(23/07/24) British Airways has increased the number of places available to prospective pilots wanting to follow their dream of flying for a commercial airline without the worry of self-funding the £100,000 cost of training.
Launched last year and open to applicants annually, the Speedbird Pilot Academy is already training 100 future British Airways pilots who managed to beat off competition from more than 20,000 candidates to have the cost of their tuition paid for by the airline.
Funding was in place for an initial 100 places on the 2025 programme, and this has now been increased to 200.
It takes two years to complete training and become a qualified First Officer with the airline.
British Airways A380 reg: G-XLED. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
“I’m incredibly proud of the Speedbird Pilot Academy and the opportunity it provides to those talented individuals who have held a lifetime ambition of becoming a commercial airline pilot, but have perhaps found it difficult to independently fund their training,” said Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO. “The standard of applicants we see for this programme are consistently high so as part of our commitment to attracting the very best candidates from right across society, we’ve increased the 2025 cohort to give as many people as possible the chance of realising their dream.”
Ryan Street, a Speedbird Pilot Academy cadet from Stockport, had dreamed of a career in aviation since he was a young boy. He joined the air cadets at the age of 12, where he rose to the rank of Cadet Warrant Officer, before beginning work at Manchester Airport for a ground handling company. He held various roles there including a ramp loader, an aircraft dispatcher and a load controller before being selected for the Speedbird Pilot Academy.
“Applying for the Speedbird Pilot Academy and being selected for such a highly-competitive opportunity was a dream come true, knowing that I would finally be able to achieve the career I had always wanted,” said Ryan. “Without the assistance British Airways provided with this cadetship, I might not have ever been able to afford the current training costs, so I am thankful to them that they are able to provide this wonderful opportunity for those that might never have been able to get this far.”
British Airways currently employs around 4,000 pilots.
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