SAA to establish flight academy, seeking partner

According to Business Report, South African Airways (SAA) has initiated a global search for a qualified and internationally recognised partner to join it in establishing and running a new flight academy, which will ensure focused, expert training for new pilots.

The SAA Flight Academy will recruit students from across South Africa, placing special emphasis on attracting future pilots from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.

In addition to training future SAA pilots, the new flight academy seeks to become an international centre of excellence to candidates from other South African, African, and international airlines. The academy will concentrate its efforts on turning out pilots steeped in the ethos, practices, corporate culture and safety disciplines of a major international carrier while making a significant contribution to the transformation of the entire South African airline industry.

Only 17% of pilots trained since 1994 come from previously disadvantaged communities, said Siza Mzimela, SAA's CEO. "South Africa has not yet made all the progress it needs to in opening this highly skilled area of airline operations to aspiring pilots." According to Business Report, the academy will offer future pilots a clear career path within commercial air transport, with the best candidates earning the opportunity to fly as Second Officers alongside SAA's established Captains and First Officers. "As is SAA's practice now, the qualification authority will be the Joint Aviation Authority, responsible for setting training standards for civil aviation in Europe," Mzimela said.

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