Emirates builds flight academy to train 40,000 pilots

Taking off - Emirates plans to train up to 40,000 pilots at its new Dubai academy. (Seth Jaworski) — Taking off – Emirates plans to train up to 40,000 pilots at its new Dubai academy. (Seth Jaworski)

Emirates is establishing its own Flight Academy to help address the projected demand for 40,000 pilots in the Middle East region over the next 20 years.

The facility, being developed at the new Dubai World Central in Jebel Ali, will simultaneously accommodate 400 students participating in Emirates’ National Cadet Pilot Program, with around 160 graduates a year. It is expected to be progressively expanded to cater for third party customer training.

The centre, which is due to be operational in 2015, will have its own 1,500m runway, control tower and fleet of aircraft, as well as integrated teaching facilities, accommodation and simulators.

Earlier this year Boeing projected a requirement for nearly half a million pilots globally over the next 20 years, with 40,000 of those required in the Middle East.