HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani presided over the graduation ceremony of the third batch of students of Al Zaeem (leader) Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Atiyyah Air College at Al Udeid Air Base yesterday.
The ceremony was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and a number ministers as well as ranking armed forces and interior ministry officers.
Upon Emir’s arrival on the main podium, the national anthem was played and then the commander of the parade came forward to request HH the Emir to review the graduates’ parade.
The ceremony began with recitation of the Holy Qur’an before the graduates performed the military parade.
 The Emir then honoured the outstanding graduates of the third batch - namely the first in the total grades Saeed Hamad Saeed al-Aswad, the second in the total grades Ismael Ibrahim Ismael Saeed Faraj, the third in the total grades Abdullah Nasser Mohamed bin Alsheikh al-Mutawaa, the first in air exercises (fixed wing) Saeed Hamad Saeed al-Marri, the first in air exercises (helicopter) Nasser Mohamed Hamd Aqeel al-Nabet, the first in physical fitness Abdulrahman Ali Abdulrahman al-Sheikh al-Kuwari, the first in aviation competence Nayef Khalifa Abdullah Mohamed al-Mansory, and Abdullah Mohamed Ali Rashid al-Kuwari, the commander of the parade.
The third batch then handed over the flag to the fourth batch. An order for promotions was read out and the graduates took the oath.  
Commander of the Air College, Brigadier Salim Hamad al-Nabit delivered a speech during the ceremony. He said that the academy’s training and learning policies were inspired by the country’s national strategy of creating the appropriate environment for Qatari citizens to excel.  
He underlined that Al Zaeem Air College has made great strides, by developing plans and specialist programmes, in training the military students to be pilot officers with full skills in aviation science to fly the latest aircraft.
Al-Nabit added that the college was honoured to graduate the second batch of helicopter pilots, adding that the graduation of the fighter pilots’ batch is a milestone in the history of Qatar armed forces.
On the occasion the Emir watched an airshow staged by the Emiri Air Forces and Al Zaeem Air College aircraft.