Kigali, 21 December 2017- Minister of State in charge of Transport Hon. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye officiated Akagera Aviation Academy's Third Graduation, class of 2017 during a ceremony that took place at Kigali Convention Centre.

A total of eleven (11) Rwanda Air Force student pilots have successfully completed the Helicopter Pilot Training and awarded with certificates of completion whereas the top three students were awarded in recognition of the outstanding performance in air force industry.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye emphasized that RwandAir has 150 pilots and only 25 are Rwandans, including two captains.

To bridge this existing gap, Minister of State noted that earlier in February 2018, Rwanda is ready to start an aviation school where not only military officers but also civilians could be enrolled.  The school will offer professional trainings to pilots and later on, it shall open aircraft mechanical department and then aircraft service crew.

He said “We have a target of training at least 200 pilots in the next five years,” adding that the availability of more pilots will allow RwandAir to increase the number of destinations to 40 from the current 25. Minister Uwihanganye urged newly graduated pilots to demonstrate acquired competence and skills towards giving the best of what they have acquired at Akagera Aviation Training.

Akagera aviation has been offering training for rotary-wing planes- helicopters, but this time it will open a section of the fixed-wing airplane.

Patrick Nkulikiyimpfura, the Managing Director of Akagera Aviation Limited said that registration for February intake has already been closed to 20 students for the inaugural class.

One intake will take one and a half years, but the school will register new students every year.

Patrick Nkulikiyimpfura highlighted that since its creation in 2004, Akagera aviation has trained 50 pilots, some of them serving in the United Nations peacekeeping missions adding that graduates have successfully completed their theory and practical tests in aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, flight planning performance, and radio communication.