"The newly graduated pilots are indeed intended to meet our need for pilots following the arrival of new planes. They are from Class Four that have just graduated from BIFA," PT Garuda Indonesia president director Emirsyah Satar said here on Monday.
He said the number of foreign pilots in his company now totaled 34 and their contract would expire at the end of this year.
He said he has so far trained around 200 would-be pilots in some flight schools in the country to meet demand during bridging period until the end of 2011.
"We are optimistic the number of cadets could finish their training by the end of this year to reduce the number of foreign pilots in the company in line with his commitment to using local pilots to fly all the company`s planes," he said.
Emirsyah said the 23 new pilots have been ready to join Garuda. "They will follow advanced training for six months in type rating to adapt themselves to the types of aircraft they would fly," he said.
Emirsyah said Garuda has been cooperating with BIFA and STPI Curug in procuring pilots.
BIFA has so far produced around 100 pilots with the Class One received by Garuda in March 2010.
"The pilots of BIFA Class One and Two have already flown Garuda planes as first officers. The Class Three pilots meanwhile are still following a type rating training at Garuda Training Center," he said.
He said 75 people grouped in Class Five, Six and Seven are still following training at BIFA.
"In 2011 we are expecting the delivery of 11 aircraft consisting of nine B-737-800NGs and two Airbus 330-200s. We have also even opened Makassar as the hub for Indonesian eastern regions to strengthen the company`s network to 15 cities around it," he said.
BIFA chief Robby Djohan said the cooperation with Garuda has gone for more than two years and has produced around 100 pilots.
"We are proud to be part of the national flag carrier`s transformation program especially in supporting Garuda Indonesia realize its vision of becoming an increasingly competitive airlines," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
