Best of times to be an airline pilot as UAE airlines speed up hiring, training new ones

Best of times to be an airline pilot as UAE airlines speed up hiring, training new ones

Dubai: Now is a good time to be a pilot. Or want to be one. Airlines in the UAE, the Gulf and everywhere else have boosted their hiring of pilots – and more than willing to match salary expectations for those who have done optimum flying hours. Especially on the new-gen aircraft that many airlines are now on-boarding. Emirates this week confirmed that it will be setting up a $135 million state-of-the-art facility in Dubai to train a crop of pilots for its upcoming Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X. Emirates isn’t the only one adding to the pilot ranks - Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi have posted jobs seeking cadets, first officers, and captains for fast-expanding operations. There are also openings for mechanics and technicians for aircraft and avionics equipment, air traffic controllers and engineers. According to an aviation expert, an aeronautical engineer can earn from Dh20,000, and pilots can get paid anywhere Dh40,000 and with substantial perks. “The lowest salary for a loading bridge operator in the aviation sector is Dh7,900,” he added. Maximilian Buerger, the Managing Director of AFM - Pilot Training Industry Market Intelligence, said, “2023 should be a great year for pilots