Captain Al-Najjar: 45 years shaping Kuwaiti aviation history

Captain Yaqoub Al-Najjar is a prominent figure in Kuwaiti aviation, boasting an illustrious career spanning over 45 years and 21,000 flight hours. He rose from the trainee’s seat to top leadership positions at Kuwait Airways and the Amiri Flight. Al-Jaweea met with Captain Al-Najjar, who shared the key milestones of his journey, the aircraft types he piloted, and the positions he held until his retirement.

From sponsored cadet training in Britain to Kuwaiti first officer

Speaking with us, Captain Al-Najjar recalled 1975, the year of his first steps into aviation, when he joined Kuwait Airways as a cadet pilot sponsored to study in the United Kingdom. There, he attended the Hamble College of Air Training, which was then affiliated with British Airways.

Al-Najjar reminisced about that era, noting that student intake was limited, comprising approximately eight Kuwaiti students and five from Gulf Air in Bahrain. He added that, after a year and a half of intensive training, he graduated in late 1976 and returned home to officially join Kuwait Airways as a First Officer in early 1977.

Technical progression: From the Boeing 707 to the Jumbo Jet

Regarding his technical progression to the rank of Captain, Al-Najjar explained that he initially flew as a First Officer on the Boeing 707 until the end of 1978. As the Kuwait Airways fleet evolved, he transitioned to the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet between 1978 and 1984.

A standout memory from that period was being part of the crew that delivered the third Jumbo Jet from the Boeing factory in Seattle to Kuwait. Driven by the ambition to reach the left seat, Al-Najjar decided to transition to the Boeing 727 to obtain his command upgrade. This was achieved in 1985, when he became a fully qualified Captain.

The Amiri flight founder: Captain Al-Najjar’s 21,000-hour career

Al-Najjar noted that his career was not limited to technical flight duties. In 1987, two years after receiving his Captain’s bars, he was appointed to his first administrative role as Chief Pilot while continuing to fly the Boeing 727, private jets, and air taxis.

Following the liberation of Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion, Captain Al-Najjar played a pivotal role in establishing the Amiri Flight under the Amiri Diwan. He continued as Chief Pilot and transitioned to flying the prestigious Gulfstream series, from the G3, G4, and G5, up to the G650, which he was piloting upon his retirement in 2021.

Over the years, he held sensitive administrative positions; in 1998, he became Training Director in the Operations Department at Kuwait Airways (for both pilots and cabin crew), later rising to Assistant Director and then Deputy Director of the Training and Development Department until 2016.

Guiding Kuwait Airways through COVID: 2020 evacuation mission

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic that paralysed global aviation, Al-Najjar served as Director of Operations and Assistant CEO at Kuwait Airways. He was tasked with carrying out the late Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s orders to evacuate Kuwaiti citizens from across the globe. Al-Najjar described the mission as a success due to the collective efforts of pilots and staff working as one team, successfully repatriating citizens from locations across East Asia, Europe, Africa, Cuba, and Mauritania.

From cockpit to DGCA safety consultant

On 3 September 2021, after turning 65—the legal retirement age for commercial pilots under ICAO regulations—Captain Yaqoub Al-Najjar stepped down from the cockpit. He leaves behind a legacy of nearly 45 years of continuous flight. His final flight as a pilot took place on 28 August 2021, to Baghdad, accompanied by the Kuwaiti Prime Minister at the time, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled (the current Crown Prince).

After a seven-month hiatus, Al-Najjar returned to serve his country, joining the Kuwait Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as a Consultant and Aviation Safety Specialist. He described his role and the department as a “Check Valve” and a watchful guardian, ensuring that airlines and pilots continue to follow the highest safety standards to protect lives and keep Kuwaiti skies safe at all times.

Aviation legacy: Mentoring the next generation

Today, Captain Yaqoub Al-Najjar looks upon the new generation of Kuwaiti pilots with the eyes of a proud father—a feeling he lives daily at home. His three sons chose to follow in their father’s footsteps: Yousef, an expert in flight dispatch and navigation; Adnan, a Captain Instructor on the Airbus A320; and Meshal, who currently serves as a First Officer at Jazeera Airways.

Al-Najjar shared a message for the young pilots newly joining Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways, emphasising the need to uphold Kuwait’s reputation and the prestigious aviation standards established by the pioneers. He called for strict “Adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).” He believes that experience is never an excuse to stop learning, stating that “training and more training” is the secret behind Kuwait Airways’ clean record, which prides itself on a history free of fatal accidents.