Year of Zayed gives flight to Etihad legacy and inspiration
Children will be encouraged to become pilots as part of an Etihad Aviation Group vision to celebrate the Year of Zayed.
The Young Aviators programme will give them the chance to tour the Etihad headquarters and training academy in Abu Dhabi, take sessions in full flight simulators and become inspired to choose a career at the controls.
The programme is one of four initiatives to commemorate the Year of Zayed, marking what would have been Founding Father Sheikh Zayed’s centenary year.
Other commemorations include a branded freighter aircraft to carry out humanitarian missions, a Zayed-themed A380 Etihad Airways aircraft, and a “birdathon” to promote flamingo conservation.
The initiatives are based on the four Year of Zayed themes of wisdom, respect, sustainability and human development.
Tony Douglas, chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group, said Sheikh Zayed was a visionary leader whose determination, wisdom and guidance enabled the UAE to become the prosperous, modern and harmonious nation it is today.
“His vision and legacy have directly impacted the lives of millions of people in the UAE and around the world, many of whom have been beneficiaries of his philanthropic activities,” Mr Douglas said.
“Etihad Aviation Group is especially honoured, on the occasion of the 100 years since the birth of Sheikh Zayed, to pay a tribute to his vision by promoting the values he embodied, and showcasing the impact he has had on the UAE as a whole, and on the aviation industry in particular.”
Etihad Airways will launch a branded freighter aircraft, under the theme of respect, which will conduct humanitarian flights for charitable organisations across the globe throughout 2018. The first mission will be launched next month.
Guests travelling on a Zayedthemed A380 Etihad Airways aircraft will enjoy a host of content and services inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed, including themed in-flight entertainment and a photo gallery of his life.
Up to 1,000 guests from around the world will have the chance to experience the capital’s vibrant culture scene during the course of 2018, through another initiative – the Abu Dhabi Cultural Experience. Guests can visit the Founder’s Memorial, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Wahat al Karama, and Louvre Abu Dhabi on the tour.
The Abu Dhabi Birdathon will be a community event featuring greater flamingos and hosted jointly by Etihad Airways and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
The mini-festival will combine themes of flying and sustainability, in which several tagged flamingos will be tracked online as they fly off during the breeding season at the end of the year.
This initiative aims to drive awareness of environmental conservation, which the late Sheikh Zayed was passionate about.
The final component of Etihad’s Year of Zayed campaign focuses on human development, with two dedicated training facility buildings in the name of Sheikh Zayed.
The Etihad Training Academy building adjacent to the corporate headquarters will be renamed Zayed Campus Abu Dhabi, and the Etihad Aviation Training facility in Al Ain will become Zayed Campus Al Ain.