Editorial | New pilots on right course to lift Hong Kong airport
- Airport Authority and Hong Kong Metropolitan University team up to tackle shortage of flight crews by offering flying licence as part of bachelor’s degree in aviation services management
Aviation talent is still in worryingly short supply worldwide, so it was good to see Hong Kong poised to take another important step towards speeding up local flight crew recruitment with a new degree programme for aspiring pilots, starting from September. Hong Kong Metropolitan University and the Airport Authority’s International Aviation Academy programme course will offer a flying licence as part of a business administration bachelor’s degree in aviation services management.
Students on the four-year programme may earn the two qualifications for HK$1 million (US$127,693) – a saving of HK$60,000 on tuition compared with pursuing pilot training separately. University president Paul Lam Kwan-sing said the goal was to provide “additional choice” for graduates.
Two banks and a finance firm will provide student loans with favourable interest rates. Academy president Simon Li Tin-chu said such support would open doors to more candidates from the city, mainland China and overseas.
Training takes 14 months, with half a year in the city followed by another eight months in the United States to rack up 142 hours of flight training. Students will also be offered preliminary job interviews with four aviation partners – Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines and Hong Kong Air Cargo.
Aspiring pilots should be encouraged by the news that cargo continues to be a bright spot for the city’s post-pandemic aviation recovery. Provisional figures released on Monday by Airports Council International ranked Hong Kong International Airport as the world’s busiest cargo airport.
