ESMA Airways Aviation has launched its Pilot Foundation Program in Casablanca. This initiative, the first of its kind in North Africa, according to the company, marks a significant milestone in global aviation education and is projected to start on 10 June 2024, at La Capital Centre on Boulevard Abdelmoumen, one of the main arteries of the city.

The Foundation Program is designed to assess, select, and equip aspiring aviation students at the early stages of earning their EASA Air Transport Pilot License. It addresses the critical need for well-trained pilots, anticipated due to independent forecasts of a severe pilot shortage and the growing accessibility of air travel including Morocco’s middle class expanding globally and air travel becoming more accessible to the masses.

Students will benefit from a curriculum developed and delivered by industry professionals that provides a comprehensive introduction to both the theoretical and practical aspects of aviation. The program aims to prepare students thoroughly before they advance to commercial theory and full flight training phases at the ESMA Airways Aviation Academy in Montpellier, France.

In addition to pilot training, ESMA Airways Aviation also offers a path to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business in collaboration with Montpellier Business School, providing dual qualifications—an EASA fATPL and a Bachelor's Degree in Business — upon completion of studies in France. 

“Morocco is a strategic location that bridges Africa and Europe and plays a pivotal role in socio-economic development of the country,” said Romy Hawatt, Founder & Chairman of the ESMA Airways Aviation Group.