UK airfield round-up
Nov15

UK airfield round-up

In a general round up of airport news from around the UK, FTN takes a look at some of those airfields currently under threat and some which are living the high life. With apologies to those airfields that have been inadvertently left out from this report, here’s the current UK airfield scene as FTN perceives it. First on the threat list is Old Sarum airfield in Wiltshire, which has been very quiet for the last few years after the...

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Cadet Pilot Protection Debate Heads to Parliament
Oct11

Cadet Pilot Protection Debate Heads to Parliament

The debate over the financial oversight of UK Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) has now made it to Westminster, with Tim Loughton, Member of Parliament for East Worthing & Shoreham, calling on the Department for Transport (DfT) to introduce steps to prevent cadet pilots losing their training investment when an ATO folds. In a presentation made at Westminster Hall on 12 September, Tim Loughton MP gave an impassioned plea for...

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My helicopter FI course – Part 2 by Helen Krasner
Oct04

My helicopter FI course – Part 2 by Helen Krasner

Previously I described the first two weeks of my helicopter FI course, which I undertook more years ago thank I care to work out. As I explained last month, I found those two weeks really tough. The third week was similar and on top of that I was ill. Here are some extracts from the diary I kept at the time… Wednesday 12 Feb Crap visibility and low cloud, so no flying. Maybe just as well, as I have a bad cold and a pounding...

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My helicopter FI course – Part I by Helen Krasner
Sep18

My helicopter FI course – Part I by Helen Krasner

It’s many years since I qualified as a helicopter instructor and nearly as long since I thought about my Flight Instructor (FI) course in any detail. But I was sorting through some stuff recently and I happened to come across the detailed diary which I kept during those weeks. The diary reminded me of just how hard I found that course. Indeed, it was probably the most difficult few weeks of my whole flying career. I wrote about it...

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Study reveals value of UK airline industry
Aug31

Study reveals value of UK airline industry

A new study commissioned by industry association Airlines UK has revealed that the UK airline industry is worth £24bn to the UK economy and supports over a million jobs. As the UK enjoys its busiest summer travel period since the pandemic, a new report has revealed the vital importance of UK-based airlines to UK jobs and growth. The new report by Steer, commissioned by Airlines UK, examining the strategic and economic contribution of...

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The return of the fully-funded pilot training programme
Aug30

The return of the fully-funded pilot training programme

Aer Lingus and British Airways have become the first two European airlines to offer fully-funded pilot training programmes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, signalling an upturn in low hours pilot recruitment. While BA has yet to confirm which schools it will be partnering with to deliver the training, Aer Lingus has confirmed that it has selected Spanish Approved Training Organisation (ATO) FTE Jerez as their training...

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