Market Intelligence: Middle East

Turkish Airlines and Boeing Implement CBTA for Cadet Training at Turkish Airlines Flight Academy

Turkey – Turkish Airlines has teamed up with Boeing to embed Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) methodologies early in the cadet training at the Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA). This forward-thinking initiative is set to enhance safety, instill a dynamic training mindset, and promote risk-focused decision-making among future airline pilots, providing smoother integration into professional operations.

  • The collaboration aims to infuse CBTA protocols from the outset of ab initio training, establishing a performance-oriented, safety-centric approach that supports effective risk management and resilience in trainee pilots.

  • By embedding CBTA principles early, Turkish Airlines and Boeing are positioning cadets to transition seamlessly into airline operations—nurturing them into safety champions with a foundation in adaptive training philosophy.

  • The joint effort reflects Turkish Airlines’ ambition—one of the world’s leading and fastest-growing carriers—to cultivate a reliable pipeline of competent pilots aligned with Boeing’s global safety and quality ethos.

  • A visit by Boeing representatives Christine Bohl to TAFA helped assess CBTA implementation progress and strategize next steps for integrated training enhancements.

Statements

  • “Grateful to have hosted an inspiring CBTA session at Turkish Airlines Flight Academy, developed by Boeing for flight schools. Many thanks to Christine Bohl, her team and Fatih Altunok for their support and contributions to this valuable experience.” stated TAFA CEO Fatih Ünalan.
  • “Turkish Airlines is one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in the world and Boeing is pleased to be working with TAFA as they build a pipeline of safe and resilient pilots to fuel their growth plan into the future. Great visit to TAFA this past week to get feedback on how the implementation is going so far and talk about what comes next” stated Boeing’s Commercial Training Market Director Christine Bohl.

Source: Fatih Unalan (TAFA) & Christine Bohl (Boeing)

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Turkish Airline Owned Flight Academy Expands Fleet with 7 New Training Aircraft in August 2025

Türkiye – Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA), the ab initio pilot training arm of Turkish Airlines, has expanded its 2025 fleet with the induction of seven new aircraft in August 2025.

  • TAFA currently operates over 60 aircraft, with 7 new Cessna 172 aircraft delivered in August 2025.

  • The academy conducts flight training at six different airports across Türkiye.

  • The training center employs over 100 flight instructors and more than 200 total aviation professionals.

  • Nearly 500 cadet pilots are currently enrolled in training.

  • The academy plans to expand its training fleet to 107 aircraft by Q1 2027

  • TAFA has trained and graduated over 900 pilots in the past five years, with 220,000 total flight hours logged as of December 2024.

Source: Turkish Airlines Flight Academy

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Training Aircraft Manufacturer and Pilot Training Solution Grob Aircraft Provider Appoints 2025 Sales Manager for MENA Region

Germany – Grob Aircraft SE has appointed Raad Atoom as Sales Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, strengthening its commercial outreach in one of the fastest-growing markets for pilot training.

  • Atoom’s new role will focus on expanding Grob Aircraft’s presence in the MENA region, where demand for military training aircraft and ab-initio pilot training platforms continues to rise.

  • Grob Aircraft SE is a leading German aircraft manufacturer, best known for its G 120TP military trainer, a versatile turboprop aircraft widely used by air forces and flight academies worldwide.

About Grob Aircraft SE
Based in Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany, Grob Aircraft SE is a global leader in military and civil training aircraft manufacturing. Its flagship product, the G 120TP, is in service with multiple air forces and training academies, offering advanced training capabilities from ab-initio through lead-in fighter training. The company has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft worldwide.

Source: Grob Aircraft SE

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Turkish Airline Owned Flight Academy Welcomes New CEO Fatih Ünalan Amid Growth Phase

Türkiye – Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA), the ab initio pilot training arm of Turkish Airlines, has officially welcomed Fatih Ünalan as its new CEO.

  • Fatih ÜNALAN officially assumed his role as CEO and expressed gratitude to Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines Inc., and Capt. Mehmet KADAİFÇİLER, Chairman of the Board of TAFA and Deputy General Manager (Flight Operations) at Turkish Airlines, for their trust and support.

  • He extended his thanks to former CEO Assoc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Zeki Akyurt for his contributions during his tenure, acknowledging his role in advancing the academy’s capabilities.

  • The leadership transition comes at a time of continued growth for TAFA, which has been expanding its training fleet and capacity to support Turkish Airlines’ long-term pilot requirements.

  • TAFA currently operates over 60 aircraft, with 7 new aircraft delivered in August 2025.

  • The academy conducts flight training at six different airports across Türkiye.

  • The training center employs over 100 flight instructors and more than 200 total aviation professionals.

  • Nearly 500 cadet pilots are currently enrolled in training.

  • The academy plans to expand its training fleet to 107 aircraft by Q1 2027

  • TAFA has trained and graduated over 900 pilots in the past five years, with 220,000 total flight hours logged as of December 2024.

Statement:

  • “I am excited to share that I have officially started my new role as CEO at Turkish Airlines Flight Academy (TAFA). I am truly honored by the trust placed in me, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Ahmet BOLAT, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee at Turkish Airlines Inc., and Capt. Mehmet KADAİFÇİLER, Chairman of the Board at TAFA and CFOO at Turkish Airlines Inc. and all my managers for their confidence and support. I am fully committed to doing my utmost to live up to this trust and to contribute to TAFA’s continued growth and success. Additionally, I would like to express a special thanks to former CEO Assoc. Prof. İbrahim Zeki AKYURT for his valuable contributions during his tenure.” stated Fatih Ünalan.

Source: Turkish Airlines Flight Academy

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UAE-based flydubai Seeking Chief Theoretical Knowledge Instructor in 2025

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – flydubai has announced the opening of a senior instructional leadership position for a Chief Theoretical Knowledge Instructor, aimed at strengthening the airline’s pilot training academy operations.

  • The role will oversee all aspects of flydubai Academy’s theoretical ground training program, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, resource optimization, and continuous enhancement of curricula.

  • Responsibilities include:

    • Assures the standard of approved courses and examinations.
    • Ensures that all resources required are available (qualified instructors, manuals, classroom, instruction aids, etc).
    • Implements corrective actions as instructed by head of training and compliance audits.
    • Ensures that theoretical instructors receive adequate training in accordance with their qualifications.
    • Maintains current knowledge of aviation training practices, compliance requirements, and educational innovations.
    • Manages and oversees the issuing or renewal of qualifications for theoretical knowledge instructors.
    • Supervises the creation and updating of course materials in line with standards and regulatory guidelines.
    • Determines and recommends instructor staffing needs based on training demand.
    • Participates in the selection and hiring of Ground Instructors when needed.
    • Ensures all instructor qualifications, teaching records, and limits are tracked and maintained.
    • Assigns instructional responsibilities based on each instructor’s area of expertise.
    • Maintains the training reference library per operational guidelines.
    • Upholds training and safety standards as required by internal policy and external authorities.
    • Coordinates health and safety induction briefings with the Safety department.

  • Qualification’s sought:

    • Bachelor’s Degree (3+ years) + CPL OR High School Diploma + ATPL

    • Bachelor’s degree in aviation, education, or a related field is preferred.

    • Fluent in English (other languages an advantage)

    • Minimum 5 years as a theoretical instructor

    • Years with qualifications: 5 – 7 years

    • Commercial Pilot License (CPL)

For more information on the role and to apply navigate here or contact flydubai’s recruitment team.

Source: flydubai

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Flight Simulator Manufacturer HAVELSAN to Showcase Cutting-Edge Flight Simulator and Pilot Training Solutions at Asia Pacific Aviation Training Summit 2025

Ankara, Turkiye – headquartered flight simulator manufacturer HAVELSAN will deploy a team to the 21st Asia Pacific Aviation Training Summit. The event, scheduled to take place on August 26 and 27th in Singapore will see HAVELSAN meeting with industry stakeholders such as airlines and pilot training centers, at its Booth (#427) to update them on the latest developments at HAVELSAN and the flexible pilot training equipment solutions that the manufacturer can provide.

Over the last year a number of airlines and pilot training organizations have placed their trust in HAVELSAN to provide them with Airbus A320 and Boeing B737MAX full flight simulators. Recent examples from 2025 include;

  • A Boeing 737 MAX and an A320 Full Flight Simulator to a flag-carrier
  • An A320 Full Flight Simulator to a global full flight simulator training center operator group
  • A Boeing 737 NG to a low-cost carrier

In order to meet the increasing demand for HAVELSAN devices, the company announced it would ramp up activities and support for airlines and simulator training centers including the ability to manufacture up to eight full flight simulators per year as well as work with airlines to support them expanding their simulator training center operations through flexible solutions.

HAVELSAN to date has deployed over 120 flight simulators globally and is especially putting focus on providing industry leading after-sales support and discussing with customers long-term cooperation projects. HAVELSAN is looking forward to meeting industry stakeholders at the 21st Asia Pacific Aviation Training Summit.

Source: HAVELSAN

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Emirates to Host Pilot Roadshow in Canada in September 2025

Canada – Emirates Airline’s Pilot Recruitment Team is set to visit Canada in early September as part of its expansive global roadshow designed to attract experienced pilots to fuel its continuing fleet and operational expansion.

  • Emirates will host pilot information sessions in the below cities – multiple events per city offering both morning and afternoon time slots:

    • Montreal (Sep 9–10)

    • Calgary (Sep 11–12)

    • Toronto (Sep 14–15)

  • Designed for pilots interested in roles such as Direct Entry Captain, Accelerated Command, and First Officer—both type-rated and non-type-rated—sessions include live insights from current Emirates pilots.

  • The roadshow forms part of Emirates’ broader 2025 expansion strategy, which includes plans to recruit over 550 pilots this year, with more than 1,500 pilots expected to join by 2026.

  • Since early 2022, nearly 2,000 new pilots have joined Emirates, contributing to the all-wide-body pilot crew complement approaching 4,600 aviators.

Source: Emirates

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