Education

Spatial Aviation Safety Training Academy to open at Dubai World Central

EAW Staff - Dubai

Dubai World Central Aviation City, which will be home to one of the world's largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centres in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, has signed a land lease agreement with a Dubai company to set up the Middle East's first independent aviation safety training academy.

Spatial Aviation Safety Training Academy (SASTA), a specialist provider of aircrew training solutions, will build the US$ 37 million (AED 136 million), 14,000 square metre facility to cater to commercial airlines, private and corporate jet operators, helicopter and light fixed wing crew.

The academy will also provide customised training for airport ground staff and management.

Abdulla Al Qurashi, CEO of Dubai World Central (DWC) Aviation City, says, "This regional 'first' will significantly add to DWC's proposition as a totally comprehensive aviation hub and provide a vital service to the industry within the Middle East who will be able to access world-class training without the costs of sending staff overseas."

He added that the Aviation City will be a hub for global aviation training institutions who meet all international regulatory standards in order to bridge the gap between demand and supply to the full gambit of aviation providers regionally.

SASTA's safety training programme is compliant with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), JAR-OPS (Joint Aviation Regulations) and UAE's GCAA (General Civil Aviation Authority) standards. "Our vision is to establish SASTA as an exemplar provider of world-class safety training programmes for the aviation industry, at DWC. We are excited and fully committed to play our part in the success of this truly historical project," said Joseph McKeever, CEO, Spatial Training Solutions.

"The academy's 40-strong staff managed by aviation industry experts will operate from a fully-equipped facility complete with an Airbus A300/310 and B777 full cabin simulator, real fire fighting trainer, ditching and water survival pool, a G500/550 Gulfstream, Hawker, Fokker and Airbus A318/A319/A320/ A321 and B737 door trainers. We anticipate its appeal will extend beyond the Middle East, to also service the rapidly-developing aviation sector within the Indian Sub-continent," McKeever added.

The academy's syllabus includes crew resources management, leadership courses, 'Train The Trainer' and aircrew safety and emergency procedures compliant with Civil Aviation Regulations. It is to be operational by January 2009 when first flights will serve DWC's Al Maktoum International Airport - set to be the world's largest. The US$ 1.4 billion (AED 5 billion) DWC Aviation City is a strategic aviation project launched within DWC - the 140 square kilometre urban aviation, multi-phased development in Jebel Ali and will feature the MRO centre, repair and test as well as aircraft system and components installation facilities.