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Etihad Flight College, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a purchase agreement for four Embraer Phenom 100E aircraft, and options for three additional aircraft of the same model.
The deal is valued at about US$30 million, based on current list prices, if all options are exercised, and deliveries of the aircraft to Etihad Flight College will start in Q1 2016.
Based in Al Ain, the Etihad Flight College was established to train ab-initio pilots for the airline's rapidly expanding fleet, and currently provides fixed wing training for up to 120 Emirati and international cadets annually.
The delivery of the four new Embraer Phenom 100E aircraft will bring to 20 the number of aircraft in the trainer fleet, which also includes 10 Cessna 172SP Skyhawk and six Diamond DA42NG aircraft.
"As the national airline of the UAE, it is vital for us to establish a world-class training facility to support the training and manpower development of the local Emirati workforce, while also providing a source of well-trained, highly-skilled pilots for our growing operations," said Richard Hill, Etihad Airways' Chief Operations Officer.
"The Phenom 100E's airline-grade technology, performance and reliability make it an ideal initial training platform to prepare our cadets for line operations."
"We are very pleased with the selection of the Phenom 100E by Etihad Flight College," said Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. "The Phenom 100E has proven to be the ideal aircraft for jet pilot training, delivering advanced cockpit technology, along with high performance and high reliability, at a low operating cost."
The Etihad Flight College is the first organisation in the world to use multi-engine aircraft in the core phase of its innovative Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) training program, ensuring students are provided with the core competencies required of an airline pilot in today's ever-changing aviation marketplace.
The MPL program focuses on relevant and airline operator-specific training, rather than the traditional model of general aviation-focused training in a generic format. It produces pilots with not only the skills to fly a modern commercial aircraft to the most exacting standards, but the competencies and attitudes required of a professional pilot as well.
Etihad Airways currently employs over 2,200 pilots and operates a fleet of 116 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with over 200 additional aircraft on firm order.
About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways began operations in 2003, and in 2014 carried 14.8 million passengers. From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to 111 existing or announced passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of 116 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and more than 200 aircraft on firm order, including 68 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777-X, 62 Airbus A350s and seven Airbus A380s.
Etihad Airways holds equity investments in airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Aer Lingus, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Virgin Australia, and Swiss-based Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional. Etihad Airways, along with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Regional, Jet Airways and NIKI, also participate in Etihad Airways Partners, a new brand that brings together like-minded airlines to offer customers more choice through improved networks and schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com
About the Phenom 100E
The Phenom 100E has a four-occupant range of 1,178 nautical miles (2,182 km), with NBAA IFR reserves. With a high speed cruise of 390 knots, the Phenom 100E is one of the fastest jets in its class, with operating costs comparable to that of leading turbo-prop aircraft. The Phenom 100E also features multi-function spoilers, and the aircraft is capable of flying at 41,000 feet (12,500 m), powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F-E engines with 1,695 pounds of thrust each.
The pilot-friendly cockpit enables single-pilot operation and offers the Prodigy Flight Deck, with Synthetic Vision System. Other standard features include improved takeoff performance with thrust reserve, increased Maximum Zero-Fuel Weight and an electronic checklist.
For further details please contact:
Etihad Airways Corporate Communications
Damian James,
Phone: +971 2 511 1035
Email: djames@etihad.ae
© Press Release 2015
