Oman Aviation Academy, currently under construction at Suhar Airport, is being positioned as an unrivalled provider of world-class pilot training for the civil and military aviation sectors in the wider Middle East region.
The long-term ambitions of the Academy were outlined at a ceremony held at the Kempinski Hotel Muscat on October 27, 2019, to formalise an agreement covering the supply of training aircraft for deployment at its Suhar campus.
Oman Aviation Academy was established in February 2018 as a partnership involving, among others, the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund, Public Authority for Privatisation and Partnership (PAPP), Oman National Investments Development Company (TANMIA) and Al Hosn Investment Company.
Also playing a key role as an offset partner is Airbus Helicopters, while CAE, a global aviation training organisation, is a strategic partner in the establishment of the campus and its curriculum. This partnership was assembled and delivered through the Twazin Oman programme.
Plans drawn up by the Academy envision a campus designed to “meet and exceed international standards” for aviation training services providers. Featuring a total built up area of 35,000 sq metres, the facility has a capacity to accommodate around 150 students per annum and will be equipped with state-of-the art training systems, including four flight simulators. An 80-feet high Air Traffic Control will be integrated with the main building.
The Academy aims to be certified as the first approved training organisation operating to international standards for pilot training. Also in its sights is the certification of EASA (The European Aviation Safety Agency) as an approved training organisation.
Canada-based CAE, for its part, will assist the Academy in developing the training syllabus to the highest international standards, as well as provide the training materials for the airline transport pilot licence training programme. The international organisation has more than 65 years of experience in providing ab initio pilot training — expertise that will ensure recognition for the Academy as a CAE authorised training centre in the region.
Significantly, the Academy will also look to capitalise on the growing demand for aviation training fuelled by the launch of budget and other carriers, notably Al Sharqiya Aviation and SalamAir. Complementing this potential is the growth of military aviation services in the region, which opens up opportunities for the Academy in providing military aviation training as well.
Furthermore, the Academy’s establishment in Suhar not only allows it ample airspace for its training operations, but opens up prospects to attract cadets from the wider Gulf, Middle East, Africa, and Indian sub-continent, it was pointed out. Oman’s first academy for aviation training is slated to open in the second quarter of 2022.
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