Etihad Airways has expanded its innovative cadet pilot programme with the first international group of cadet pilots starting to train in the UAE.

The new group, containing 12 cadet pilots from countries around the world including Hungary, Canada and the UK, follows Etihad’s highly successful Emirati cadet pilot programme.

The 12 cadet pilots have begun the 18 month training course at Etihad’s training academy at its Abu Dhabi home-base and at the Horizon International Flight Academy in Al Ain.

“The arrival of our first intake of international cadet pilots marks the latest development in the growth of the pilot community here at Etihad where UAE nationals will now learn to fly side-by-side with other nationalities from around the world,' stated Richard Hill, Etihad Airways’ executive vice president operations.

“There has been a huge response from around the world with potential cadet pilots wishing to join Etihad’s ranks which highlights our growing global profile. We continue to receive increasing numbers of applications for the programme every week,” he added.

Etihad now has six groups of cadet pilots in training, with a further Emirati group scheduled to start in December as well as a second international group.-TradeArabia News Service