Skyborne has become the official UK partner for British Airways’ first Speedbird Pilot Academy.

For the first time, the airlines will express no preference on the training pathway chosen and will rely on their own recruitment processes to identify candidates. 

The multi-million-pound initiative removes the initial high-cost barrier of training to become a professional pilot, making it a realistic option for anyone aged 18-55.

More than half of the students who graduated have already secured employment; the school attributes this success to the hands-on experience it offers.

British Airways has chosen CEFA Aviation’s Flight Animation System (FAS) to help visualize flight events. The analysis and investigation tool uses flight recorder data to offer a realistic view of a just-completed flight and the complex chain of events experienced by the pilots.

More than 230 students from 12 further education colleges have joined Skyborne at Gloucestershire Airport for the academy’s first Cabin Crew Futures event. 

Skyborne Airline Academy is hosting its first Cabin Crew Futures event on 9 June at its Gloucestershire Airport training academy, joined by leading airlines including British Airways and easyJet.

Following the recent retirement of British Airways’ 747 fleet of aircraft, Longtail Aviation International has purchased one of British Airways' Boeing 747-400 full flight simulators, helping its pilots continue their training and recency.