US-Bangla sends first batch of cadet pilots for flight training in USA
Dhaka : To fill the gap between the growing number of aircraft in US-Bangla's fleet and the additional pilots needed to operate them, the largest private carrier of the country has taken a unique initiative to shape future aviators.
The career sent a group of student pilots for flight training in the USA at its own cost as part of its future plans to have more pilots while the airline's fleet size and routes expand.
In early 2022, US-Bangla Airlines undertook plans to recruit students and train them to meet the need for additional pilots.
In continuation, with the help of Human Resource experts from Bangladesh Air Force, the airline selected 21 students from about 6500 participants from May to July, 2022.
10 of the 21 cadet pilots were sent by the airline to Epic Flight Academy, at Smyrna Beach, Florida, in the United States of America to complete a 10-month long flight training course on May 2 and the rest will be flying in June 2023.
Prior to the departure of the students, the airline held a press conference on the day at US-Bangla Training Centre in the capital.
US-Bangla CEO Lutfor Rahman and Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor, among others, were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, US-Bangla CEO Lutfor Rahman said, airlines all over the world are failing to meet the demand for pilots. To overcome this crisis, US-Bangla Airlines has taken the initiative to produce pilots out of talented students as part of the carrier's future plans.
The training of each pilot will cost USD 64,000 which is being born by the airline, added the CEO.
After completing the flight training course successfully, the 21 cadet pilots, one female and 20 males, will obtain the Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Pilot License (FAA CPL).
Afterwards, they will come back to the country and join US-Bangla Airlines as Trainee First Officer of the carrier's ATR 72-600 aircraft.
It may be mentioned here, US-Bangla currently has 19 aircraft in its fleet including eight Boeing 737-800s and eight ATR 72-600s.
Also, the airline is planning to add two new Airbus 330s and two ATR 72-600s in its fleet in 2023.
At the event, General Manager (Public Relations) of US-Bangla Airlines Kamrul Islam mentioned, with the addition of new aircraft to any airline's fleet, the need for additional pilots arises.
Currently, there are over 2,350 officers and employees in US-Bangla, of which over 190 are Bangladeshi and foreign pilots.
It is part of the airline's plan to finalise the recruitment of pilots before adding new aircraft to the fleet and launching new routes, Kamrul Islam also noted.
