Eleven new flyers for SriLankan

The young flyers with SriLankan Airlines management team. From left: Flight Operations Head Capt. Navin de Silva, Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe and Chief Executive Officer Manoj Gunawardena.

Eleven young Sri Lankans have qualified to join the ranks of SriLankan Airlines' pilots, upon completion of a rigorous training programme by the national carrier. SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said, "These young pilots are joining at a time when our national carrier is transforming itself to meet the expectations of our country and serve as a catalyst for our nation's economic growth now that we have permanent peace."

The 11 young pilots, who include four former flyers of the Sri Lanka Air Force, received their wings and epaulettes in a ceremony recently in Katunayake which was attended by Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrema, the Civil Aviation Director General Nimalsiri, SriLankan Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe and CEO Manoj Gunawardena.

Civil Aviation Director General Nimalsiri said, "SriLankan Airlines is the finest aviation training organization in Sri Lanka, which grooms these youngsters to understand the responsibility that they must bear. SriLankan is also the largest contributor by far to aviation in Sri Lanka and carries over 50 percent of travellers in to and out of the country, with an excellent safety record over the years."

The airline's Cadet Pilot Training Programme has a strong reputation internationally for its high standard. Selection for the programme is extremely competitive, and every Cadet Pilot is regularly tested during the year and a half of training. Cadet Pilots undergo a programme which includes flying training, simulator training overseas, hands-on aircraft engineering work at the airline's base in Katunayake, and classroom instruction.

The airline now has a global route network of 51 destinations in 32 countries, with the recent addition of Kochi in India and Guangzhou in China. It is planning to launch services to Moscow later this year.