Air Djibouti lays the foundation stone for its pilot training centre
Announced in July 2021, the future pilot training centre of Air Djibouti is the result of a cooperation with Canada. The Djiboutian carrier intends to give an international dimension to this innovative project of its kind in the Horn of Africa.
Air Djibouti, in partnership with International Pilot Academy, proceeded this Thursday, January 27, 2022 to the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the academy of Beira Aviation Academy SAS. Here will emerge an ultra-modern two-storey building equipped with the latest training facilities. The ceremony was attended by members of the Djibouti government, the Canadian Ambassador and representatives of Canada, the President of the Ports and Free Zones Authority of Djibouti and GHIH, Mr. Aboubaker Omar Hadi, the General Manager of the national airline Air Djibouti Mr. Abdourahman Ali Abdillahi, the General Manager of the Canadian International Pilot Academy Mr. Jules Selwan.
The Beira Aviation Academy training centre will allow students from all over the world to follow a course of study until they obtain an Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) as well as an equivalence approved by Transport Canada, the Canadian federal government's Department of Transport.
"The project is innovative of its kind in the Horn of Africa. We are pleased to welcome students from all over the world to Djibouti, which is one of the most peaceful countries in the world," said Abdourahman Ali Abdillahi, CEO of Air Djibouti. "The appropriate economic standards for students and the favourable climate with few seasonal variations result in good flying conditions all year round, saving costs and money on training.
It is expected that the project will also contribute to increasing the level of activity in Djibouti and demonstrate that the investment has a positive economic impact on the region.
As a reminder, it was on 27 July 2021 that Air Djibouti and International Pilot Academy - which has more than a decade of experience in training pilots - signed a partnership agreement to launch the training centre. Last October, the carrier announced that it had already received over 65 applications from international and local students. Once effective, the Djiboutian national airline will have won the bet to domesticate the training of its pilots, a dozen of whom were sent for training in July 2018 at the 99Flying School Academy based at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. In addition, Air Djibouti intends to fulfil its ambition to become an African reference in terms of pilot training.
