Flydubai Picks Egnatia and Skyborne to Train First Ab Initio Cadets

flydubai has chosen two outside flight schools, Egnatia Aviation and Skyborne Airline Academy, to deliver flight instruction for the first intakes of its Ab Initio Pilot Training Programme. The airline announced the partnership on 18 September 2026.

Cadets on the scheme work towards a Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL), a licence built around airline crew operations from the start rather than single-pilot hours. Graduates are meant to move straight into line training and join flydubai as first officers.

Who is in the first intake

flydubai launched the programme in May 2025. According to the airline, the candidates shortlisted for the inaugural intake are aged 17 to 28 and come from a mix of countries, including the UAE, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Kenya and the UK.

The two schools split the work. Egnatia’s courses are approved by both the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Skyborne, which is also GCAA-certified, said it would draw cadets from Australia, North America, New Zealand and South Africa. flydubai said the arrangement gives trainees access to instructors and facilities in Europe and the US.

The airline’s own 38,000 sq ft flight training centre in Dubai remains the base of the programme. It houses four Boeing 737 full-flight simulators, so cadets can use the same type of device they will later train on for line flying.

Why flydubai is building its own pipeline

The move follows the fleet plan. flydubai flies a single-type fleet of 98 Boeing 737s. Its newsroom lists 25 737-800s, 69 737 MAX 8s and four MAX 9s, serving more than 125 destinations. The carrier has more than 300 aircraft on order, including 30 Boeing 787s due from early 2028. It expects 11 more 737s before the end of 2026.

Its workforce stands at about 7,000 people from 144 nationalities, including more than 1,520 qualified pilots. flydubai says it is still recruiting at pace. An airline growing this quickly cannot rely on hiring experienced pilots from other carriers alone. An ab initio scheme lets it train pilots to its own standard from day one.

Chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith described the deal as part of building capability for the airline’s long-term expansion. Captain Ahmad Bin Huzaim, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations & Crew Training, pointed to strong global interest in the programme.

How it compares in Dubai

Egnatia already has a link with the Emirates Group. In November 2024, Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) signed a partnership with the Greek school to support its push for EASA accreditation. EFTA held its sixth graduation in December 2025, with 77 cadets, and says it has produced more than 300 graduates in five years, most of them now flying or training on Emirates’ widebody fleet.

The two Dubai carriers take different routes. EFTA trains cadets on its own campus with its own fleet. flydubai pairs its own simulator centre with partner schools for the early flying phase. For applicants, that means two different entry points into airline flying from the same city.

flydubai expects the partnership to take a bigger share of its pilot needs as later intakes move through the programme.