Tat Thang Huynh (left) is the first Vietnamese on the Qatar course; Robert Kane is from Dublin; Sam Malur is the New Zealander; Laurence Murton is the first from Maidstone in Kent; Yee Min Lim is the first Singaporean on the Qatar course; and Krzysztof Rzepczynski is from Poland.
Aspiring airline pilot, 21-year-old Sam Malur, has become the first New Zealander to be accepted into Qatar Wings, CTC Aviation’s new airline pilot training programme which, upon successful completion, offers him a career with one of the Middle East’s largest airlines.
Developed jointly by CTC Aviation, Qatar Airways and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, the Qatar Wings Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL) — a new licence specifically designed for airlines — programme offers airline training and employment opportunities.
Successful candidates train for about 18 months at CTC Aviation’s training facilities in New Zealand and the UK, completing their advanced training with Qatar Airways in Doha. Prior to the commencement of training, all successful applicants are made a conditional offer of employment with Qatar Airways as an A320 first officer based in Doha.
Sam Malur has been joined by five others from around the world as the first Qatar Wings intake to start their training in New Zealand, at CTC Aviation’s Crew Training Centre in Hamilton.
“My granddad was an account manager for Air India, so I grew up around the aviation industry,” says Sam. “I have always been fascinated by aircraft, in particular their shape, the sound of the engine, how they move through the air.
“Basically, I have aspired to be a pilot ever since I was young. Being accepted into Qatar Wings really is a dream come true.”
Born in Mumbai, Sam moved with his family to Auckland when he was seven years old after his father accepted a job at Auckland DHB. For the last two years he has studied towards a Bachelor of Science at Auckland University, but career plans changed when he saw CTC Aviation was recruiting for Qatar Airways.
“The Qatar Wings opportunity couldn’t be more perfect. Despite having had no flying experience, I knew I had to apply.”
Applicants to the programme need no previous flying experience but are required to demonstrate motivation, aptitude and interpersonal skills to a high standard.
Following ground school and the initial flight training at CTC Aviation’s New Zealand training facility, Sam and his fellow Qatar Wings cadet pilots will go on to complete their basic and intermediate training on CTC Aviation’s Airbus flight simulators in Southhampton, UK. The final stages of training and line operating experience (LOE) will take place at Qatar Airways’ home base in Doha.
CTC Aviation’s acting managing director, Julian So, describes Qatar Wings as a unique opportunity for Sam Malur and other New Zealanders looking to apply. “The opportunity for New Zealanders to join a Gulf airline as a new entrant pilot is virtually unheard of. Qatar Wings offers the chance for new pilots to establish a long career within one of the world’s most exciting airlines.”
During his training in Hamilton, Sam will live at CTC Aviation’s accommodation centre, Clearways, which houses CTC Aviation cadets from all over the world. Six new Qatar Wings trainees will begin their initial flight training with CTC Aviation every two months for the foreseeable future. CTC Aviation receives applications to the programme continually throughout the year.
- Report by John King, photographs by Stephen Barker/CTC Aviation