Airways College, pilot training school located in France, signed a framework contract with Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB), Ivory Coast, a few days ago. This agreement foresees the creation of a section dedicated to pilot training within the Ivorian institution. Twenty-five students should be trained there starting in April. They will be selected and recruited by Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national airline company.
Theory will be given on the campus while flight sessions will be held on Yamoussoukro Airport. In the long term, a hundred students coming from different African airline companies will be trained per year. The INP-HB should be equipped with 3 flight simulators and 12 twin-engine aircraft.
Airways College offers indisputable guarantees: the French school (3 locations in the country) has almost 30 years experience in flight training and is EASA licensed. The 2-year ATP NG300 training course has 50% more practical training than what is required by the Authorities. Thanks to this agreement, INP-HB will be able to deliver EASA licenses, for the first time in Africa.
Krista Vandermeulen, General Director of International Business Development at Airways College, explains why they created this new center in the Ivory Coast: “This new center will fill a lack because today numerous African pilots go to Europe or to the US to train. We are happy to contribute to the development of flight training in Africa. It will create many economic opportunities. This will also help numerous young people realise their dreams, that is to say, have their future offices in the sky”.
Several people initiated this important project: General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Air Côte d’Ivoire Chairman of the Board, Mr René Decurey, Air Côte d’Ivoire General Director and Mr Koffi N’Guessan, INP-HB General Director. Their determination and motivation will enhance flight training development in Africa and help numerous Africans take off.