Saudi Arabia to build own flight training centre

Reuters | 6/24/02

[kattracks]

MANAMA, June 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia launched on Monday a $20 million project to build its own flight training centre after Western countries tightened rules on training foreign pilots following the September 11 attack.

"It will be one of the most modern pilot training centres in the world," said Mohammed Abdullah al-Angari, general manager of the Projects and Trading Company, a private firm contracted by Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) to build the centre.

Angari told Reuters by telephone from Jeddah the project was expected to be completed within 18 months.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who commandeered three aircraft into landmarks in Washington and New York were Saudis.

Saudia officials said the centre will consist of two sections; one for training pilots and the other for aviation safety specialists.

The loss-making Saudia, which flies to 80 destinations, has a fleet of 137 aircraft, including 61 new planes bought at a cost of around $7.5 billion.

Saudi Arabia plans to privatise Saudia as part of economic reforms, and to help reduce its mounting domestic debts, which currently stands at $170 billion.

© Reuters Limited

[general_re]

You're so negative about the whole thing. Give credit where it's due, now...

"Saudi Arabian Airlines Catering has gained a sterling reputation in the Aviation Catering Industry as a premier caterer renowned for high food quality and exacting standards in food hygiene. Catering staff are rigorously trained in all essential skills from hygiene to merchandising to good culinary practices.

"The remarkable track record in hygiene was accomplished through result-oriented food hygiene and safety programs that include: Raw Material Control, Personal Hygiene, Temperature Control, Cleaning and Disinfection Control, Bacteriological Control and HACCP Principle.

"Saudi Arabian Airlines Catering Hygiene and Food Safety Departments consider it vital to not only offer the right hygiene training but also the expert help and objective advice that is needed to ensure maximum food safety and health of the passengers."

[Orual]

"By the way he's a jackass, in the abnormal, it is in the checklist."

Chilling transcript. I assume the jackass was the dyslexic second officer.

[dighton]

EgyptAir 990 stunk from Day One. I've read scores of CVR transcripts, and in no other case did a pilot "rely on God" to tidy things up.

[Hank Rearden]

Looks yummy all right.

[snippy_about_it]

Good,now they can stay home and out of the U.S. schools. No excuses.

[dighton]

"Our acclaimed chefs wash their hands and everything! Honest!"

[July 4th]

I think this training center becomes a legitimate military target, don't you think?

[aculeus]

They did better with flying carpets?

[Jim Noble]

Are they planning to teach takeoff and landing, or just turns?

[Jim Noble]

>>Best to ban any Middle Eastern airliners from overflying or landing near urban centers in the USA.<<

I too think the Debt of Honor scenario is the most likely way for Al Qaeda to procure a transport category aircraft in the near future.

[Bill Davis FR]

ban air saudi now

[general_re]

The only thing in that picture that I can clearly identify are the utensils. I'm afraid. I have some speculations about the one on the bottom, but none of them involve edible foodstuffs.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to offer a bounty. I am prepared to make a small ($50) donation to FR during the next fundraiser in the name of the first freeper who can clearly and convincingly identify at least three of the four "dishes" pictured in post #21.

If anyone can identify all four, that's great, but please be prepared to provide supporting documentation for your entry. The best supporting evidence I can think of would include pictures of the dish in an alternate context, such that the dish is clearly identified. Recipes that include pictures are even better, but failing that, a recipe or a description of the dish that leaves as little doubt as possible that the item described is actually the item pictured will have to do, I suppose.

Please note, however, that any such supporting evidence must be from an independent third party, and not some recipe for fried camel that you just made up. In the interests of fairness, should no freeper be able to successfully identify three of the dishes, I will commit to donating the bounty to FR in the name of whichever freeper comes closest to identifying as many as possible, in my sole and final judgement.

[sheik yerbouty]

Make them pay! Kick their ass and take their gas. The Saudis are the source of jihadism.

[pttttt]

See http://www.e-telescope.gr/English/World/world_en_130901.htm for the role simulators played in the 9-11 WTC attacks.

Shouldn't these things need an export license to go to Saudi Arabia? Right now, according to http://www.bis.doc.gov, THEY DON'T!!

What homeland security, when we're helping them build a school for terrorists?

[rageaholic]

To me it makes the entire gun-in-cockpit debate moot. There won't be any more 11 Sept style hijackings because for one thing, all passengers are aware of their do or die responsibility.

Best way out of this mess is find an alternative source for oil or energy, and cut off all contact with the Arabs. That means no immigration, no tourism, no visas, no commerical airliners. They'll just rot on the vine.

[EggsAckley]

here's one

[Toidylop]

Good!!! It's all in ONE place. We won't have to chase them around...

[Hank Rearden]

My cat whorfed up a little pile of that lower-right stuff just the other day.

Since you're so into this, I'll see if I can get you an analysis. Failing that, want me to just mail it to you?

[general_re]

Ummm, hairball, eh? Remind me not to fly Saudi Arabian Airlines any time soon... ;)

[Alouette]

From the top down:

A breadstick.
A hunk of goat meat.
Curried rice.
The thing on the bottom looks like bacon which is a no-no in Islam, unless it's goat bacon?