16 August 2011
Air Astana’s
ab-initio pilot training programme
is well established, with newly
qualified pilots continuing to join active flight crew ranks every year. Amongst
the group of nine most recently recruited
candidates is Timur Mashurov, the ex-captain of the national rugby team of Kazakhstan. Following
Timur’s successful completion of the requisite
language, health and psychometric selection tests, he will soon commence his
cadet course at the Pilot Training College (PTC) at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), USA.
“Having
played so many matches and as a professional experienced sportsmen, I know how
to stay confident, calm and keep clear mind during tense situations, which helped a lot when undergoing
enrolment processes at Air Astana. Becoming an Air Astana pilot is clearly
demanding role, but I’m inspired by the challenges ahead. It’s a childhood
dream come true,” comments Timur.
Air Astana
has selected a total of 42 cadets this year, who are already in training or
like Timur, will commence training on the next course in late September. Eighteen
more cadets are to be selected by the end of the year. Since the
beginning of the programme in 2008, Air Astana trained and introduced 93 pilots
into service.
Air Astana’s
ab-initio pilot training programme
is intended to help solve the problem of finding enough qualified Kazakhstan
pilots with requisite English language skills, who can fly western
aircraft types.
The
programme ensures that Air Astana will be able to meet the demand for extra
aircrew as the fleet grows to 43 aircraft by 2022. Air Astana’s programme is
the largest airline pilot training projects in the CIS. Training of up to 60
Air Astana cadets is conducted at Pilot Training College (PTC), one of Europe’s
leading pilot training providers, with
bases in Waterford, Ireland
and Florida, USA.
A major
advantage of the Pilot
Training College
is the location of its training
centres. PTC Waterford gives trainee pilots ‘four seasons in one day” and is
perfect for instrument training, whilst the Florida Training Centre gives PTC
students the broadest flying education possible with
over 300 days of near perfect visual flight rules conditions.
Candidate selection is open to all Kazakh citizens
age 18 to 29, who are interested in becoming a pilot. Candidates need to
demonstrate to a good knowledge of physics and mathematics, as well as an
excellent health record.