December 2024 — Grand Cayman,
Coming onstream January 2025, an exciting formal link has parked between the Cayman Islands Flying Club (CIFC) and the Aeronautical School of the West Indies (ASWI) in Kingston, Jamaica. This brand-new collaboration, sparked through the community efforts of Zawdie Business Ventures, aims to enhance aviation training opportunities for residents of the Cayman Islands, regardless of nationality — whether Caymanian, Jamaican, or other third-party nationalities. Leveraging ZBV’s regional networks and relationships in aviation, this partnership is set to address the growing interest in aviation training and careers in the Cayman Islands.

Historically, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica have always been closely connected. This new flight training arrangement represents a common-sense evolution of that link. Under this initiative, aspiring aviators in the Cayman Islands will be able to complete most of their dual training hours in Grand Cayman — without quitting their day jobs — and then transition to ASWI in Jamaica to finish their training. This means they will only need to be overseas and away from work for a time comparable to a typical annual vacation or study leave. Most importantly, 100% of the dual training hours received in Cayman can be credited towards their certification requirements.

Through the CIFC, some aspirants will even be eligible for scholarships, as the flying club actively seeks to attract sponsorships towards this goal.

The ZBV Founder Tarik Zawdie, who was instrumental in arranging the link, has been a private pilot and has flown for fun the fun of it for most of his adult life. The CIFC+ASWI link is a testament to ZBV’s down-to-earth approach to matchmaking: studying the root issues, knocking on doors, reaching out to the right people, and following positive momentum to the finish line. We call it classic ‘stick-and-rudder’ entrepreneurship — old-fashioned legwork and elbow grease, with a perfect touchdown. 

ZBV Founder made one solid request from every student who will learn to fly under this collaboration: “Let your actions and performance at flight school serve as solid proof of the good that can happen when Caribbean people work together — especially Jamaicans and Caymanians as neighbors. Be an ambassador. That is all.”

Contact:
www.caymanflyingclub.com
www.aeronauticalschool.com