The Academy’s instructors can now join the airline’s corps of aviators

08 October 2024, Dubai, UAE: Educators shape civilisations, and on World Teachers’ Day, both Emirates and Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) hailed their flight instructors for piloting the future of aviation. World Teacher’s Day, celebrated on 5 October, highlights the invaluable and enriching role educators play in inspiring and influencing the future of humanity.

EFTA’s flight instructors are eligible to join Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, as a First Officer after completing five years in the training role. After these trainers are trained to fly the world’s largest and all wide-body fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, they can expect to join the airline’s 4,400 strong pilot community – a golden opportunity which is a rarity for the industry.

Capt Abdulla Al Hammadi, Divisional Vice President at EFTA said: “We celebrate our flight instructors – who are among the most experienced and committed in the industry – on this World Teachers’ Day. They are the backbone of the academy and have a significant impact on shaping the personalities and success of our cadets. Not just on technical skills, but our instructors are inspirational mentors and coaches who impart soft skills such as leadership, situational awareness, decision making, adaptability and communication. Flight instructors have the distinction of fostering the next generation of pilots, one of the most highly prized roles in aviation.”

Muhammad Bilal Pasha, First Officer at Emirates is the first-ever flight instructor who transitioned to the airline. He said: “Being a flight instructor at EFTA was more than just teaching – it was about inspiring the next generation of pilots to chase their dreams with passion and resilience. As I now step into my role as a First Officer at Emirates, I carry with me the pride of watching those dreams take flight, knowing the sky is just the beginning. The opportunity for growth provided by EFTA has enabled me to grow my wings in commercial aviation. I will now see the world, thanks to EFTA and Emirates’ vast network.”

Ian Harrington, Deputy Chief Theoretical Knowledge at EFTA said: “At EFTA, we have the unique ability to mentor the future of aviation, not only through flight training, but through academic rigour that inspires the next generation of pilots to explore and conquer the skies. I feel proud to be a part of an academy that empowers its teachers.”

With Emirates’ and EFTA’s planned growth trajectory, both the airline and the academy are inviting experienced and passionate instructors to join their teams. EFTA currently has a strong team of 43 highly qualified flight instructors from 23 nationalities, while Emirates has a team of 520 from 53 nationalities.

EFTA is welcoming instructors who have a minimum of 700 hours, and a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) with a single engine class rating. Candidates must have an exceptional instructional technique and an understanding of a broad range of teaching methodologies. To know more about the eligibility criteria and to apply, click here.

Those who wish to join Emirates as a flight instructor must hold a CPL, an ATPL or a MPL (Multi-crew Pilot License) and have experience as an active instructor/examiner for a minimum of 12 months, along with 1,500 hours flight time as a pilot on multi-crew aircraft. To know more and apply, click here: Boeing and Airbus.

EFTA is one of the most advanced pilot training facilities, offering one of the best cadet programmes in the world. The academy opened its doors in 2017 to train cadets with no previous knowledge of flying. Today the academy combines cutting-edge learning technologies and a modern fleet of 29 training aircraft including Cirrus SR22 G6, Embraer Phenom 100EV and Diamond DA42-VI.

Located at Dubai World Central, EFTA’s state-of-the-art facility, is spread over 12.5 million sq. ft equivalent to 200 football pitches. With over 1,800 metres of runway, exclusive to the facility, and a dedicated Air Traffic Control Tower, flight instructors have access to the most advanced infrastructure and technology to train cadets.

Emirates’ cutting-edge pilot training facility currently houses 10 full-flight simulators for A380s and 777s. The airline’s new US$135 million pilot training academy with an area of 63,318 sq.ft. will accommodate six Full Flight Simulator Bays (FFS) for its A350s and 777X aircraft.