Capt. William Roe, managing director of SAFA, said at a workshop in Jeddah on Monday that the academy would be ready to accept the first entry of trainees in December 2010.  The opening entry of 36 students will, said Roe, increase to 200 per annum over the next five years.

“The latest figures indicate that, given the attrition rate in air crew and the current supply of trained pilots, the Middle East will need about 20,000 new pilots over the next 10 years,” he said. “The academy is designed to provide the feedstock for retiring crew and address the increasing demand for both commercial and private pilots.”

He estimated that the growth in demand for pilots to be 5.3 percent per annum for commercial airline pilots and 8.6 percent per annum for corporate.  “Airlines alone will need 1,500 new pilots a year for the next 10 years,” he said.

The academy will heavily emphasize ‘hands-on” training, with up to 40 percent of the course time spent in high tech simulators. SAFA is the only flight-training academy in the Kingdom to offer a hybrid-mix of technically advanced training aircraft and simulation to ensure that cadet pilots obtain the most effective training available anywhere today.

The equipment used to train pilots will combine the latest technology in aircraft and simulation. SAFA has selected Diamond Aircraft Industries’ DA40/42 NG (New Generation) technically advanced aircraft, and level six flight-training devices to develop manual handling and automation skills.

“The object is to produce a cadre of highly skilled and above all, safe pilots, that are disciplined and practice superior aeronautical decision-making skills,” said Roe.

In anticipation of the large interest in pilot training from young Saudis, SAFA already has access to the land required to increase the facilities in order to double the annual trainee numbers.

The academy has a built in outreach program to source young Saudis who have a passion for flying and the personal skills to achieve the qualifications to make a career of their dreams.

Campus facilities will include all training, residential housing, recreational, and administrative offices.  The SAFA Professional Pilot Program will utilize an approved curriculum to deliver training from zero-time to a commercial pilot certificate with a multi-engine class rating.

All trainee pilots will face mandatory initial screening (personality, psychometric, panel interview) and English language proficiency evaluations prior to acceptance.

The curriculum will be approved by the Kingdom’s Aviation Authority and in accordance with the best international practices which will include the training required to take students from zero experience to possessing the skills and credentials necessary for professional and recreational flying.

SAFA’s international instructor core consists of experts primarily from the United States, Europe, South Africa, and Australia, with the goal of ensuring all students possess the skills, confidence, and certification required to be a safe, competent, and disciplined pilot.