Dubai Airshow: Skyplan signs Ariana Afghan Airlines

Canadian flight services provider Skyplan announced today that Ariana Afghan Airlines has signed a two-year deal for flight planning and training services.

Ariana has been trialling Skyplan’s software and training courses for the last four months and today confirmed that it will continue the contract, which means that Skyplan will train Ariana’s flight operations staff at its Sharjah facility in a ‘train the trainer programme,’ as well as providing the system that they will use.

Ariana dispatchers are now able to use Skyplan’s Cybertrac One software. The first class of students recently graduated and members are now working in the airline’s flight operations office. To date they have filed some 650 flight plans for Ariana, which flies to several destinations in the Middle East as well as to India and Pakistan, and Frankfurt, Istanbul, Ankara and Moscow.

Captain Wardak Ariana Afghan Airlines president says: “We are delighted with Skyplan’s training and flight support services. We want to increase the number of routes we fly into Europe and Skyplan’s systems are bringing us up to the standards required by Eurocontrol.”

Imran Aslam, Skyplan’s executive director Sharjah adds: “Our flight planning software is producing more than 4,000 computerized flight plans a day. This is an amazing figure and we are striving for more.” 

Earlier this week Skyplan announced that it has established a new base in has established a new base in DAFZA (Dubai International Airport Free Zone), one year after setting up shop in Sharjah. It is the only North American company that provides contract flight dispatch from offices in the West and the Middle East.

Salman Ali, director services Skyplan Sharjah explains: “Thanks to our new investments in the region, the first two days of the Dubai Air Show have been extremely busy for us and we have had numerous meetings with decision makers in the industry, showing that the Middle East is more than ready for our services.”

Muhammad Sami managing director Skyplan Middle East says: "We are delighted to be able to support Ariana Afghan Airlines as they expand their operations."