Inaugural Mid-Year Heads of Training Meeting in Dubai Unites Aviation Leaders

Halldale Group, in partnership with Emirates, successfully hosted the first-ever Mid-Year Heads of Training Meeting in Dubai on June 4th and 5th. This groundbreaking event brought together aviation industry leaders from 20 countries, including Heads of Training, Training Managers, Regulators, and Trainers, to discuss critical issues facing pilot training in an era of rapid technological advancement and industry growth.

The event, attended by representatives from airlines, ATOs (Approved Training Organisations), regulators, and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), focused on innovative training methodologies and technologies.

Key topics included the global expansion of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), instructor concordance, and the integration of cutting-edge training technologies.

Senior Vice President of Flight Training at Emirates, Captain Bader Al Mazooqi joined Andy Smith, CEO and founder of Halldale Group, at the meetings.

Smith, (pictured right with Al Mazooqi), emphasised the event's core focus: "Captain Al Marzooqi's comment that safety is a mindset, not a checklist, is exactly on point.

"Safety is at the core of all that the airline training community does. We must continue that focus while seeking to continually improve training at a time of considerable airline growth, workforce change, and accelerating tech change.

"A conservative approach combined with an open-mind on the use of technology will be needed to accelerate much-needed training improvement."

Bringing the Heads of Training meeting to the UAE made perfect sense with the Middle East home to five of the world’s largest aviation hubs, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which each serve over 10,000 long-haul passengers daily.

Capt Christopher Gauci Deputy Training Manager Airbus, Emirates (below)

According to

Airbus' latest Global Services Forecast (GSF), the value of the Middle East’s commercial aircraft services market is projected to more than double by 2042, increasing from $12 billion today to $28 billion.

Its average annual growth rate of 4.4% is outpacing the global average growth rate of 3.6%. That means a lot of recruiting and training is required to meet demand.

The meeting's mission was to gather these industry experts in a collaborative space to facilitate insightful discussions, share best practices, and inspire innovation in aviation training.

The diversity of the attendees, representing countries from Brazil to Singapore, underscores the global nature of aviation and the shared commitment to elevating training standards. By fostering international collaboration, this event marks a significant step towards ensuring the safety, efficiency, and continual advancement of pilot training worldwide.

Halldale Group and Emirates are proud to have facilitated this crucial dialogue and look forward to the positive impact it will have on the future of aviation education.

Halldale's next Heads of Training Meeting will take place in Singapore at the  Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium (APATS) from Sept. 9-11th.

In the meantime, make sure you join our Aviation Training Leaders Forum, home to an extensive global group of Heads of Training, to continue the discussion and be part of the conversation about the future of safety and training.