Airways Aviation launches female pilot training scholarship

Airways Aviation has introduced a scholarship in collaboration with the British Women Pilots Association (BWPA) dedicated entirely to women.

The £35,000 scholarship will to go towards the price of a full-time EASA pilot training course.

It was revealed during an ‘Airline Pilot Careers Day’ held at company’s Oxford, UK headquarters attended by over 80 aspiring female pilots. During the day, they were given an opportunity to tour the facilities, and talk to flight instructors and recent Airways Aviation graduates.

At the event, BWPA’s Chairman Julie Westhorp, a former commercial airline pilot and current CAA flight examiner, said, “Nearly 50 years after the first woman took the controls as a commercial pilot and despite the industry’s clear demand, the percentage of female pilots globally is still surprisingly low, at just 3%. We are proud to be partnering with Airways Aviation to help more women and girls see the world of possibility behind the cabin doors.”

The scholarship has already received a record level of applications, with nearly 100 women applying within a week of launch.

Interested parties have until 24 November 2017 to register their interest and complete a short online application form. Airways Aviation will then invite some candidates to its Oxford headquarters to take the industry-standard COMPASS test for a £100 administration fee, which includes membership of the BWPA. Once the test results are analysed, the top-scoring candidates will be invited to continue the application process, with a presentation and panel interview at Oxford as the final stage.