Doha, QATAR – Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker participated in the opening ceremony for a new state-of-the-art global training facility for GE engines used in the aviation, oil and gas industries.
Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) and international engine manufacturer GE collaborated to build the world-class facility to train technicians on a range of GE engines. QSTP is located in Qatar Foundation's Education City and is an incubator, bringing research and business together to spur the development of Qatar’s knowledge economy.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar and the Chief of the Emiri Diwan was guest of honour at the event.
Being the first facility of its kind outside North America, it is the hub for training of GE aviation and energy corporate customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. The facility provides training on a range of jet engines, including the GE90, CF6, CF34 and GEnx models.
The new 13,400-square metre Centre includes five digital classrooms equipped with 3D graphical models and online teaching capabilities. A hands-on component also forms a core part of the facility, with 14 engine bays for practical aircraft engine training.
Programmes focus on training for line maintenance, boroscope inspection and boro-blend repairs. Enrolment has already begun, and the Centre expects to provide between 400 and 500 students with certificates from the Doha-based training centre each year.
Speaking at the official opening, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is one of the primary beneficiaries of this training facility, and our staff are among the first to undergo training here.
“The Centre’s presence in Doha ensures Qatar Airways’ employees are at the forefront of the latest training methods available, receiving instructions right here at the airline’s hub, further cementing the airline’s relationship with General Electric.”
“The GE 90 engine, the largest in the world, powers all of our Boeing 777 fleet of aircraft. The next-generation GEnx engines will power our Boeing 787 aircraft – of which we are proud to be the Middle East’s launch customer when we take delivery of them next year.”
Qatar Airways’ first Boeing 787 is scheduled to enter service early next year. The 787s will feature new cabin product enhancements and will form the core of Qatar Airways’ regional- and medium-haul fleet. The airline currently operates 25 Boeing 777 passenger and cargo aircraft with a further 12 on order.
By 2013, Qatar Airways plans to serve more than 120 key business and leisure destinations worldwide with a modern fleet of over 120 aircraft.
Today, the airline’s fleet stands at 97 aircraft, flying to 100 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and South America.
The northern Syrian city of Aleppo became Qatar Airways’ historic 100th destination when flights were launched from Doha on April 6. In June, flights are due to begin to the Iranian city of Shiraz (June 5), Italian city of Venice (June 15) and the airline’s first entry into Canada with non-stop flights to Montreal (June 29).
On July 27, Qatar Airways begins flights to Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), followed by the Bulgarian capital, Sofia (September 14) and Norway’s capital city of Oslo (October 5).
Qatar Airways has been voted third best airline in the world following the annual Skytrax survey of 18 million international passengers. In the poll, the airline was also voted as having the best Business Class service and catering in the world, as well as being honoured as the Best Airline in The Middle East for the fifth consecutive year.
Qatar Airways also became the first airline to receive the Staff Service Excellence Award for the Middle East. The new award replaces the Best Cabin Staff in the Middle East category, which Qatar Airways has won for the past seven years. The expanded category now includes airline staff at all passenger touch points, including onboard, reservations, check-in and airport personnel.
Qatar Airways has orders for 80 Airbus A350s, 60 Boeing 787s and 37 Boeing 777s, with deliveries of the latter having started in November 2007. The airline is one of the customers of the twin-deck Airbus A380 ‘super jumbos’ with five on order and scheduled for delivery from 2012, by which time the New Doha International Airport would have opened. For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com
Qatar Airways Corporate Communications
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E-mail: qrmedia@qatarairways.com.qa