Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is offering pilots seconded from partner airlines the opportunity to transfer to permanent contracts, flying the carrier’s most advanced Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
The pilot secondment program, a part of Etihad Airways strategy for international expansion, is further evidence that the synergies delivered through the airline’s equity and non-equity partnerships also benefit the professional career paths of the partners’ highly trained pilots.
The program began in April 2013 when the first batch of seven airberlin Boeing 737-rated First Officers arrived in Abu Dhabi to start type conversion training on the Boeing 777 at Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art Flight Training Centre.
To date, there are almost 200 partner airline pilots seconded to Etihad Airways. This includes 52 pilots from airberlin, 41 from Alitalia, 63 from Jet Airways, 25 from City Liner, four from Darwin Airline and six from NIKI. They have all been handpicked for their flying experience and skills.
To date, 21 former airberlin pilots have transferred to permanent roles with Etihad Airways.
Upon joining, seconded pilots undergo an extensive training program that lasts from three to five months. They complete a two-week induction program to get acquainted with Etihad Airways standard flight operating procedures.
This is followed by a three-week theoretical ground school training to gain the technical skills required to proceed to a four-week practical flight simulator training, which covers normal and non-normal as well as emergency situations.
Trainees then have to pass a simulator test to obtain their licence from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. This qualification is a prerequisite to start line training, flying with certified instructors for a minimum total period of three weeks until declared competent to perform the duties of an Etihad Airways pilot.
With Etihad Airways rapid growth and fleet expansion, pilots on secondment enjoy a much accelerated career progression path compared to other airlines. Importantly, they have the opportunity to transfer permanently to a longer-term aviation career with the UAE national carrier.
The average time to command at Etihad Airways is in the range of three years while it takes at least 10 to 15 years to achieve the same position in most legacy carriers.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Time after time, we prove that our partnership strategy is truly a winning business model. Together with our partners, we are sharing resources, incorporating our fleet programs, aligning our staff expertise, and developing rewarding careers.
“Our pilot secondment program is such an exciting and unique opportunity for pilots across our group of partner airlines, many of whom have a wealth of experience and are passionate about flying. We are able to put our pilots at the forefront of modern aviation and look forward to welcoming many more to join our family.”
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways
To date, 21 former airberlin pilots have transferred to permanent roles with Etihad Airways, flying Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 aircraft.
First Officer Tim Oschmann was also seconded to Etihad Airways from airberlin in January 2014 and has recently transferred to Etihad Airways on a permanent basis. He previously worked for three European operators, and upon joining Etihad Airways, had a record of 6000 hours on Turboprobs, jet aircraft and the Boeing 737-800 series aircraft. He completed the full Boeing 777 type rating training last year and is currently undertaking the Boeing 787 training.
Etihad Airways will continue to enhance and expand its pilot secondment program, welcoming more pilots from partner airlines in 2015 and beyond.
