Bandar Seri Begawan - Four out of 161 applicants have been selected by the Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) to undergo a 14-month piloting course in the UK and Spain, and serve as ambassadors of the Sultanate upon their return.

RBA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Yang in an interview with The Brunei Times during a signing ceremony for RBA's 'Cadet Pilot Intake 39' yesterday said: "This is our 39th intake and we need pilots who are Bruneians because RBA is expanding. We need to make sure that the younger generation will be able to bring Brunei to the world, and the world to Brunei. There is a decrease in the number of applicants selected this year compared with last year, where 10 had been selected. To this, Yang explained that it was because this time the selection process was "very strict".

"We (assess) everything in terms of their qualifications and the way they think, among others. We do not want to take short cuts and (recruit) applicants just to fill the numbers," he asserted, adding that RBA only selected the best for their training programme.

RBA is the facilitating entity for the programme, but the Ministry of Education (MoE) is sponsoring the four applicants to undergo the training programme.

MoE's Assistant Director of Scholarships, Hj Azis Hj Nayan who was present during the signing ceremony between RBA, MoE, the selected applicants and their guardians. Expressed hope that the chosen applicants would return home to fulfil their duties and fly the national carrier.

"We are trying to localise RBA, and I hope these boys will come back and serve the country to the fullest," he said, adding that the ministry awarded scholarships for the programme annually.

One of the selected applicants, Zulkhair Abdullah, 24, said that although he is a Science Education graduate, he thought of the piloting programme as an "opportunity not to be missed".

"When I started my degree, it had opened my mind to take up a course like piloting. It is really like a dream to be able to do it now," he exclaimed.

Zulkhair added that he intended to come back and contribute positively.
Julian Hassan Kamaluddin also had an interesting story to tell regarding his application to the programme.

"I studied law in Australia and was about to graduate. When I heard of the opening for the training programme in February this year, I immediately flew back to Brunei to apply," he said, adding that just because he did law did not mean he could not become a pilot.

Julian sees the opportunity as a "stepping stone" for his career path. "Having my law degree, will give RBA an extra skill. It is like a dual purpose," he said.

Another candidate, Mohd Hanif Hj Mohd Rosli, actually quit his computing course at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam halfway through, upon hearing about the piloting opportunity from a friend.

"I left the course half completed as I felt that computing was not my calling. I travelled a lot when I was younger and have always been keen in becoming a pilot, so I jumped at this chance when I found out about it," he related.

He added that upon completing the course in the future, he hoped to show Bruneians that RBA is eyeing on hiring local pilots.

Also present to sign the agreements were RBA's Senior Vice President Corporate Services Hjh Ruzita Hj Misbak and Senior Vice President of Airline Operations (Flight Operation) Copt Khalidkhan Asmakhan. The ceremony was held at the Muhibah Room of the Royal Brunei Recreation Club.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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