TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian pilots have attracted the attention of many regional and European airlines.

"Many neighboring states and European countries are trying to hire the Iranian pilots for their fleets," Secretary of Iranian Airlines Association Maqsoud Asa'adi Samani told FNA on Tuesday.

Noting that the Iranian pilots play a pioneering role in the world's creditable airlines, he said, "A number of Iranian pilots are active as advisors in plane manufacturing companies, including Boeing."

Asa'adi Samani also said that 98% of aircrafts in Iran are flown by the Iranian pilots.

The Iranian pilots are known to be among the most skilled pilots in the world and they have proved their talent by flying and landing safely under hard conditions.

In a recent case in August, an airplane belonging to Iran's Qeshm Air airliner was forced to make an emergency landing on its belly at Tehran's international Mehrabad airport after the front wheels failed to lower.

The plane which had taken off without any passengers for check flight experienced technical problems, including malfunctioning, and was forced to land at the airport with its front wheels stuck to the body.

The skilled pilot managed to bring down the plane without any considerable damage or crew injuries.

Mehrabad's public relations department confirmed landing of the plane with no functional front wheels, and said the runway of Mehrabad airport is open and the incident didn�t cause delay in other flights.

By Fars News Agency