Ambrose Agbo Ojobo is a Nigerian trained pilot flying with Emirates Airlines based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and a subsidiary of The Emirates Group wholly owned by the government of Dubai’s Investment Corporation of Dubai.
As a pilot of many years’ experience; what factors determine the airline you choose to work in? What makes Emirates Airline the ideal place for you at this moment?
My considerations for joining an airline are its safety culture, job security and reliability, self-improvement opportunity, career progression, span of route network, quality of training, remuneration and benefits and more. All these qualities and more I find in Emirates making it my Ideal place of work. I have had multi-cultural exposure. It has been very rewarding and positively challenging.
What qualities should we look out for in a good pilot?
In one word- Discipline. Discipline is the bedrock of every successful pilot, which branches off to sound knowledge, good skills and resilient attitude.
Which aircraft types are you certified to fly and what factors do you take into consideration before taking the plane into the skies?
I am currently certified on the Boeing 777 aircraft. Factors to consider prior to each flight are summarized into the preflight preparation briefings; a constant review of the aircraft manual, continuous recap of the aircraft procedures. We are also provided rigorous training on flight simulators to handle any possible scenario that might arise during a flight so we are mentally prepared.
Whenever you are in the sky, what are your most important concerns?
Safety, safety and safety. The other is answering all the ‘what if’ questions. As pilots we must never leave anything to doubt especially when you have the opportunity to fly on a global network like in Emirates.
Please tell us, your most memorable flight so far and why you consider it as such. Again how many hours have you logged and for what duration?
My first flight to the United States of America, Chicago to be precise and observing the ‘Northern lights’ at night during the flight. It was an orchestrated symphony of lights, it was beautiful. The hours I have put in is approximately 6000 in the span of 10 years.
What fired your interest in aviation? Please also give us a brief account of your aviation training?
It was fired by my toy ‘Bullet train’, vehicles and how they move; cars, trucks, the fighter jets, and the big mighty Jumbo jet (Boeing 747). My uncle who was an air force pilot, fate and my parents Mr. & Mrs. I.B. Ojobo for investing in me. I started my flying career in Nigeria, at the Nigerian college of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Kaduna state. I was then retained and employed to be a Flight instructor, which I did for four and half years. I then moved to actively flying airline commercial jets on the B737NG and now trained by Emirates airline flying the big dream jet Boeing 777.
How often are the pilots trained and how secure are the planes?
Very interesting question because it relates to safety and reliability. Training is world class here at emirates, my initial training on joining was for approximately 3 months which included, the Company induction training to the B777 type rating course comprising of the ground school classes using advanced Computer based training to the B777 simulator initial training and finally ending with the line training flying to at least all the continent’s on world within the route network. Furthermore, every 6 months we are required by regulation and company policy to stay abreast with the latest training developments carrying out recurrent training ground school; then Validating the B777 type rating, Low Visibility Operation and a Line Operations Scenario and Evaluation. In addition, every 3 month we refresh our UPRT (Upset recovery training). These trainings are performed in the B777 simulator at Emirates training college. The airplanes are world class, new and maintained by a world class maintenance team.
Thirty three years ago, Emirates started flight operations with just two aircraft. Today, they are one of the best Airline globally. Only two years ago, the airline was voted the World’s Best Airline by customers at the 2016 World Airline Awards. What do you think is the magic?
First of all I feel it was not magic but, visionary approach and dedicated commitment to hard work by an excellent team always seeking best ways to improve our customer experience.
