Two Seychellois promoted as captains on Air Seychelles |21 April 2014

Two Seychellois pilots on Air Seychelles’ domestic operations have been promoted to the rank of captain.

Air Seychelles’ chief executive Manoj Papa presented the commander’s bars to captain Julius Gabriel and captain Ashley Confait at the national airline’s head office, Seychelles International Airport, on Thursday April 17, 2014.

The new Twin Otter commanders have successfully completed the company’s rigorous Command Upgrade Programme which include training on aircraft technical elements, emergency procedures and Crew Resource Management (CRM), as well as leadership and decision-making.

Mr Papa said: “Attaining the rank of commander is a major achievement in a pilot’s career, particularly for pilots so young. The commander’s bars symbolise, for all eyes and for all time, that its wearers have attained the highest degree of airmanship, and we congratulate captain Gabriel and captain Confait on their accomplishment.”

Hailing from La Gogue, 26-year-old captain Gabriel, completed his A-Levels at the Seychelles Polytechnic at Anse Royale in 2007. He has also completed one year training as a commercial pilot at the 43rd Air School in South Africa under the auspices of a government of Seychelles scholarship.

Captain Confait, also 26, comes from Anse à la Mouche, and completed his A-Levels at the Seychelles Polytechnic in 2007 followed by a stint at the Ministry of Education for two years before enrolling for training with the Seychelles Defence Forces. He later enrolled for his commercial pilot license and worked for the Islands Development Company for two years as a senior first officer, before finally joining Air Seychelles in October 2012.

Captain Gabriel said: “This is a very important moment in my life. I feel very proud of my achievement and I would like to thank Air Seychelles for giving me the opportunity and appropriate training to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a captain for our national airline. Now I aspire to become a captain on the Airbus.”

As for captain Confait, he said: “This is likewise an exciting moment for me as well in my life and career. Being a pilot is any boy’s dream but to become a captain is something even more special and I would like to thank all who have made this happen for me. I will continue to aim higher until I one day become a captain on our airline’s fleet of Airbus aircraft.”

Last October, in response to booming demand on its inter-island services, Air Seychelles purchased three new Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft, in a multi-million dollar deal which saw the iconic island carrier renew its domestic fleet.  Earlier this month, the airline announced that two of the Twin Otters will arrive in mid-2014, a full year ahead of schedule.
 
In response to growing demand for cargo transhipments to Seychelles, the airline also launched its first all-cargo domestic service to Praslin, with the Shorts 360 aircraft, operating on Mondays.

Air Seychelles currently employs 54 Seychellois pilots: eight Airbus captains; 18 first officers; 16 Twin Otter captains, and 12 Twin Otter first officers.