FlyBy, an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) based in Burgos, Spain, has announced a significant expansion to its training fleet, purchasing an additional ten Tecnam P2008JC aircraft and two new Tecnam P2006T NG models. This acquisition increases their fleet to 43 aircraft, marking the largest single order the Spanish ATO has placed, with plans to further expand in 2025. The new additions join FlyBy’s current fleet, which includes eight P2008JC, three P2006T, three P2002JF, and two P mentors. Tecnam’s P2006T NG, the latest iteration in its lineup, introduces over 300 enhancements from ..read more

Theoretical knowledge publisher, Padpilot, has appointed former Head of Learning and Development Nathan Gray as chief executive officer. Nathan, who joined the company in September 2023 after a career in the Royal Navy which included time as F-35 test pilot and instructor, takes on the role with immediate effect. Padpilot Director, Graham Cownie, co-founder and outgoing CEO said: “The board is in complete agreement that there couldn’t be a better leader to take Padpilot into the future. Nathan’s vast experience and dynamic perspective on the direction of pilot education, and the new technolog ..read more

UK regional airline Loganair, is partnering with CRM Aviation Europe to deliver an Airline Pilot Standard Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) course. Announced at Pilot Careers Live in London on 20 April, the APS MCC delivered by CRM and Loganair is a course focused on teaching candidates how to work as part of a team in the flightdeck. Students learn how to operate in a multi-crew environment but will also enhance their skills with realistic scenarios designed to develop self-awareness, interpersonal and workload management skills. The Loganair-mentored version offered in conjunction with CRM A ..read more

Helicentre Aviation Academy has unveiled plans to introduce an Integrated Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) with Instrument Rating (IR), scheduled to start in 2024. This announcement was made at Pilot Careers Live in London on 20 April, and the new courses will be available at the academy’s Midlands and London Oxford Airport bases. Having offered modular training programmes since its founding two decades ago, Helicentre first launched its Integrated CPL(H) course in 2019. Helicentre reported that it achieved a 100% employment rate for its graduates, all of whom secured First Officer roles offsho ..read more

Using methods traditionally associated with selling seats in the cabin of aircraft, easyJet has taken to billboards across Europe to ignite the interests of a future generation of pilots.  Focusing on getting women interested in aviation, the ‘talking billboard’ campaign features aptitude tests and a current easyJet pilot providing information about the career. The campaign is prompted by easyJet’s search for 200 new pilots this spring for its Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme, along with a forecast demand for hundreds more in the future. easyJet also cites data that says 50% o ..read more

Following a hugely popular launch in 2023, British Airways’ (BA) Speedbird Academy is opening again for new applicants on 16 April. Ahead of the launch of the new programme, BA will be holding a series of informative webinars aimed at providing guidance and information about the application process. According to a recent LinkedIn post, there are limited spaces on each call. You can register to attend here. What does the Speedbird Academy offer? The Academy was first announced in July 2023 at Pilot Careers Live in Manchester as a 60-place fully-funded opportunity to train for a become a pilot ..read more

Words Yayeri van Baarsen and Jonny Salmon So you’re dreaming of becoming an airline pilot? Great career choice! Here we consider the path to an airliner cockpit and the costs involved. Flying airliners around the world is a professional career that takes hard work, dedication, and self-sacrifice to achieve. Getting to the flight deck also requires a huge financial investment. We have delved into the professional flying world, distilling crucial information to answer what seems like a simple question: How much does an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) actually cost? The short answer, as yo ..read more

CAE has announced the integration of a gaming engine into its full-flight simulator’s (FFS) visual system, securing a Level D qualification. This milestone, achieved by the CAE Prodigy Image Generator (IG) that employs Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, marks a significant advancement in aviation training technologies. Based in Montreal, Canada, CAE’s latest advancement combines the immersive realism of gaming visuals with the precise requirements of pilot training simulators. The CAE Prodigy IG is has become the first Level D-qualified FFS to incorporate gaming technology into its visual system. Lev ..read more

Y Viva España! Leading Edge Aviation will start training student pilots on its integrated frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence (fATPL) course in Spain later this year. The expansion of LEA’s LEAP programme will be announced at Pilot Careers Live Spain today (16 March 2024), being held in Madrid. The first course starts on 26 September 2024 at LEA’s new facilities at Alhama Airport, Murcia in southern Spain. The ATO already operates foundation flight training at the airport. The course offers both single (EASA or UK CAA) and dual (EASA and UK CAA) licence options, catering to the varied need ..read more

Previous scholars at Cotswold Airport Cotswold Airport, in Gloucestershire, announced that its 2024 aviation scholarships will relaunch on 15 March. Returning for its third year, the scholarship will provide 10 local people aged 15-18 with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a number of aviation disciplines, from firefighting to air traffic services. The programme will include visits to businesses based on the site at former RAF Kemble, including engineering and maintenance firms, flying schools as well as many of the airport services provided by Cotswold Airport Ltd. The scholars ..read more