Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has welcomed 18 Omani cadet pilots to its expanding flying programme as part of a recently launched recruitment drive in Oman.

The Etihad Airways cadet pilot programme was launched in June 2007, in partnership with Horizon Flight Academy, and now has 161 cadets currently training to become fully qualified pilots.

Captain Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ chief operations officer, said: “The recruitment, training and development of cadet pilots is of the utmost importance to Etihad Airways.  We are thrilled to welcome the Omani cadets and we are confident that they will play a vital role in maintaining our position as a leading global airline.”

As part of their training programme, cadet pilots have to complete 750 hours of classroom tuition and 205 hours flight training in single and multi-engine aircraft to gain the frozen Airline Transport Pilots License (ATPL).

During this time they also have to pass the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority’s theoretical knowledge and flying exams.

Tariq Al Abri, one of the new cadet pilots, said: “My experience since joining Etihad has been overwhelming. Every day I spend here takes me one step closer to my dream of flying for the best in the business. I am eagerly looking forward  to working with highly motivated staff and not just giving but gaining knowledge and skills whether personal or professional."

Etihad Airways’ recruitment drive in Oman aims to hire 400 Omani nationals by the end of 2012 in positions that span the spectrum of the airline's operations including cabin crew positions, maintenance jobs and managerial positions. – TradeArabia News Service