’s state-of-the art campus is spread over 12.5 million square feet, and currently has 36 modern classrooms, six full motion flight simulators, an independent ATC tower, and a dedicated 1,800 meter runway. Cadets live on campus in individual fully furnished flats, and a range of recreational facilities, social activities and top-notch dining.
Ground School takes 52 weeks, and all 26 classrooms are equipped with two 86” touchscreens, running bespoke training software developed specifically for EFTA. Cadets will undergo at least 1,100 hours of ground training, and access the material on their own devices, which are digitally interconnected. During the 52-week flying phase, cadets will train for 272 hours on simulators and the three types of training aircraft.
Commenting on the training program, Australian National and Emirates Cadet Pilot, Thomas Saunders, said,
“From a very young age, I’ve been fascinated by how these big machines could stay in the sky, and that has led me down the most amazing career path. Emirates Flight Training Academy is a great route to work at the best airline in the world. I also felt that an airline that has such sky-high standards and is so quality conscious will quite naturally impart the best training and mentorship in aviation. My instincts were proved right.
“Our cadet community at EFTA is very tight knit and collaborative. The training gets the best out of us and sets us on our way to a long, enjoyable and successful career. The facilities and infrastructure are absolutely stunning, and everything you need is right at your doorstep.
“My first flight was the most surreal feeling. It was just me at the controls, nature at its best, the incredible Dubai landscape below me – it’s something I had only dreamed of. I advise potential cadets considering a career in aviation to keep at it, enjoy the turbulence, and twists and turns as the experience builds character, and the outcome is way better than you can ever imagine!”
For More Information about the Emirates Flight Training Academy, please click here.
Source: Emirates