Airline welcomes six cadets to pilot programme

An airline company has welcomed its first six cadets through a flight training academy, which supplies pilots to airlines.

The successful candidates are the first to join Guernsey's Aurigny airline and will begin their training journey through its partnership with Norse Atlantic and Leading Edge Aviation.

The successful cadets will join the scheme as first officers and gain operational experience on the Guernsey network before progressing to long-haul flying with Norse Atlantic.

"I think the opportunity to develop my skills as a pilot, flying in the challenging conditions in Guernsey...is perfect for me," said Kian Le Mottee one of the new cadets.

The group joined through the leading edge airline preparation (LEAP) programme after they gained their commercial pilots licence, an industry-leading integrated pilot training course that prepares aspiring aviators for a full professional career.

Andy McFarlane, CEO of Leading Edge Aviation, said: "To get to a Dreamliner, or any other long-haul aircraft, can take five or six years with most airlines.

"Typically, pilots will spend several years on short-haul fleets before moving across.

"With this programme, these cadets are as much as three years ahead of everyone else, which is a truly remarkable advantage," he explained.

A spokesperson for the airline said: "What sets Aurigny's collaborative scheme apart as a truly unique career pathway is how the training takes pilots all the way from ATR72-600 to Boeing 787."

Philip Smallwood, chief operations officer at Aurigny, said it was a "fantastic milestone" for the future of the industry on the island.

"It ensures a long-term, high-quality source of flight crew for our island's air services while helping to inspire the next generation of pilots," he said.

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