Courtesy fastjet.

Fastjet selected CTC to provide an extensive range of support services in preparation for the airline’s launch.  The two companies have signed a full service agreement that will see CTC continuing to supply Training Captains and recruit direct entry pilots and cabin crew for the operation.  As the airline expands, CTC will also deliver operator conversion and type rating courses for new and existing pilots from fastjet subsidiary airlines.   Additionally, the agreement covers a broad range of ground school courses including command skills development and instructor/examiner programmes, as well as the supply of simulator time for recurrent training at CTC’s Southampton (UK) training facilities.

 
Rob Bishton, fastjet’s Operations Director said “CTC has a long established reputation for supporting start-up airlines.  Their expertise has enabled us to free up our management team to concentrate on the operational demands that come with such a venture.  CTC’s professional approach has helped us to achieve our deadlines and we have every confidence that their team is best placed to work alongside us as we expand.  CTC is a standard-setter in our industry and fastjet aims to do the same by bringing international standards of safety, quality, security and reliability to our passengers.”
 
Fastjet, which plans to be Africa’s first pan-African low cost carrier, operated its inaugural public flight from Dar es Salaam on Tuesday 27 November and the first passenger service took off on Thursday 29 November.  The airline has ambitious expansion plans and expects to carry around 750,000 passengers in its first year.  The initial route focus will be on East Africa, with hubs in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi serving Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda. The first fastjet branded Airbus A319 arrived in mid-November and the company intends to grow the fleet to 15 aircraft by the end of 2013.
 
“CTC is delighted to be working with fastjet.  We endeavour to act as an extension to our clients’ training and recruitment departments and our agreement with fastjet clearly demonstrates the extensive scope of our capabilities” commented Captain Mike Redrupp, Managing Director and Head of Training (TRTO) for CTC Aviation Services Limited.  “Our philosophy is to develop long term partnerships with our airlines.  Supporting the start-up of an operation as exciting as fastjet is just the sort of opportunity we relish.  We provided CTC pilots to support the inaugural flights and a team of CTC’s highly qualified training captains is currently in Africa line training fastjet’s new pilots.  With the launch programme having gone smoothly, we are looking forward to working together with fastjet’s team throughout their forthcoming expansion and beyond.”
 
CTC Aviation’s campaign to attract experienced pilots and cabin crew interested in joining fastjet continues and details can be found at fastjet.com. The successful pilot applicants will undergo training with CTC at their Southampton (UK) state-of-the-art simulator centre.