Why you should work for Fiji Airways

British Airways to launch Pilot Sponsorship Scheme

British Airways to launch Pilot Sponsorship Scheme

  • British Airways’ new Speedbird Pilot Academy will fund up to 60 places per year at an approved flight training school, with those who pass the course offered a job as a British Airways pilot
  • The multi-million-pound initiative removes the initial high-cost barrier of training to become a professional pilot, making it a realistic option for anyone aged 18-55
  • Private training costs for aspiring pilots can cost around £100,000

Thursday 20 July, 2023:

British Airways has today announced that it is launching a brand-new pilot cadet programme that will fund training for up to 60 aspiring pilots a year.

The creation of the British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy will see the cost barrier of training to become an airline pilot removed, making the profession much more accessible. Successful candidates will be offered a place at an approved flight training school and, on passing the course, a position as a British Airways pilot, helping the airline to ensure it has the right levels of future flying talent for years to come.

With initial training that can cost tens of thousands of pounds, the price of becoming a pilot has made the profession prohibitive for many. This cost will now be funded by British Airways – with a multi-million-pound investment from the airline into its next generation of pilots – making it a genuine career path for all aspiring pilots.

The airline remains committed to further increasing diversity in the aviation industry and is determined to increase awareness, visibility, and applications to this new cadet programme to people from all backgrounds – not just those who can afford the initial training costs.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “The Speedbird Pilot Academy will make the ambition of becoming a British Airways pilot a reality for people who’d previously written the option off because of the cost barrier.

“Our aim is to attract the very best talent out there for our future generation of pilots. Whether someone is just leaving school or embarking on a second career they never thought possible, we’re levelling the playing field by removing the initial training cost barrier to make a flying career more accessible to a wider range of people and giving everyone an equal chance.

“We fly to more than 200 destinations around the world on a range of aircraft types, providing pilots with an abundance of opportunities and making a career as a British Airways pilot extremely rewarding. This first-in-a-generation initiative will allow anyone to make it a reality.”

Hannah Vaughan, British Airways Senior First Officer and former cadet, said: “This is a great career for anyone. You’ll naturally need a love for flying and travel, but being a British Airways pilot offers so much more.

“From working with an incredibly dedicated team and meeting customers from around the world to benefitting from world-class training facilities – I would absolutely recommend it as a career path.”

Successful candidates will gain a place at one of the approved flight training colleges, with all tuition costs covered by British Airways.

The Speedbird Pilot Academy is one part of the airline’s wider pilot recruitment plan. British Airways continues to recruit current commercial pilots and is working with the UK Armed Forces to provide military pilots new career opportunities in commercial aviation once their agreed service period has ended.

Summary:

  • More information can be found on British Airways’ careers site
  • Applications will open in September 2023, with training planned to start in the new year
  • Applicants will need:
    • 6 GCSE’s (or equivalent), Grade A-C or 5-9 (including English, Maths and one of the Sciences)
    • To be a minimum height of 5ft 2in
    • To be aged between 18 and 55
    • To pass a UK CAA Class 1 Medical
  • British Airways currently employs approximately 4,000 pilots
  • Once training is complete, cadets can expect to earn a starting salary of c.£34,000 per year, plus allowances
  • The airline has worked closely with Fantasy Wings, the leading UK organisation for diversity in aviation and a member of the BA Better World Community Fund, to promote careers to young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, and young women in the aviation industry

Why should you work for Wizz Air UK?

BA Euroflyer Recruitment Event

Come and meet our Euroflyer pilots and hear about the exciting opportunities at British Airways new subsidiary airline based at Gatwick.

Location:

DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Airport, Outwood Lane, Manchester, M90 4WP

Tuesday 21st March 2023

About:

Come and join us to learn more about who we are at Euroflyer and discover what we have to offer. Call in to chat with some of our pilots to hear what it is really like working for this new and exciting British Airways venture.

 

In a nutshell we are a small airline, whose focus is on creating a base that feels like family. We listen, we care. Our country’s creativity, diversity, style, wit and warmth are the same special qualities that make us who we are.

 

Whilst we are a stand-alone AOC, we still are very closely tied with British Airways mainline holding one set of benefits including pension, health care, 30 days annual leave, as well as one master seniority list between both of the AOCs. This means you have the same bidding rights as a mainline pilot. What you bid for is entirely up to you and how you want your career to develop, you have the ability to bid for different fleets and different seats! We allow you to develop your career further, with early command opportunities and the possibility of training opportunities when they arise.

 

We will be offering two sessions with a presentation for pilots with greater than 500 hours or 100 sectors on a ZFT aircraft. We will be holding an additional session focused towards cadets wishing to hear more information about BA Euroflyer also.

Please be aware the presentation will begin approximately 30 minutes after the scheduled session start time.

Sign up here.

 

L3 Harris Announces Flight Training Scholarship

L3Harris Launches Flight Training Scholarship

L3 Harris Launches ATPL Training Scholarship

The integrated flight training organisation, L3Harris, has today launched its ‘Pilot Pathway Aviation Industry Recovery (AIR) Scholarship’. Cadet pilots could receive up to £10,000 towards the cost of Integrated ATPL training.

To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must apply prior to the 30th September 2021 and start the commercial flight training by the 31st of December 2021. Pilots must also pass the L3Harris Airline Academy selection process.

The scholarship award will be applied to the final payment of the Training Agreement Payment Plan. Their integrated ATPL course currently costs £79,950 and takes approximately 74 weeks to complete. Their entry requirements are that you are over 18 years old and have a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or international equivalent) that are grades C / 4 or above.

L3Harris (formerly CTC) has pilot placement relationships with a range of airlines such as easyJet, Wizz Air and British Airways.

For more information and to apply for the scholarship, visit the L3Harris website for more details.

easyJet to help small number of pilots with cost of training 

easyJet has said it will cut the cost of training for a small number of pilots as part of a drive to attract a more diverse range of people to fly its planes.

The article suggests that flight schools and airlines are moving to sponsor more courses, or cut the cost of training, amidst a global shortage of trained pilots.

It notes that newly qualified pilots who are chosen will have to pay £8,648 for their so-called type rating course, with easyJet making up the balance of the bill, which is typically around £30,000. 

Norwegian Air to press ahead with Dublin Airport base 

Norwegian Air International is continuing with its plans for a Dublin Airport base despite announcing that it would cut services from Cork and Shannon later this year. 

The carrier confirmed earlier this week that low demand prompted it to cut its services from Cork and Shannon airports to Providence, Rhode Island, from October to March 2019. 

A spokeswoman for the airline said that it was continuing with plans for a base at Dublin Airport, which was announced last year. “Norwegian opened a new pilot base in Dublin last year and has since created a cabin crew base with more than 40 cabin crew positions recruited for the Dublin base so far,” she said. The airline held open days for pilots interested in joining the operation late last year and reported strong interest at the time. 

London City Airport sets record as tourists boost numbers

London City Airport had its busiest week ever as the Docklands hub, ‘traditionally a favourite for business flyers, was boosted by increasing numbers of holidaymakers’, writes Standard Online.

A total of 101,336 customers either departed from or arrived at the airport in the week to March 25, on 1,525 flights. That is two per cent higher than the previous record set in 2016. In addition, last Thursday the company recorded its best-ever day, when 18,607 people came through the doors.

The article states that the airport was boosted by strong performances from British Airways and Flybe.

easyJet to expand worldwide connections 

Following a press flight with its new chief executive, easyJet made several announcements. 

The Times and Buying Business Travel write that easyJet ‘will strike deals’ with budget long-haul carriers on routes to the United States, Caribbean and the Middle East as part of a ‘long-haul price war with British Airways.’

The airline said yesterday that the deals would enable travellers to book connecting flights on a single ticket out of seven main European airports from this spring, in addition to two hubs launched last year. The articles note that easyjet passengers would transfer on to airlines such as Thomas Cook, Norwegian and Westjet, the Canadian carrier.