The largest aviation group in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines Group, has recently announced its intention to open a new aviation training centre in the Ethiopian city of Hawassa.
This second facility will join the Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA)’s existing training centre in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, allowing the academy to “accommodate more trainees”. As well as offering aviation-specific courses – including pilot, cabin crew and catering, aircraft maintenance and ground handling training – the centre will also accommodate “various customer service and leadership trainings for companies in Hawassa and South regional states”.
Facilities at the Hawassa campus will include three simulators, three aircraft parking and workshop hangars, a variety of classrooms, and accommodation and recreational facilities.
The Ethiopian Aviation Academy – recognised as an ICAO regional Training Centre of Excellence – has been providing aviation training for nearly 60 years, including students from over 52 countries. It currently offers accredited programmes for Commercial Pilot Licenses with Instrument, Multi-Engine and Multi-Crew Pilot Licenses, the latter of which no other African airline offers. Since the Pilot Training School’s inception in 1964, “the development of this training facility has made Ethiopian Airlines self-sufficient in meeting its requirements for pilots,” note the school.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Taswe explained he was “truly happy” at the announcement of a second training facility. “As Africa’s giant in the aviation industry, we are determined to reach more people who dream of becoming aviation professionals and enrich our continent with qualified personnel who will take Africa’s aviation to the next level,” he added.
Ethiopian is the fastest growing airline on the continent, commanding “the lion’s share” of the pan-African passenger and cargo network. The airline has “been registering more than threefold growth in the past ten years” and has been a Star Alliance member since 2011. The carrier operates a fleet of more than 144 aircraft with an average fleet age of five years.
The Ethiopian Aviation Academy plans to take in around 4,000 students a year across its training programmes, and more information is available here.
