From right: Ibrahim Abikar Nur, Matthias Kippenberg, head of the school and Ahmed Elmi Gure
Hiiraan Online
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Phoenix, AZ (HOL) - Alumni Ibrahim Abikar Nur and Ahmed Elmi Gure who were pilots for the Somali Airlines before the civil war in 1991 visited the Lufthansa Flight Training Center they graduated thirty years ago in Phoenix, USA.
The head of the flight school Capt. Matthias Kippenberg who also graduated from the same school welcomed and gave them a tour of the flight school and updated them on changes that took place in the school over the years
Mr. Nur and Mr. Gure equally updated the school on the political front and offered an assessment on the political situation of the country and the fact that the Somali Airlines ceased its operation after the collapse of the Military regime in 1991, and that after many failed reconciliations, there is a slight hope now that the country is emerging from the devastation of the protracted civil war and that now is the right time to embark the Somali air flight services.
They also had discussions on the past relationship between Lufthansa and Somali Airline, based on friendship and collaboration and the importance of reviving that relationship by training Somali airline pilots. Mr. Nur and Mr. Gure also requested from the school to train potential pilots who will become part of the rebuilding of the Somali airlines, Capt. Kippenberg welcomed their request and stated that he will do everything in his power to make sure their request is realized and to revive past relationship between Lufthansa and Somali airline as that will be beneficial to both airlines.
The Somali Airlines was founded on 5 March 1964 few years after independence and was one of the fastest growing airline in East Africa before it ceased operation in 1991 after the collapse of the military regime of Siad Barre. Now that the Turkey airline started weekly flights to Somalia, there is an urgency need to revive the Somali aviation in general to offer flight route services to Somalia.