Aviation is quite solid in Kazakhstan. Why does it still hire foreign pilots?

The annual pilot shortage in Kazakhstan has reached 600 specialists. What makes this situation even worse is that the Almaty Civil Aviation Academy lacks the international EASA Part-FCL (European Union Aviation Safety Agency Flight Crew Licensing) certification. This is why Kazakhstani airlines are forced to hire foreign pilots, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev, who reported to the cabinet on the status of the aviation industry in Kazakhstan.

Kazakh civil aviation staff totals 23,000 employees, including 1,100 local pilots and 400 foreign pilots. As usual, local personnel are trained at the Civil Aviation Academy, 21 training centers across the country and training facilities run by Kazakhstani airlines.   

«Since the academy does not have EASA Part-FCL certification, airlines are forced to hire foreign pilots,» Lastayev said.

The Civil Aviation Academy is set to obtain two certificates by the end of 2025:

• EASA Part-66/147, a license to conduct maintenance;
• Part-FCL, a pilot’s license.

In addition, Lastayev revealed the government’s plan to build airports near the Katon-Karagay, Zaysan and Kinderli resorts. According to some estimates, the total cost of the project might be about $235 million.