The graduation ceremony of 34 trainee pilots of the Galaxy Flying Academy was held at Uttara Club in the capital Dhaka on Saturday. Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice-Marshal M. Mofidur Rahman attended the event as chief guest while Managing Director of the Galaxy Flying Academy Mohammad Younus presided over the ceremony.
Former CAAB chairman Group Captain (retired) Shawkat ul Islam and distinguished freedom fighter and an aviation expert captain Shahab Uddin Ahmed, Bir Uttam, were the special guests. Senior officials of the CAAB and the Managing Director of Novo Air, Mofizur Rahman, and city dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Chief Executive of the Academy Wing Commander ( retired) A.T.M. Nazrul Islam delivered the graduation speech. The chief and special guests handed over certificates and crests to the 34 young graduate pilots. In his speech as the chief guest, Air Vice-Marshal M. Mofidur Rahman greeted the new graduate pilots and urged them to lead Bangladesh aviation sector to a new era of growth and prestige.
He encouraged them to continue study on Flight Safety issues and Flying risk managements in an effort to ensure safe flight operations. Speakers at the ceremony highlighted growing pilot shortages across the globe, saying Bangladesh can help mitigate the crisis by building top quality pilot training schools such as Galaxy.
Galaxy Flying Academy has been the country’s largest pilot trainer since its inception in 2010. So far 324 student-pilots got enrolled in the Academy and about 110 pilots graduated after completing their pilot training. The Academy currently has 115 students.
Galaxy Flying Academy has five training aircraft of its own. Its Flying Training School is located at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi and has a ground school in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Anyone aged at least 16 years and has passed higher secondary School in science with Physics and Mathematics can qualify to train as a pilot at the Academy.
The speakers thanked Galaxy for playing a big role in training top quality pilots in the country. In his speech Managing Director of Galaxy Mohammad Yonus, who is also the chairman of the Younus Group of Companies, said the Academy would soon add simulator and multi-engines in its training operations. The event was concluded after a cultural programme by the Academy students.
