23 Mar 2011 , Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS), the training arm of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), was certified today from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as an advanced ‘TRAINAIR PLUS’ training centre, effectively becoming the world’s first certified aviation training centre.

The certificate was delivered in a ceremony held at Al Bateen Executive Airport attended by H.E. Raymond Benjamin, ICAO Secretary General, H.E. Omar bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director General, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and H.E. Khalifa Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company.

The certification followed an extensive audit upon which GCAS has successfully met the membership requirements to become a TRAINAIR PLUS training centre. The audit was conducted by ICAO at the centre’s facilities late last year covering the facilities’ quality, instructors’ qualifications, training materials, teaching methods and the centre’s reputation within the international aviation training community. TRAINAIR PLUS is an evolution of the TRAINAIR programme launched in 1992 featuring a modern, effective course development methodology and certification framework that revolves around a decentralised approval process for courses and education materials.  The new upgrade in the program adopts the ICAO Training Policy and the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals initiatives.

Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Khalifa Mohamed Al Mazrouei, ADAC Chairman, said: “GCAS continues to excel in its field and is quickly getting noticed in the international arena as a leading training centre based in the UAE. The advanced TRAINAIR PLUS programme will allow GCAS to share its educational resources with other members, promoting the country’s knowledge sharing and exporting capabilities.”
From his side, H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General, GCAA, said: “This is an achievement that the UAE aviation industry should be proud of. We have today demonstrated that aviation training capabilities here in the UAE are on par, and in this case, exceeded that of other countries with leading aviation industries.

Commenting on the certification, H.E. Raymond Benjamin ICAO Secretary General said: “By certifying Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies as the first associate member in the TRAINAIR PLUS programme, we have today marked the final milestone in the process of enhancing the current TRAINAIR programme. The overhauled programme ensures that it is capable of continuing to play an instrumental role in aiding aviation training centres to develop and share valuable knowledge to meet future challenges within the aviation community.”

Over the past months, GCAS has quickly risen in the ranks of aviation training centres globally, becoming one of the leading facilities of world-class calibre. Last year the centre became the exclusive JAATO aviation training centre in the region and the first certified centre to deliver courses by Airport Council International and has also won the accolade of “Training and Education Provider of the year 2010 in the Middle East Region” during the Aviation Business Awards 2010 ceremony held at the Emirates Palace.