Kate takes us through her motivation to become a pilot and her experience training.

When did you decide you wanted to be a pilot? What was it that first sparked your interest in aviation and becoming a pilot?

After the most unimaginable 18 months, Heather is able to put aside any negativity and continue to pour her energy into her love of aviation. Most have needed to demonstrate a level of resilience during the pandemic, but Heather has had to switch ATOs and persevere despite extreme upheaval.
This interview will inspire you, as it has us, to trust in yourself and focus on your long-term goals not matter what life throws in your way.

We were delighted to welcome our new FDP students on 21 June. It really is a fantastic time of year to start. With covid-19 cases and hospitalisations on the decrease, our students can enjoy the closest thing to a 'normal' training experience that's been possible for over 12 months. 

Our classes are small, and students are socially distanced in lessons, and flight operations. With theoretical instruction delivered onsite, students can enjoy interactive classes with in-person student engagement and create friendships that will last a lifetime. 

With our June enrolment complete we now look to our September start date which is 20th of the month. September has always been the most popular month to enrol on our integrated course. Students have spent the last 13 years in class, like to make the most of their summer holidays. Read on for our ‘top five reasons to enrol on our FDP’ this year:

Congratulations on choosing to become a commercial pilot. As exciting as it is, we know the training can be very daunting. We have put together a guide to help you prepare for your training. 

Follow our five step guide to place you in the best possible position for your first day at flight school. Whether you're enrolling on an integrated programme, or studying via the modular route, the core essentials for embarking on your commercial pilot training are the same.   

The rollercoaster of lockdowns over last 12 months may have meant a hiatus in your dreams. With the industry expecting a recovery over two years and the training taking the same length of time, it is time for change. 

Apart from a brief closure in 2020, our flight school has remained open and operational throughout the pandemic. With everyone's social calendars on hold as we start  2021 (and therefore a significant lack of distractions) we think that the time for enrolling with the right flight school is now. 

Our full-time programme, an EASA Integrated Flight Deck Programme (FDP), takes two years to complete and starts with theoretical instruction. ATPL Theory at FTA Global is like nothing else in the industry. Outside of instructor-led lessons you will access computer-based training and online books to support with self study. Last year we extended the study period to improve subject comprehension and ensure high results. 

"I was really pleased with my results and have finished ground school with 14 first-time passes and an overall average of 91%." 

It worked. Our ATPL classes continued throughout 2020 using this software, and our students successfully completed their exams with high pass rates and averages, despite the pandemic. The first module of 2021 is being delivered using Microsoft Teams, a video conferencing software, and our plan is to bring everyone on site as soon as it is safe to do so.

Ryanair have just announced some exciting news - a new sponsored type-rating programme!

HOW DID YOU GET INTO AVIATION?

My journey with aviation started quite early. When I was 16 years old, I studied as an apprentice to become an ‘Aircraft Engineer’, as that had always been my passion when I was at school. I went on to work for Air France for 2 years and then Troyes Aviation for another 2 years. It was a great experience and really began to cement the core concepts and fundamentals about aircraft that I still continue to use and mentally build on every day.

At the age of 18, I began studying for my Private Pilot Licence (PPL) in the town of Creil, which is just north of Paris. It is a military based organisation and it was here that I met with the best instructor I have ever had, Bernard Borella, who I will go on to explain more about later in the article. Once completing my PPL, I was fortunate enough to gain some experience flying a Mudry CAP 10 and partaking in some aerobatic flying. It was an amazing feeling and experience!

At FTA, we have some of the best instructors in the industry, with a vast range of knowledge, expertise and attention to detail. Here we spoke to one of our advanced instructors, Jerome, about his journey to becoming a pilot and just why FTA is such a unique flying school.

After finishing my work as an ‘Aircraft Engineer’, I then decided that I wanted to move into Commercial Pilot Training. I began by studying my ATPL theory exams via distance learning, whilst also moving to Oxford to learn English. It was quite a challenge doing both at the same time I must say!

Once completing my ATPLs, I decided to move further down South and begin my Commercial flight training at BCFT in Bournemouth. We also do a lot of Instrument training at Bournemouth with FTA and it is a beautiful part of the country. It was during my training that I realised the thing that I most wanted to do was to become a flight instructor – I wanted to give back to the students what my instructors gave to me.

I initially worked for BCFT instructing across their various syllabuses and then moved over to FTA in December 2015. I am able to teach across all phases of FTAs training as an advanced instructor. I can do PPL, CPL, Night Rating, MEP and IR instructing. I recently became a flight examiner as well, which was an amazing achievement for me and has allowed me to diversify and enjoy even more aspects of instructing. It’s great for me to continue learning and studying! Over my flying career I have flown 18 different types of aircraft, including my own Cessna 172 based in Bournemouth that I share with my old student.

Integrated student, Hemal Gandhi shares his first impressions of training at FTA's satelite base in Teruel.

Here’s what he had to say about his time so far and going solo for the first time: