Etihad becomes first in Middle East to secure European approval to train Boeing 777 and 787 pilots

Etihad Aviation Training will "soon" add training capability for the Airbus A350 widebody

Boeing 787 flight simulators at Etihad Aviation Training. Reem Mohammed / The National. 

Etihad Aviation Group's training unit became the first aviation company in the Middle East to gain approval from the European aviation regulator to train Boeing 777 and 787 pilots for European operators and other carriers that adopt European air safety standards.

The approval to train pilots for these two wide-bodied Boeing aircraft types expands the global capabilities of Etihad Aviation Training, which in 2018 also became the first Middle Eastern aerospace business to gain European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) designation as an Approved Training Organisation for pilots of Airbus A320, A330 and A340 aircraft.

Continuing growth in global demand for air travel is driving increased requirements for pilot training, Captain Paolo La Cava, vice president and managing director of Etihad Aviation Training, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Some operators have insufficient capacity to conduct training in their own facilities while others do not have in-house capabilities,” he said. “In addition to training pilots for Etihad Airways, Etihad Aviation Training also supports the requirements of many other operators for a range of aircraft types."

Abu Dhabi, already a global aviation hub, is developing capabilities for aircrew training and other services including maintenance and engineering. The emirate manufactures composite plane parts for Boeing and Airbus jets.

Etihad Aviation Training has 11 full motion training simulators, including five for Boeing 777 and 787 training, as well as fixed base devices.

Training teams include senior pilots actively flying for Etihad Airways and the company also offers support options such as accommodation, transport and even tourism for trainees in Abu Dhabi.

Boeing 777 and 787 are two of the most in-demand aircraft in service today, and as their deployment has increased so too has demand for pilot training, Mr La Cava said.

Etihad Aviation Training will also soon add training capability for the newest widebody aircraft in airline service, the Airbus A350.

“The EASA designation as an Approved Training Organisation for the Boeing 777 and 787 significantly broadens the markets in which Etihad Aviation Training can offer services, enabling the business to support operators in Europe and elsewhere, particularly in the fast-growing Asia region where EASA standards have been adopted,” he said.