Saudi Aviation Flight Academy (Safa) has won a key approval that it says will support its efforts to establish a complete and professional flight academy for Saudi Arabia.

Safa, which has been declared a Part 141 approved pilot school by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) in the country, is currently the only pilot school in the country conferred with this recognition.

The Gava expressed its satisfaction with the academy’s performances and complimented its efforts, policies, procedures, and discipline to meet the Part 141 requirements, following a physical inspection headed by Captain Samir Shaban in June this year.

“This is a very important and a great achievement for Safa, especially as we have completed just a year of actual operations at Thumamah”, said Captain William Roe, managing director, Safa.

“Though we have accomplished a lot during the last one year, this one remains at the top, as it indicates our acceptance and recognition by the authorities. With this approval Safa takes a huge leap towards fulfilling its mission to fuel the growth of aviation in the kingdom by providing a world class centre of excellence for pilot training”.  

Captain Vincenzo Peccarino, the head of training and the deputy managing director at Safa, said that the curriculum was designed to the highest standards consistent with international requirements for training professional pilots.

Safa is also planning to start its phase one expansion project in September, the mobilisation for which has already begun. The project is expected to be completed in October 2014.

This expansion project will include a new maintenance hanger, apron, covered aircraft shelters, simulator buildings, and the main academy building.  

Majority of the students are Saudi nationals, while the academy also has students from India, Pakistan, Italy, Canada, UK, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and the GCC.

“Though our primary aim is to support Saudi students to enter into aviation, we are open to all nationalities who are interested in becoming a pilot as long as certain security requirements and residency status is confirmed,” said Saleem Bava, the head of admissions and marketing at Safa. - TradeArabia News Service