The Emirates Flight Training Academy (FTA), a launch customer for the new Phenom aircraft, has taken delivery of its first Embraer Phenom 100EV entry-level jet in Dubai. The aircraft, A6-DWC, is the first of the five Phenom 100EVs that will make up the training fleet of the Academy.

The aircraft was assembled at Embraer’s production facility in Melbourne, Florida, USA. Over the last few months, several teams from Embraer worked on the final stages of aircraft production including assembly, testing and painting. A6-DWC is the eighth Phenom 100EV aircraft manufactured by Embraer.

The Academy’s first Embraer Phenom 100EV landed in Dubai following an eight-day journey across more than 16,000 kilometers and 11 countries. The aircraft was ferried by two Embraer pilots to Dubai in a 16-sector route via airports in the United States, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

The Emirates Flight Training Academy placed an order for five Phenom 100E business jets at the 2015 Dubai Air Show as it was considered to be the ideal entry-level jet for jet pilot training. However, in July 2016, the Academy upgraded its order to the new Phenom 100EV aircraft, becoming one of its launch customers and the first in the world to use the Phenom 100EV as a training platform for cadets.

Located near Dubai World Central airport in Dubai South, the Emirates Flight Training Academy, located near Dubai World Central airport in Dubai South, is scheduled to be officially inaugurated at the ongoing 2017 Dubai Airshow.

The facility will be spread over an area the size of 200 football fields and will include ground school classrooms, ground based simulators, a fleet of training aircraft, a 1,800 square meter dedicated runway, an independent air traffic control tower and a maintenance centre.

It will also feature accommodation and recreational facilities for cadets.