Helicentre student pilot James Lee celebrating achieving his Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL). Photo: Helicentre
For the past ten years Helicentre Aviation Academy at Leicester Airport has been offering scholarships and bursaries to help pay for pilot training and its latest round of funding is its biggest yet – £250,000.
Yes, a quarter of a million pounds.
Helicentre’s Head of Training, Captain Sarah Bowen explained why the company has decided to invest so much this year.
“Our scholarship programme has always identified stand-out individuals and has provided us with so many high-quality personnel for our own operation, many of whom now have post-holder roles or are flying in other sectors of the helicopter industry.
“It has become really apparent, especially recently, that there is a huge lack of awareness about helicopter careers as a whole.
“So many people choose fixed-wing careers because they don’t think opportunities exist in the helicopter industry, or they believe it is more expensive.
“With the demographic of an ageing helicopter pilot workforce, and a sector of aviation that has been on the whole resilient through Covid-19, our goal is to raise awareness and give more applicants opportunities for part-sponsorship.
“This could well be the opportunity someone needs to start their life-long career as a helicopter pilot.”
Apply now
Helicentre has opened the application window for prospective integrated students to apply for up to £10,000 to part-sponsor their place on the September 2021 or January 2022 Integrated CPL(H) (Commercial Pilot Licence – Helicopter) courses with ATPL(H)/IR TK (Theoretical Knowledge).
The full-time, 12-month programme is a fast-track route to becoming a professional helicopter pilot, and it is the only integrated CPL course for helicopters approved in the UK.
Sixteen part-sponsored integrated CPL(H) places will be offered, totalling £100,000. These will consist of four places, each with £10,000 of part-sponsorship, and twelve places each receiving £5,000.
Applicants must complete the form online at flyheli.uk/apply by 15 August 2021. Successful candidates will be notified before the end of August.
For modular students, a further £150,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries will be awarded consisting of one modular CPL(H) scholarship worth up to £55,000, and a Bristow CPL(H) scholarship offering a £15,000 modular CPL(H) course paid for by Helicentre with mentorship by Bristow. This will be awarded to one candidate who shows promise in an Oil and Gas career pathway.
A fully-sponsored flight instructor course worth £20,000 will also be awarded with a full-time FI(H) position on completion.
For ab-initio students, bursaries towards the PPL(H) modular course will be available totalling £60,000.
Interested in finding out more? Register your interest at flyheli.uk/scholarships.
A virtual career seminar will be held, free of charge on Thursday 5 August and Saturday 14 August to provide detailed information about the entry criteria and subsequent career opportunities once qualified. Places can be reserved by visiting flyheli.uk/seminar.
