Alexander joined FTEJerez through Middle East Airline's cadet programme. Selection for this programme, in which FTEJerez participates conducting assessments, is extremely competitive. Alexander was selected for training following an outstanding performance in all areas.

In hindsight, this comes as no surprise. His final report following training at FTEJerez is impeccable. In ground school he obtained a 93% average score in all exams and his theoretical instructors praise his contributions to class debates and positive and proactive attitude. This demeanour was also evident during flight training, where he obtained first time passes in all tests and received outstanding reports from his flight instructors. Finally, during his multi-crew training (APS MCC), Alexander once again was well prepared and achieved a Grade 1 (outstanding performance).

Alexander managed to do this during the pandemic and the worst weeks of lockdown, and in his capacity of President of the Student Committee.  While most students returned home during lockdown to continue attending online ground school or to wait until they could safely resume flight training, some international students could not do so due to travel restrictions and had to stay at the FTE campus. Alexander decided to voluntarily stay on campus too, and make sure that his colleagues were supported in anyway necessary, that health & safety regulations were followed, and to liaise with FTE's management on a daily basis, acting as a spokesperson for his colleagues.

The degree of maturity and organisation skills shown during these trying times were outstanding. Alexander demonstrated skills one would personally expect from a management team, always doing so with a gentle, respectful and empathic approach. He would provide suggestions and solutions to any problems arising, would be always available for his colleagues and FTE management, and took on this huge responsibility without hindering his academic performance. Due to this, Alexander was offered to stay on campus upon graduation on an internship in FTEJerez’s operations department, where he provided support to their HoT and Ops Manager. Consequently, Alexander was also recently awarded with the Mike Bannister Trophy at his FTEJerez graduation ceremony. This trophy is awarded only on very exceptional and rare occasions to students demonstrating an outstanding performance in all aspects of their student life at FTEJerez.

Alexander is deserving of further recognition of his performance during flight training and a high note with which to commence his career as a first officer, and undoubtedly a future captain, for his airline.   For his qualities of character, leadership, and service, demonstrated during his course, in addition to flying and academic achievement, Alexander El Khawaja is awarded the Glover Trophy.

... of the Sir Alan Cobham Prize

1966/67 Captain F H Hawkins

1968 - 1970  not awarded

1970/71  Captain M A Lewis

1971/72  Captain Hugh Dibley

... of the Sir Alan Cobham Memorial Award

1974/75  G S Vaizey

1975/76  J V Fanning

1976/77  Laith Al-Omar

1977/78  N C Lewton

1978/79  Pavlos Attalides

1979/80  Michael Joseph Sheen

1980/81  David Stanley Balman

1981/82  Paul Tomlinson

1982/83  Rudolf Van Berkel

1983/84  Robert Martinus Page

1984/85  Alan Robert Beurle

1985/86  Lee Boon Hup

1986/87  Chee Tuck Lai

1987/88  Gurmit Singh

1989  not awarded

1989/90  Stephen Riley

1990/91  E D Troy

1991/92  Michael G Edwards

1992/93  Wilson Wai Yin Tang

1993/94  Simon Galvin

1994/95  Candice Hinrichsen

1995/96  Martin Peter Goddard

1996/97  Mark R Bishton

1997/98  Stuart J Geddes

1998/99  Nicholas Talboys

1999/2000  Jacob Sorensen

2000/01  Mark Cameron

2001/02  Richard Driscoll

2002/03  Ilkka A Tahvanainen

2003/04  Donald Nwajei

2004/05  Jessica Mary Telford

2005/06  not awarded

2006/07  Stephen A Robinson

2007/08  Charles Waters

2008/09  Vincent Dusseau

2009/10  Kelly McQuaid

2010/11  Captain David Parker RCAF

2011/12  Glen Robert Harrison

2012/13  Myriam Gardeazabal

2013/14  Flt Lt Jonathan Hubbleday RAF

2014/15  Flt Lt Thomas Hansford RAF

... of the The Glover Trophy

2016  Flt Lt Jennifer A N Boyd BSc MSc RAF

2017  SAC Aaron A Garcha

2018  not awarded

2019  Lt Michael Plant RN

2020  not awarded

2021  Capt James Lowrey AAC

2022  Alexander El Khawaja