The first aviation youth summer camp in the Middle East is to be launched by Ayla Aviation Academy (stand E230c) in 2010.
The Jordanian flight training academy, located in Aqaba, has worked out a two-week programme.
"The programme is aimed at 25 students between the ages of 14 and 18 over the Middle East region," says Kinda Sarrage, business development manager.
"The first week will entail theoretical knowledge in ground school which covers 15 subjects. The second week will be simulated flight training and the full flight school experience, which will include a flight on board either a Cessna 172 or Diamond DA42.
"The students also have the option of staying for an additional two weeks to undergo on the job training in the academy's various departments. This will include working in dispatch, maintenance, flight planning, or in the administration department."
Students will be given a fully furnished unit in Ayla's student accommodation, complete with a resident adviser.
Sarrage says: "The programme is meant to act as an introduction into the world of flight training and aviation in general. This will broaden student's outlook on the functionality of various jobs prior to choosing a particular career path.
"As a company we are delighted to be able to plant a seed in students' minds about the world of aviation and get them interested in it. There is a demand for it and it is wonderful for Ayla to be the first in the region to offer this opportunity. We already visit schools to educate them in this field and the summer camp is the next step."
Students will also get to see the sights of Jordan over the weekend they have free.
"We have wonderful trips planned that include a journey to historical Petra and a visit to the Dead Sea. We might even arrange scuba diving in the Red Sea, where Aqaba sits."
With a view to promoting aviation in the Middle East as much as possible, Ayla has also started planning a conference aimed at women only.
"We will be holding the Women in Aviation Conference in the autumn of 2010," says Sarrage. "It will be held for the first time ever in the Middle East at our academy in Aqaba. The conference will highlight the progression and contribution of women in the various fields of aviation, the dynamics of the corporate culture and the effect of gender on corporate culture."
The conference will also focus on the advantages and benefits of employing and investing in women, future challenges for the industry and how to overcome them.
"We want women in the region to realise that the aviation industry is not just a man's world, but one in which women can also thrive. This conference will be used to attract companies and individuals from the aviation industry, including women, top management of airlines, civil aviation authorities, military representatives, engineers, non-government organisations and educational institutions that promote the advancement of women," says Sarrage.
Source: Flight Daily News
