The Dubai Air Show will be the occasion for the first Gulf Aviation Training Event being held tomorrow and on Tuesday. The theme, “Averting the crisis: selection and training of Middle East-based flight crew for the next generation,” has attracted a number of prominent speakers, with the keynote address on the first day by FAA Administrator Randolph Babbitt and that on the second day by William Voss, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation.

The event reflects the almost desperate need for training in the Middle East, where airlines will increase their fleets by an estimated 2,340 aircraft by 2029. How to fill the requirement for up to 32,700 trained pilots and 44,500 technicians will be one of the main topics for discussion, along with the associated need for oversight and ensuring that the resulting flight crews are of the highest quality.

More information about the event can be found at www.gates.aero/conference.