Eleven new flyers for SriLankan Airlines

Eleven more young Sri Lankans have qualified to join the illustrious ranks of SriLankan Airlines’ pilots, upon completion of a rigorous training programme by the national carrier.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said: “These young pilots are joining at a time when our national carrier is transforming itself to meet the expectations of our country and serve as a catalyst for our nation’s economic growth now that we have permanent peace.

“It is our duty to serve not just our tourism industry, but all types of export and import industries, and also to serve as a regional hub connecting South Asia with the world. For this, we have invested heavily in expanding our fleet and we expect to acquire no less than seven aircraft this year alone,” said Wickremasinghe.

The 11 young pilots, who include four former flyers of the Sri Lanka Air Force, received their wings and epaulettes in a ceremony on 30 March in Katunayake which was attended by Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrema, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, H.M.C. Nimalsiri, Director General of Civil Aviation; SriLankan Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe and CEO Manoj Gunawardena.

Nimalsiri said: “SriLankan Airlines is the finest aviation training organisation in Sri Lanka, which grooms these youngsters to understand the responsibility that they must bear. SriLankan is also the largest contributor by far to aviation in Sri Lanka and carries over 50% of travellers in to and out of the country, with an excellent safety record over the years.”

The airline’s Cadet Pilot Training Programme has a strong reputation internationally for its high standard. Selection for the programme is extremely competitive, and every cadet pilot is regularly tested during the year and a half of training. Cadet pilots undergo a programme which includes flying training, simulator training overseas, hands-on aircraft engineering work at the airline’s base in Katunayake and classroom instruction.

SriLankan’s Head of Flight Operations Capt. Navin De Silva said: “SriLankan Airlines has made a considerable investment in the training of these young pilots and so have our instructors. So these youngsters must never forget what their national carrier and their country have done for them and serve with dedication.”

SriLankan Airlines recently signed an agreement with SIM Industries of the Netherlands to construct an Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulator for training of both the national carrier’s pilots and those of other airlines. This is the first batch to be awarded Wings since 2009. Another batch is currently completing training and yet another has just been recruited.

The airline now has a global route network of 51 destinations in 32 countries, with the recent addition of Kochi in India and Guangzhou in China. It is planning to launch services to Moscow later this year.