Worldwide, Airlines are scaling up their fleet size to cater to the ongoing demand and this has also resulted in enhancing the Aviation training facilities all across the region, Recently, Aviation World, Managing Editor, Vishal Kashyap had an opportunity to interview Stefan Dudda, Head of Training, Etihad Aviation Training in Singapore, where Mr. Dudda explained on the Etihad training capabilities and how they are geared up to cater to the upcoming demands in all the aviation verticals. Excerpts:

Q: What are the specialized courses this is being provided at Etihad Aviation Academy?

A: We provide training for all elements in the civil aviation which include the pilot training, ab- initio for MPL,ATPL, CPL, but now we train only MPL all the way through Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.At the moment our output for basic ab-initio training programmes is about 100 to 200 students per year, which we can increase.

The other part is the type-rating and type conversion training for all Airbus aircraft including A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 and the B787 and B777. All courses that the manufacturer would recommend, Operational Suitability Data (OSD) is our basic minimum standard for it.

We also do initial cabin crew training, which is very successful with us. Some of the major global players like Cathay Pacific and Qantas avail the courses with us. It takes about four to six weeks, depending on the programme of which modules the customer wants. Etihad has state-of-the-art facilities in mock-ups, even movable cabin training devices, swimming pool and all other devices required for cabin crew training.

Initial things like CRM Training, Aviation Security, Dangerous Goods Training(DGR), Aviation health and First Aid Courses even including all the vocational training for airport and ground staff is also conducted by us. Retraining the emergency response services for airport operation and how an airport works, so that they can do their job as fire people on the airport or security people on the airport.

Q: CPL training is very price sensitive as students look for budgeted options. How is Etihad rated in terms of training costs?

A: Etihad Training Academy caters to the lower middle class segment in comparison to other ATOs. There are very high, very pricey academies and there are very cheap academies, and we always thought that we are at the higher end of the scale towards the premium providers, but in fact we seem to be much cheaper than that. We are with our pricing at the lower middle class, if you take a cross section. So, it’s an average student with average financial, they can get training with us.

Q: In terms of nationality, do you cater to students from all across the world?

A: We have a lot of students from Far-East Asia, India, Middle East and European students. We have training contracts with airlines across these regions from around the world. We are now trying to attract some more students from Africa though we have quite a number from Africa already like from Uganda, Seychelles and from Ethiopia, but for us South East Asia is our main target which is India- centric.

Q: What’s the Etihad association with IndiGo?

A: We seem to have the perfect partnership in a way of the type of service that we can deliver. For IndiGo, we provide very highly customised services as our instructors are fully standardized.

We see this as a service provider and we liaise directly with the DGCA India. We have an ATO approval because we want to have not just a seamless training, a transition for a student through our academy and then a graduate into IndiGo Airlines. We also want the licencing to go smooth, fully accredited and fully approved, and with no questions asked, is this legitimate training, is it really.

Do you also have a cadet programme as well?
We are running the MPL training programme, an operator’s owned training programme and we have a set of fleets like A320 and the Boeing 787 to provide the same.

Q: What’s the capacity of pilots in numbers at Etihad on an annual basis?

A: For pilot training, we’re looking at about 1,000 to 1,200 pilots per year that we train. Those are through type ratings, type conversions on all the types we do, including command upgrade training, cabin crew training, this will be in the region of 4,000 to 5,000 students per year.

We work in shifts as we have a large academy, but we even work in three-day shifts to around the clock 24×7;also for the simulation devices, they run 24×7.

Q: What’s the future plan of action in terms of expansion?

A: Absolutely, we want to grow and for the same we are following a natural growth of our sponsoring airline for the Emirates of Abu Dhabi. What I’ve told you about the vision of the Etihad Aviation Training and Etihad Airways being part of the strategic planning for the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, this still stands is the case today. So, if the Emirates of Abu Dhabi gives the mandate for the airline to double in size, then all the associated businesses have to double in size as well.

So, that’s what we do. We expect double in size for our training business over the next five to ten years. And it is also a fact that we always stay a step ahead of the expansion of the airlines. This means that we will never run the academy at the max capacity there for the airline. We will always have a margin that we will sell to the world whoever needs good training. We are always larger than what we have to be for the airline.

Q: What’s the current fleet structure of Etihad?

A: Etihad Airways operates Airbus 320,the new A320LR, A321LR.We have a medium-sized fleet of around 40 aircraft for the short haul. We have the long haul, the world’s largest Boeing 787 fleet as 787, 8, 9, 10, all of them. We have the Boeing 777 in variants, including the cargo fleet as well. We have 9 A380s, they were all stored and now they are coming back to service.

Q: Do you have plans for A350 as well?

A: Yes, we have A350 and the fleet will grow and all other fleets will grow as well.

Q: What type of simulator do you have at your training facility? Any how many numbers?

A: We have all types of simulators like A320, A330, A340, A350, A380, B787 and B777. As per numbers, 11 full flight simulators, 11 base units Including FNPT-2s and MCC devices.