Aviation

A first flight view of Emirates in 1985.

Monday, October 26, 2015 — DUBAI, U.A.E.- 25 October 2015: Captain Fazle Ghani Mian, the pilot at the controls of flight EK600 on 25th October 1985 shares his memories of that historic inaugural Emirates service to Karachi, and the subsequent growth of the airline in a short video message here.

Emirates’ first aircraft – an Airbus A300 B4 and a Boeing 737 – arrived in Dubai on October 20th on wet lease from Pakistan International Airlines, and Captain Mian was amongst that pioneering team involved in the successful launch of Emirates’ inaugural services.

He said: “I came to Dubai on the 1st of October 1985 and met with HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and then Emirates Airline Managing Director Maurice Flanagan and their teams. We discussed the tasks ahead and how we wanted to proceed. On the 18th of October a group of 100 pilots, flight and aircraft engineers, maintenance staff, among others all came to Dubai to initiate the planning stages, and we began test flights from then on to ensure everything would operate to plan. I was also tasked to train UAE National pilots. They were trained in Dubai and got their commercial licenses from the Civil Aviation Authority in Pakistan.

We had some great memories from the first flight. Some of the flight caps were oversized for some of our pilots and they looked quite funny with them on their heads. However, that was a minor detail. We pushed back and took off on time, and this signaled a great achievement for the airline in such a short period of time.”

In the 30 year period since those early days recounted by Captain Mian, Emirates has grown to become the world’s largest international airline, with a reputation for innovation and service excellence. Emirates currently serves 147 cities on six continents. Its truly international workforce represents the diverse talents of passionate men and women from 160 countries, united in a common goal to deliver the best possible customer experience in every aspect of the business.

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Aviation

Boeing, Antonov to Collaborate on Defense Projects

– MOU represents Boeing’s commitment to work with Ukrainian industry

– Includes exploring opportunities for collaborating on in-country support of Unmanned Aerial Systems

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today by Boeing and Antonov Company to investigate potential collaboration on defense-related projects.

“We’re happy to keep collaborating with the Antonov Company to help Ukraine’s economic development and expansion,” stated Ted Colbert, CEO and president of Boeing Defence, Space, & Security.

Airbus and the Antonov An-225: The Best Partnership:Click here

“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defence Industry Compact earlier this year.”

The areas of potential collaboration identified in the agreement consist of training, logistical support and overhaul services for tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems utilized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which includes the ScanEagle. In addition, the companies will also explore opportunities for Antonov to provide engineering support to Boeing.

The six largest cargo aircraft ever built in the aviation industry:Click here

“A strong, innovative, and efficient defense industry is key to sustainable economic development and national security, and we are extremely excited to collaborate with Boeing,” said Ievhen Gavrylov, CEO of Antonov Company.

This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions – in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry.”