British Airways has launched a new pilot cadet scheme code-named Speedbird Pilot Academy, that will fund the training of up to 60 aspiring pilots per year. The initiative aims to remove the high-cost barrier of pilot training, making it more accessible to individuals between the ages of 18 and 55.
The Speedbird Pilot Academy is part of British Airways’ broader pilot recruitment plan, which includes continued recruitment of current commercial pilots and collaboration with the UK Armed Forces to offer military pilots new career opportunities in commercial aviation.
Successful candidates will be offered a place at an approved flight training school and, upon completion of the course, a job as a British Airways pilot. The airline will fund the training, which can cost around £100,000 privately, to ensure a more diverse and talented pool of future pilots.
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 leveling 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.”
