ST Engineering's aerospace arm inked 5-year deal with Qatar Airways

It'll recruit and assess first batch of pilots.

According to a release,  Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that the commercial pilot training business of its aerospace arm, ST Aerospace Academy (STAA), has been awarded a five-year Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL) training contract by Qatar Airways.

As a one stop pilot training solutions provider, STAA will undertake the global recruitment and assessment of cadets on behalf of Qatar Airways, as well as customisation of training content for Qatar Airways’ operations. Cadets will undergo STAA’s MPL programme leading to the award of MPL from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, for eventual employment with Qatar Airways as Airbus A320 Type Rated First Officers.

The first batch of 36 cadet pilots is expected to commence training in the third quarter of 2013 and graduate in the first quarter of 2015. The subsequent intakes are expected to be similar or higher, depending on Qatar Airways’ operational requirements.

“We are delighted to award this contract to STAA, to equip our students with the skills they need to become competent, professional pilots with a leading commercial airline. The training will also expose our students to a multi-crew cooperation environment and ensure that they are continuously assessed against competencies.

As Qatar Airways continues to expand our international route network, a talented pool of well qualified, dedicated pilots is mandatory to support growth. We are convinced that we have found the right training partner in STAA to help us achieve that.” ~ Captain Suhail Abdul Hameed ISMAEEL, Chief Flight Operations Officer, Qatar Airways.

“This contract award from Qatar Airways is a vote of confidence in STAA’s capabilities, and a strong validation of our MPL programme. We are fully committed to support Qatar Airways’ requirement for well qualified pilots, as the airline continues to grow its operations worldwide. 

In view of the growing pilot demand in the Middle East over the next 20 years, our strong offerings will also serve us well to support customers in this region.” ~ PEH Teng Keng, President, ST Aerospace Academy