Emirates Flight Training now also flies with DA42

They are here and they are flying high – the three new aircraft from the Austrian aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft have flown directly to the training center of the Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA), where they have been enthusiastically received.

Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA), which offers one of the most advanced pilot training programs in the world, recently added the third Diamond DA42-VI light piston aircraft to its fleet. With the three Diamond machines, multi-engine aircraft (MEP) training is introduced at the academy. They serve as a bridge between training on single-engine aircraft and light jets, rounding out the EFTA training fleet to 30 aircraft (three Diamond DA42-VI and 27 Cirrus and Phenom jets). In the future, EFTA cadets will therefore be trained on three types of aircraft before they graduate from the academy. This is a rarity in the world of cadet flight training.

“We continuously invest in our education system and equip it with the most advanced tools, technologies and infrastructure. This is how we ensure our cadets are ready for practice and graduate with the highest level of ability, skill and competence,” said Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi, Vice President of Emirates Flight Training Academy. “The Diamonds fit perfectly between our single engine aircraft and the very light jets in our training fleet. They are reliable, state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly and now also enable our trainees to gain experience on multi-engine piston aircraft. The expansion of the fleet means more aircraft types and a more diverse learning experience.”

Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO of Diamond Aircraft Austria, said: “We are very proud to be part of Emirates' history and recognize Emirates' vision of cutting-edge technologies for the next generation of pilots. We look forward to the success of EFTA, which now also benefits from Diamond's industry-leading technology, cost-efficiency, safety and environmental responsibility.”

Three Diamond DA42-VI landed in Dubai

The three Diamond aircraft made their way from Vienna to Dubai in the new Emirates livery. Due to the limited flight range of 1.225 nautical miles, the route was covered in parts - the EFTA pilot instructors made pit stops in Heraklion, Crete and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

The EFTA had ordered the three Diamond DA42-VI aircraft and the associated flight simulator in March this year, worth 4 million euros (list price), from the Austrian aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft. The delivery of the simulator is expected shortly. The cadets will begin training on the Diamond aircraft in the coming months.