Aviation college trains pilots for new airport

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

A THK aircraft is seen from 2012-2013 academic year opening ceremony. THK University sets to train thousands of staff to work in aviation sector.

The Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) University will train thousands of pilots, cabin attendants and aviation technicians to work at Istanbul’s future third airport, THK rector Professor Ünsal Ban announced yesterday.

Ban stated that THK University educated its students in order to raise future employees in aeronautical fields, echoing Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım’s statement that a third airport in Istanbul would create employment for 120,000 people. Ban stressed that the third airport project will fulfill a gap in this field, as Turkish aviation grew by five times over the last 10 years. “While there were 30 or 35 aircrafts all around Turkey 15 years ago, today, Turkish Airlines has more than 200 aircrafts by itself,” he said, adding that airline companies’ employment gap is increasing more and more.

However, Ban said it was getting more difficult to find trained and qualified staff in the aviation sector, pointing out that THK University has an education in line with international standards. “Being Turkey’s aeronautical and space university, the employment that will be created by the new airport is the most important factor for us,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Ban said 400,000 pilots, 600,000 cabin attendants and 600,000 aircraft maintenance mechanics would be needed in the world by 2030, according to a survey. He claimed that this gap would be filled by the THK’s graduates.