Interview: Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi, Horizon

Horizon International Flight Academy general manager Mohammed Humaidan Al Zaabi explains how flight schools need to gain a competitive edge.

What type of training do you offer at Horizon?

Horizon International Flight Academy offers both helicopter and airplane pilot training courses. The core business is training helicopter and airplane pilots to international standards. The academy follows a JAR (European) syllabus and courses offered include Private Pilot License (PPL), Commercial Pilot License (CPL), Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL), Instrument Rating (IR) and Flight Instructor (FI) course. 

We also offer a range of non flying courses including aviation English and crew resource management amongst others.

How do aviation training institutes help to counteract the skills shortage in the Middle East aviation sector?

There are many challenges facing the training industry including manpower in terms of instructors, as many have moved on to airlines. We are yet to determine what impact the current financial crisis will have on the loss of instructors that the training industry has been facing. The best way to counteract the shortage of pilots in the industry is to ensure that cadet training programmes are completed in a timely manner to redress world pilot shortage in general and the Middle East in particular. 

How do you encourage young people from the Middle East to sign up to an aviation education?

The academy has an aggressive marketing campaign in the GCC and Middle Eastern region and is constantly expanding its training courses to cater to the needs of the aviation industry in the region.

We have organised school trips to the academy, where students visit the different departments and get the feel of working in the aviation industry.  Admitting local as well as international students, the academy has generated a lot of interest from military and civilian sectors seeking pilot training.

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The flight training environment in the Middle East is good. There are a few exceptional facilities in the region specifically in the UAE, Qatar and Jordan. The UAE Civil Aviation Authority for example is moving towards JAA compliance. This means that the FTO’s (Flight Training Organisation) will have curriculums equivalent to the JAA standard, which is a step forward.

With so many training institutes cropping up in the Middle East, do you believe this sector is becoming increasingly competitive?

It is a very competitive market, however Horizon caters to a niche market as it is the first academy of its kind in the Middle East offering both helicopter and fixed wing pilot training. In addition, the academy was the first in the region to adapt a curriculum similar to JAA. But Horizon’s competitive edge lies in its staff, facilities and its training programme. Multinational instructors with backgrounds in the airline industry and the military bring a wealth of experience.

The state-of-the-art facilities are located on the campus grounds of over 3500 square metres that house an administration block, classrooms with multimedia facilities and two separate hangars for the rotary and fixed wing fleets. The training includes class sessions and the academy also incorporates computer aided training.

Has your institute been affected by the economic downturn in terms of training investment?

No, we have not been affected by the economic downturn as our clientele need pilots regardless of the current situation.

What do you think are the ‘hot issues’ in aviation training for 2009?

The hot issues will probably be the implementation of Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL) training programmes.

Another interesting development would be an appropriate training program for the Very Light Jets (VLJ) pilot.