Air Macau’s 10 cadet pilots training
 in France

Ten candidates for Air Macau’s “Local Cadet Pilot Program” were picked and are currently training in France, the air carrier confirmed in a press release.
As the Times reported in April, the program was surrounded by criticism due to application criteria that requested candidates possess “Macau permanent ID” as well as “Macau SAR passports,” requirements that would effectively exclude all residents not of Chinese nationality.
After the incident, the company reviewed the criteria, which according to an Air Macau statement issued on November 2, led to the reception of “hundreds of submissions.”
From those, and after a series of screening procedures, physical fitness tests, written and computer-based tests and interviews, 10 suitably qualified candidates have been selected and commenced their training in France in September 2016.
The training program which is expected to last for a total of two and half years includes an internship within the Macau-flag air carrier of six months. The company is said to have invested over MOP20 million in the program.
All of the 10 selected cadets are of Chinese nationality, an Air Macau source told the Times. They are currently in training at the French Civil Aviation University (ENAC, École nationale de l’aviation civile), where they will spend the next two years before returning to the territory for the internship.
According to the same statement from Air Macau, a private ceremony was held before the departure of the cadets where the President of Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Air Macau Mr. Chen Hong, expressed his hope and wishes to the cadet pilots saying “these young people will write the history of Air Macau,” adding, “for the future, Air Macau will continue to recruit more local pilot training in Macau, the plan is expected to be held once a year. At the same time, Air Macau will also provide diversified development opportunities to the ambitious young men who want to join the aviation industry.”
Currently the airliner possesses 17 aircraft, but expects to expand to more than 25 after 2020 because of “the aviation industry[’s] fast development and the expected Macau’s economic diversification and the further development of tourism.” These predictions justify a significant expansion in the training of new pilots to take part in the company’s plans for growth.