Ethiopian Receives Four New Pilot Training Aircrafts - 01 December, 2010

Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to announce that it has received four DA40NG pilot training aircraft on November 30, 2010. The aircrafts are part of the ten DA40NG training aircrafts Ethiopian purchased at a total cost of EUR3.7 million in July 2010 from Diamond Aircraft Industries, Austrian Aircraft manufacturer. The rest of aircraft will be delivered successively in the coming months until March 2011.

DA40NG, glass cockpit and a single engine training aircraft, is powered by AE300 engine which is designed to perform well in high altitude. It also uses Jet A1 fuel instead of Avgas that has a better economic advantage.

These brand new aircraft will enhance the on-going pilot training at Ethiopian Aviation Academy to the highest international level for Ethiopian and other African Airlines cadet flight crews.

Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy has become a powerful source of the African aviation training. The Academy is committed to developing and providing a competent workforce for Ethiopian Airlines in particular and the aviation industry for the region in general.

The academy runs concurrent training and development programs covering pilots, cabin crew, technicians and conducts comprehensive courses in marketing and leadership management. The academy provides synchronized training programs for Pilots, Cabin Crew, Technicians and comprehensive courses in marketing and leadership management. Since its establishment in 1964, the Pilot Training School has graduated over 822 pilots about a third of which are trainees from 43 countries in Africa and Middle East.

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa, made its maiden flight to Cairo in 1946. With the addition of flight services to Maputo and Bangui, Ethiopian will provide dependable services to 39 cities in Africa and a total of 60 international destinations spanning four continents.

Ethiopian won the NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2009 and the 2009 "Airline of the Year" award from the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). In August, 2008, Ethiopian won "the 2008 Corporate Achievement Award" of Aviation & Allied Business for setting the pace towards the development and growth of the African aviation industry. Ethiopian is also the first African carrier to win the 2008 Brussels Airport Company Award in recognition of its distinguished long haul operations witnessed through the introduction of new routes, new products, and close cooperation with Brussels Airport in marketing activities.