SolitAir and FlyIAA to Launch 20-Seat Cadet Pilot Program with Boeing 737 Career Pathway in 2027

UAE – SolitAir and EASA-approved flight training organisation Intercontinental Aviation Academy (FlyIAA) have announced a new cadet pilot intake for 2027 under their existing training partnership, providing selected graduates with a pathway toward Boeing 737 freighter operations.

• The program will offer 20 cadet places, with training scheduled to begin in January 2027. Following completion of training and a joint assessment by FlyIAA and SolitAir, the airline has committed to taking forward a minimum of five cadets for further progression.
• SolitAir will provide mentorship throughout the training program, including career guidance, skills coaching and airline-led workshops covering flight operations, safety culture and crew resource management (CRM).
• FlyIAA will provide SolitAir with structured performance reports at defined training milestones, including completion of ATPL ground school and flight training. These assessments will support the airline's evaluation of individual cadets ahead of the final selection process.
• AFM previously reported that SolitAir and FlyIAA established a pilot mentorship partnership in November 2025, initially covering cadets from the September 2025 and January 2026 intakes. The original arrangement provided for airline mentorship and potential progression to advanced airline-specific training or employment opportunities.
• The new intake will follow an integrated training syllabus of approximately 96 weeks, leading toward an EASA frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). Training will be delivered through FlyIAA's international flight training network under EASA regulations and the requirements of the relevant competent authorities.

Statements

• "Every cadet worries about what happens after the licence? This initiative is another solution we present to our students. Our partner airline will be present in all stages. From the briefings, in the progress reviews and on the final assessment board. Five of these cadets will jump to a seat at a crossing that sometimes is the hardest in this industry," said Frederico Fernandes Global CEO, Intercontinental Aviation Academy.
• "Most of FlyIAA's UAE intakes are second-generation residents, born or raised in the Emirates and schooled here from their first year to our seat in the academy. For the UAE's carriers, this is a new and crucial domestic talent pipeline. The United Arab Emirates has built the leading aviation ecosystems, and this initiative contributes to the UAE becoming a global reference in aviation training. Our part in it is to make sure the young people who grew up here are ready to take their place in it — and that real options are waiting for them on the day they finish," said Capt. Wissam Mehyou, Chairman of FlyIAA Global.

About Intercontinental Aviation Academy (FlyIAA)
Intercontinental Aviation Academy (FlyIAA) is a UAE-headquartered, EASA-approved flight training organisation and the aviation training division of Intercontinental Aviation Enterprise, with flying bases in Italy, Cyprus and the UAE. The group reported more than 350 active cadets from over 40 nationalities in 2026, supported by more than 25 aircraft and simulators across its international network.

About SolitAir
SolitAir is a UAE-based cargo airline headquartered at Dubai World Central (Al Maktoum International Airport), operating Boeing 737-800 freighters on scheduled and charter cargo services. Founded in 2024 by Hamdi Osman, the airline operates cargo services connecting Dubai with markets across the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Central Asia, China and Europe.

Source: FlyIAA