Two new examiners for European Pilot Academy

Flight training instructors Capt. Nigel Dunkerley and Anatole Vella Gera from the European Pilot Academy have successfully passed their ground and flying exams to become flight examiners, allowing them to perform flight exams for the issuance of a Private Pilots Licence under the European Joint Aviation Authority issued by the Department of Civil Aviation Malta. 

They are the first full time in-house flight examiners the academy has ever had. Both Capt. Dunkerley and Mr Vella Gera are the result of the academy's success in pilot training. They commenced their initial training to become private pilots over 10 years ago with the academy still in its infant stages, eventually becoming commercial pilots with flight instructor ratings.

Capt. Dunkerley told The Sunday Times he was elated to have achieved his Examiner's  Rating at this stage in his career as he believed this was a crucial point in an instructor's career.

"I am also happy for the academy as we both have grown hand in hand since our early days. We have set a benchmark in the aviation industry in Malta and are now starting to be placed on the map in the central Mediterranean too, as more and more foreign students are starting training with our academy," he said.

Mr Vella Gera said this was an important step in his flying career as it now gave him much more flexibility with their training curriculum.

Capt. Dunkerley holds two positions within the academy - he is operations manager of the Flight Operation Division and chief flight instructor. His instructional experience speaks for itself, logging over 3,500 hours of which 2,500 hours were spent training student pilots to attain thier pilot licence.

He has flown 15 types of aircraft in the class ratings held and has numerous firsts to his credit. He is the first full time Maltese flight instructor with EPA to teach in Malta, then becoming the first recognised Maltese JAA-approved  flight instructor to operate within EPA since Malta joined the JAA.

He was also the first Maltese instructor to attend a JAA flight instructor refresher seminar in the UK last year. Capt. Dunkerley is extremely experienced, also providing an aerial vehicular traffic monitoring report during the times in need.

Mr Vella Gera holds important positions within EPA, primarily, as flight instructor and aircraft airworthiness manager. His JAA flight instructor rating, with over 1,700 hours of flight time of which 850 hours of flight instruction, has made him an experienced local flight instructor, flying a total of 12 types of aircraft within his class ratings.

Mr Vella Gera comes from a technical engineering background and was last year appointed as flight line technical operation co-ordinator, assuring that all aircraft are up to date with the latest maintenance schedules, in compliance with the latest airworthiness directives. He has experienced flying in various geographical zones, mainly in the US, the Pacific and southern Europe.  

Capt. Zarb, head of training and chief pilot at the European Pilot  Academy, the first JAA ground examiner in Malta, said that when he established the first flight training academy in Malta 14 years ago, little did he think that the academy would continue to grow to what it is today.

"I am very proud that our students can avail themselves of four in-house examiners who will cover all their requirements in the most efficient, professional and cost effective way. The continuous training of our people has paid off and we are now recognised internationally for our professionalism. Proof of this is the ever growing number of foreign students who join our academy."