Captain Ibrahim Rasheed, also known as Captain Ibure, the first registered pilot in the Maldives has retired after 40 years of flying.
Rasheed, who held pilot license number ATPL001, retired from Villa Air. His last commercial flight was from Maamigili to Velana International Airport (VIA) on Thursday, which was followed by a special ceremony to honour his services. A water salute was given as Rasheed’s plane landed for the last time. According to Villa Air staff, Rasheed was known for his good sense of humour.
Rasheed began his career as a soldier, picking up patients from rural areas and searching for missing people, which he says were the most difficult and interesting experiences. He credits former president Ibrahim Nasir for facilitating his journey to becoming a pilot. Rasheed has seen aviation in the Maldives make significant progress since he first started flying. He praised the development of a bigger runway and a new terminal, saying, “For a country like ours where there are fewer people and fewer resources, this is a very good development.”
Rasheed, who retired a day before his 65th birthday, emphasized the importance of passion for success in aviation and offered advice to young people pursuing a career in the field. “If you don’t do it with your heart, it’s not possible to do it well,” he said.
