Oman Air’s drive to recruit Omani pilots is bearing fruit as 21 Omanis join the cadet training program of the national carrier of the sultanate.

The program involves initial flight training at ENAC Toulouse, France, for 18 months.

Upon successful completion of their initial flight training, the candidates will go on to undertake a type of rating course, which will qualify them to become members of Oman Air’s flight crew.

The recruitment drive was launched earlier this year with the aim of expanding opportunities for Omani nationals to become pilots with the airline. Applications were accepted from Omanis with good educational results, aged between 17 and 26 years old. The study costs of those candidates are being covered in their entirety by Oman Air.

Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO of Oman Air, commented: “We are delighted to welcome these 21 young Omanis to Oman Air. Following successful completion of their training, each new pilot will become an invaluable part of the airline.

Captain Ali Hassan Sulaiman, chief officer flight operations at Oman Air, said: “As Oman Air continues its ambitious fleet and network expansion program, and as we introduce new aircraft such as the B787 Dreamliner, the airline requires an increased number of pilots. This offers us an opportunity to provide the relevant training to ensure that the number of Omani pilots that we employ continues to grow. “This is yet another milestone for the Omanization drive the national carrier has adopted since inception, as we send our first batch of cadet pilots with scholarships fully funded by Oman Air.”

Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Ghailani, chief officer human resources at Oman Air, said: “As one of Oman’s largest employers, we take pride in employing Omani nationals at every level of Oman Air. This latest group of Omani trainee pilots represents an important step for us.”