Mihin Lanka trainee First Officers take wing

Mihin Lanka, Sri Lanka's low cost carrier, has cleared four Trainee First Officers, who were part of the third batch of pilot cadets inducted in July 2013, to fly as full-fledged pilots within six and half months, well ahead of the scheduled eight months. Two more pilots are due to follow suit before the end of March

Chief Pilot - Training and Standards, Mihin Lanka, Capt. Themiya Abeywickrama said, "This achievement has been made possible by the talented and dedicated young pilots of our third batch, and the commitment of SriLankan Airlines resident simulator instructors and Mihin Lanka's Instructor Captains who have shared their expertise with the new batch of pilots."

"Team work and dedication were pivotal for achieving this milestone. We leveraged on the ADAPT interview process by Alpha Aviation UK, which tailor-made the interview process for the qualities we were seeking in our third batch of cadets," he said.

"We are pleased with the results as it demonstrates the company's agility in responding to evolving trends in the marketplace to ensure sustainability of operations," Capt. Abeywickrama said.

The selected candidates needed a Commercial Pilots Licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka. After the candidates were selected by the ADAPT aptitude process, they underwent a six week stint at the Ground School.

They were introduced to working systems on bigger and modern airplanes. Thereafter, they started on the Type Rating Course, which included simulated flight training for approximately six to eight weeks.