Groundschool London opens its doors to future pilots

Groundschool London, a brand new flying training academy, has opened in south-west London to offer future pilots the opportunity to learn the foundation skills required to pursue a career in aviation.

The 20-hour Future Pilots course is designed to equip senior school students (aged 15 and upwards) with the skills required to move onto the formal stages of training and a full ATPL course.

Course modules are split between time in the classroom learning the theory involved in flight, before moving on to the fixed base Boeing 737-800 simulator where students apply their newly-learnt practical knowledge.

The simulator is officially licensed by Boeing and features a real cockpit built from an Alaska Airlines aircraft, with high-definition 180-degree screens and panoramic visuals as well as immersive sound and vibration sensations. The simulator’s software is comprised of the latest ProJet PS4.5 series.

Groundschool London’s founders, Nick Taylor and Paul Kendrick, felt there was a gap in the market for such a training school and aviation careers needed opening up to an audience who may have previously felt flying was out of their reach.

Taylor commented, “We both have a background in aviation – Paul is a professional pilot and I’ve spent over 30 years working in operational and senior management roles in both airports and for airlines.”

“Becoming a pilot is a dream that only a few people are able to make come true. Boeing has predicted the need for 100,000 new pilots in Europe over the next 20-years, so we hope through our preparatory training courses at Groundschool London we can make that dream a reality,” added Kendrick.

Groundschool London provides a host of courses alongside the Future Pilot Programme, with topics including Accident & Investigation and Dispatch & Operations, to enable students to experience the vast variety of careers available in the aviation sector.