Pilot Training Partnership Connects Classroom to Flight Deck

Leading Edge Aviation has partnered with Aurigny and Norse Atlantic UK to introduce a structured pilot pathway from initial training to commercial operations. The initiative connects training at Leading Edge Aviation with regional flying at Aurigny and long-haul operations at Norse Atlantic UK.

Students enrolled in the Leading Edge Airline Preparation (LEAP) integrated programme will have the opportunity to be selected for this pathway. Training begins at Leading Edge Aviation, progresses to First Officer roles on the ATR 72 with Aurigny, and ultimately provides the chance to transition to Norse Atlantic UK, operating Boeing 787 aircraft. 

Aurigny’s Chief Operations Officer, Philip Smallwood, added: "It's great to be able to launch this new and exciting element of our career partnership with Norse Atlantic UK, a fully integrated pilot pathway from first flight to wide-body jet. It places both Aurigny and Guernsey firmly at the heart of pilot careers, helping to ensure a long-term source of aviation talent for our islands' air services. We're also proud to be recruiting from the first-class Leading Edge Airline Preparation programme (LEAP), which we're confident will give us a source of high-calibre First Officers for the future."

The programme will begin this year, with cadets joining Aurigny after qualification and later progressing to Norse Atlantic UK.