Sohail Mahmood brings over a decade of dedicated aviation strategy, operational excellence, and leadership experience to his role as Chief Operating Officer at Africa World Airlines. With a strong specialisation in pilot workforce development, flight training resource optimisation, and rigorous regulatory compliance, Mr. Mahmood is a results-oriented leader poised to drive the airline's operational efficiency and strategic growth in the competitive West African market.

Core Expertise and Background

Mr. Mahmood's career is marked by his ability to bridge aviation research with practical business application, ensuring operational strategies are both cutting-edge and evidencebased.

Operational & Training Leadership: He has direct experience in flight training operations, including delivering over 1,500 hours of Boeing 787 simulator training to enhance pilot skills and maintain FAA compliance.

Strategic Optimisation: Sohail is proficient in applying quantitative methods and data analysis to inform critical business decisions. He has a proven track record of using advanced tools like SQL, Power BI, and SAP to evaluate training outcomes, forecast staffing, and implement cost-control initiatives, including optimising operational expenditures.

Compliance & Regulatory Mastery: A core competency is his deep knowledge of the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), along with national regulatory standards, including those of the FAA (U.S.). This expertise ensures all operational protocols adhere to the highest global safety and regulatory benchmarks. He has a history of leveraging the FAA's

Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) to produce data-driven regulatory and industry research reports, delivering actionable insights to both internal leadership and external regulatory stakeholders.

Crew Resource Management: Mr. Mahmood excels in Crew Resource Planning & Workforce Forecasting, developing optimisation models to minimise operational disruptions. His skills also extend to Labor Relations and contractual dispute resolution, supported by data-driven variance studies.

Education and Professional Development

Sohail holds FAA Pilot Licenses as well as an M.B.A. in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a B.S. in Business Administration, underscoring his blend of aviation operational knowledge and financial acumen