The Cornerstone of MEA New Training Center 


                 

Under the patronage of the Minister of Public Works and Transport H.E. Ghazi Al-Aridi and in his presence, the cornerstone of the regional MEA Training Center was set at Rafic Hariri International Airport – Beirut.

H.E. Minister Al-Aridi and MEA Chairman – Director General Mr. Mohamad El-Hout set the Training Center’s cornerstone at MEA headquarters in the presence of a large number of company officials and employees.

Chairman – Director General Mr. El-Hout, on the occasion, delivered an address in which he said: “Today, and after a long period, we say that it is time for Beirut to retrieve its regional role and for the regional training center to rise at Rafic Hariri International Airport – Beirut. This Center is not only a
commercial project but indeed an act of faith in Lebanon’s future and Beirut’s pioneering role, which must be restored. This Center is also an act of resistance in the face of what Israel has destroyed. The project was discussed several years ago during the last days of late Prime Minister Hariri’s life. We recall him today and say that had he been alive and with us, how happy we would have been and how pleased he would be with this project’s launch.

We dearly miss him today, and say may his soul rest in peace. He had given us lessons in construction, development, and reconstruction - lessons that continue to guide us in uniting the nation. As such, this occasion can not pass without recalling late Prime Minister and martyr Rafic Hariri, and without missing his presence”.

Mr. El-Hout added: “The Training Center idea had originally begun with H.E. Najib Mikati – former Minister of Public Works and Transport – but shortage of time did not enable him to pursue it. The concept was then fully adopted by H.E. Prime Minister Fouad Sanioura. He granted this project all necessary support to facilitate its realization and placed his advisor Maher Al-Moukadam in charge of its follow-up for two years. We faced a multitude of persistent legal and administrative obstacles, and the concept did not reach implementation until H.E. Minister of Public Works and Transport Ghazi Al-Aridi came to office. He visited MEA last August, accompanied by Director General of Roads and Buildings at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Mr. Fadi Nammar and a number of officials. During his visit, Minister Al-Aridi promised that within a short time period, all obstacles before this project would be removed. Today, less than three months later from that visit’s date, all obstacles have indeed been removed, and we are now setting the cornerstone. This in itself is a great achievement in such a short period”.

As for H.E. Minister Al-Aridi, he said: “Today we can once again say, and not for the first time but on the same occasion and in this exact site, that every time Israel targets Lebanon, it shells Beirut’s airport: destroying aircraft and striking at MEA, Lebanon, and its economic, financial and production sectors, then forcing the airport’s closure, threatening with and enacting an airport siege, and stripping the airport of its key training center.
Dr. Assaad Qoteit had told me that the Training Center at Beirut Airport in 1974 had trained and graduated, by that year, 2000 pilots from Lebanon, the Middle East, and the whole world. Such was Lebanon, and it is with such determination that we resolve to restore it. Should Israel destroy, we have the will to reconstruct, build, and develop, as well as to activate these national institutions with MEA at their forefront.

I repeat today that we must protect MEA in every act and every decision. It is vital that we think of how to protect this institution, its role, sustainability, status, and development beyond 2012, as some believe MEA has exclusivity until that year. I think of how to protect MEA beyond the year 2012 - that is, to ensure it remains the primary national pioneering institution – potent, active, and capable of fulfilling its duty and accommodating the wide aviation activity at Rafic Hariri International Airport – Beirut, named after the great martyr. This issue does not depend solely on MEA, but also on the government, officials, ministers, and on the institutions operating in this airport.

The airport is a domain for investment, not exploitation. The airport is not ground for paralysis. There are airport areas that still await investment, and I call upon the officials of companies operating in Beirut’s airport to settle pending issues regarding such areas. I cannot remain an observer before this reality - we must make use of every yard of the airport’s ground and of every possibility existing on its ground. Such companies’ due payments to the Lebanese government must be settled. The resulting funds, which constitute a major income source for Beirut’s airport, will help us develop this facility”. 

Minister Al-Aridi clarified that he is anticipating a step in the near future: the presence of a piece of land at the entrance of MEA headquarters, in hope that MEA acquires it.

On this occasion, songwriter-composer Tony Abi Karam and singer Hani
Al-Omari, dedicated to MEA a special song titled “Soar, Lebanon” (Halliq Ya Libnan). The song was presented as a video clip, a gift which earned great admiration from all the guests.




MEA Training Center
• Location: Middle East Airlines premises-Rafic Hariri International Airport.  
• Landscape: 13,800 m2 
• Building Surface:  5,800 m2
• Building Floor Area: 20,000 m2 
• Height of Building: 10 m - 14 m  
• Budget: (Building + Equipments + full accommodation) 40,000,000$ 
• Completion Date: Fall 2010 

New Training Center Objectives:
After the vandalism of the Flight Safety Center and the robbery of the B707 simulator during the Israeli invasion of Beirut International Airport in 1982, it is high time to restore Beirut’s role as a Regional Training Center. A new Training Center for Cockpit Crew; Cabin Crew; Technical and Commercial training as well as Safety, Security and Customer Services training, will be built at Rafic Hariri International Airport- Beirut

New Training Center Facilities:
• Available space for 4 full flight simulators (starting with an A320 full flight simulator, MFDT,
  etc…).
• Cabin Crew Training (Cabin Simulator, Services Mock-up, Ditching and Ground Evacuation
   facilities)
• Aircraft Maintenance Training (CBT, CPT, MFDT and others.)
• Commercial Training (Planning, Marketing, Sales, Reservations, Customer Services. Ground 
  Handling).
• Information Technology Training
• Auditorium (400 persons)
• Library
• Fully equipped Classrooms
• Medical Clinic
• Support facilities (Underground Parking for more than 1500 cars, Cafeteria, etc…)