International Flight Training School reaches new milestone
Qatari pilots were brought up to speed with the requirements of the phase four programme and covered the standard fighter pilot syllabus. (Photo: Leonardo)
The first six students from the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) have concluded phase four of the Advanced/Lead-In to Fighter Training programme at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Lecce-Galatina, Italy.
The training course launched a year ago at the 61st Wing of the Italian Armed Forces base.
Qatari pilots were brought up to speed with the requirements of the phase four programme and covered the standard fighter pilot syllabus.
Students have completed a total of approximately 150 simulator and real flight training sessions. This included flying in modern operating scenarios and handling the most modern sensor and mission system equipment.
The news comes a couple of months after two Luftwaffe pilots earned phase four certification on the M-346 advanced integrated training system.
The IFTS is a strategic partnership between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo in collaboration with CAE, founded in 2017.
The Galatina air base is currently training two additional cohorts of Qatari pilots, while the technical collaboration agreement expects the delivery of further QEAF courses at the new Ground-Based Training System (GBTS) campus in Decimomannu, Sardinia.
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