Leading Edge Aviation is one of a handful of Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) who are offering students the opportunity to achieve a dual UK CAA and EASA licence – and their first students to take this option have now graduated and received their dual licences.
For Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) students who had already completed ground school before the end of 2020, achieving a dual licence was possible as their ATPL exams were sat while the UK was still part of the EU and therefore valid for both the UK CAA and EASA governing bodies.
Those students then went on to complete some additional flights, ensuring their flight training and exams adhered to both UK CAA and EASA requirements.
Students looking to begin their training journey now, will have to complete two sets of ATPL exams. This entails the same study route, but students then sit both UK CAA and EASA exams (totalling 26 exams) before moving onto flight training that includes flights in both UK CAA and EASA airspace.
Chief Operating Officer Dave Alexander said, “We’re immensely proud of our first students who’ve achieved their dual licences.
“They’ve worked with us as we’ve developed a robust course and have also benefited from flying in both UK and EASA airspace.
“We’ve already noticed that a high proportion of students joining us are choosing this route and it’s a great decision to make.
“Airlines are telling us that graduates holding a dual licence are placing themselves in the strongest position for recruitment, as it affords the airline more flexibility when placing pilots throughout their network.”
This announcement follows recent news of airline placements for LEAL graduates as pilots with Aurigny, Loganair, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
