“I was driving by Sharjah International Airport and I spotted an advertisement related to Alpha so I passed by the cargo terminal where it is located and got introduced to the Academy. Deciding to join the Academy was a very serious decision to make at the time since the MPL programme was relatively new back then; people did not really know much about it. I went through all the information I could get and I spoke to the team at Alpha so I was convinced that it was the next big thing or best programme that aligns with the industry’s requirements of future airline pilots. I made the decision with the help of my family and it was a good one. My learning experience had ups and downs for sure but overall it was a very professional one and it got me to where I am now. My favorite moments at Alpha include completing the ground school to go on my first solo flight and receiving my ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License). I thank everyone who has been part of my training: my colleagues and instructors. It took me around 5 years and a half to become a Captain after graduating from Alpha and the experience of being one cannot be simplified with a couple of words. You would not feel the gravity of that achievement in the first couple of weeks until the fact that you are on the left seat being a Captain sinks in; only then do you get to actually enjoy the outcome of that achievement. As a Batch 1 student, my advice for the new cadets is for them to remember that there are no shortcuts and there is no place for quitters in the airline industry. I have seen a lot of people going from below average to above average to being really good at what they do because they have not given up so I advice all of the new students to not give up.”
“I used to work for Emirates airline and in one of my flights, I flew with a girl who said she was going to resign and join the pilot programme with Air Arabia. I think she is in the company at the moment and probably a Captain already. She explained the programme to me and since then, I have been interested so I researched online and decided to join. I chose Alpha Aviation Academy UAE because it was an easy transition from Dubai to Sharjah (given my previous work location) and at the same time, I heard that there are no other programmes like the one Alpha offers: it has a high percentage of recruitment by leading airlines upon completion. I heard of a lot of cabin crew staff who went to America to get their PPL (Private Pilot License) only to eventually come back to their same job hence, I wanted to get something more stable that would give me an actual piloting job at the end of the day. My overall learning experience at Alpha was fun but I would not say that it was easy; it was rather tough. In Ground School, there were a lot of subjects that I am not familiar with which I had to study and the exams were frequent. So, it was kind of challenging but it was fun since after I graduated from my studies prior to joining the programme, I have not studied for quite a while and it was nice to study again. I studied Electrical Engineering before and so there was some familiar modules tackled like electrics. Later on, we went to Portugal to fly; it was the first I flew (an aircraft) in my whole life – it was fun and scary. Afterwards, we came back to complete our MCC (Multi-Crew Cooperation) training where we started learning about the SOPs for jet aircraft and A320. After finalizing all the phases of training, I joined Air Arabia. Navigating this course as a woman was easy, in my experience, as people were more considerate (since there were more male students), making the learning and training process a lot smoother and easier for me. My favorite moments in Alpha include completing the last simulation. I was so happy, relaxed and relieved to finally complete the programme; I can never forget that feeling. I would like to thank my batch mates as we all helped one another. During the entire learning process, they were there to assist me whenever I needed help and we are all still good friends until now. Being an airline is very exciting; I still get thrilled whenever I go on flights. I cannot believe that I am here flying with an esteemed airline. When I started Alpha, I did not really see the future clearly and I was not sure if I was going to be here (in this moment) but now that I am, I feel so proud and happy to fly with Arabia after all the hard work and effort.”
“I discovered Alpha Aviation Academy UAE completely by luck (unexpectedly). My parents used to work at a company located next to Sharjah International Airport and one day, my dad had to pay for a bill and got lost around the area leading him to find Alpha. When I joined the Academy, I was completely new to the country as I only visited briefly during vacations. It was quite tough at first however, as you start to meet new people and make new friends, you begin to love the diversity the place has to offer. I think my experience at Alpha was challenging but very rewarding. Having to go through all the theoretical modules can be tedious however, once you get to the more practical stage of the programme – flying an aircraft and going through different simulators including the A320, you get further motivated as you are getting closer to your goal. Among the moments that stood out for me at Alpha include flying an aircraft for the first time and flying an A320. Taking the Cessna aircraft for the first time to go from one place to another was such a beautiful and freeing experience. I would like to thank Captain John who really pushed us to the limit for our own good so that we could learn to the best of our abilities. I would also like to thank Bobby who was in charge of the programme coordination as he was always there to answer all of our questions. Moreover, I would like to extend my gratitude to our MCC instructors who taught us how to work well in a team and how to handle great amount of pressure in a workplace environment. Being a full-fledged airline pilot and flying for Air Arabia changes how people perceive you; passengers greet you with the utmost respect, fascination and excitement whenever you enter an aircraft. It also brings a great sense of pride and happiness for the family since it’s a well-respected job.”
“I was doing my bachelor’s degree back at home in India when I found out about the MPL programme; further research brought me to Alpha Aviation Academy UAE. I decided to move to the UAE because this (MPL programme) was and still is one of the best programmes available in the industry. The move was intense initially since it was the first time I was moving away from home but I was lucky enough to join a really good batch. The course was intensive as well, making you eventually lose track of that (being away from home). My learning experience was quite nice: the programme, as a whole, is structured in a good way. Of course, in each phase, you might face your own individual challenges but everyone has made it so far and everyone will; you just need to put in the work and focus. Ground school was one of my favorite moments overall and my first solo flight in Portugal was definitely something I won’t forget. Moreover, the first time you actually get comfortable in an Airbus while flying it and when people come into the cockpit to take pictures are among my treasured memories. I would like to thank the staff of Alpha Aviation Academy as a whole and my batch mates – we had good fun throughout these years; we stuck together, helped each other with our difficulties, and we are all still in touch. It feels great to finally be an airline pilot now and there is a great sense of respect that I have for this profession – a lot of responsibility goes along with the role of being an airline pilot but overall, it feels like I have accomplished my dream.”
