Cambridge-based VA Airline Training (VA) has announced a series of measures to support trainee pilots during the Covid-19 pandemic.
They are:
- Refresher training: Any VA APS MCC graduate who finishes an APS MCC training course after 1 March 2020 and who does not get invited to an airline simulator assessment due to the Covid-19 circumstances within six months of their course completion date, will receive individually tailored, ‘special arrangement’, competency refresher training from VA free of charge.
- Bursary 24: Following the success of its ‘Bursary 24’ offer during March 2020, VA has announced that an additional 24 £500 Bursaries will now be available throughout the months of April and May 2020. Pilots booking either a VA APS MCC or a Ryanair Mentored APS MCC will receive a £500 bursary to secure the course for £6,400 including VAT instead of the regular £6,900 course fee.
- Flexible start dates: APS MCC course start dates may now be ‘rolled forward’ to a later date to accommodate the inevitable delays in aircraft flight training without the application of the usual administrative change fee.
Anthony Petteford, managing director of VA Airline Training, said, “The current situation is difficult for everyone.
“We empathise with those pilots who are nearing the final phases of their training but facing flight training delays and additional financial challenges.
“We will do what we can to support and help them achieve their APS MCC certificate so that they are genuinely airline ready when the recovery does come.”
In addition, VA is offering four regular fee incentives, two of which have been enhanced to provide additional support:
- Birds of a Feather: VA’s aviation industry incentive entitles those already in possession of a valid industry cabin crew or pilot (SPA) ID (or have parents who hold industry ID) to a £150 fee incentive. From 1 April 2020, this offer is now extended further to any pilot (or their parents) who is/was a member of any of our emergency services or the NHS.
- Early Bird: Pilots who pay in full at least 60 days in advance of their course start date will now receive an enhanced £250 fee incentive (increased from 1 April 2020. The previous incentive value was £150).
- Book as a Pair: £150 fee incentive per pilot if both book onto the same APS MCC course simultaneously.
- Point a Pilot: A VA Graduate Loyalty incentive. VA Graduates may ‘point’ another pilot to complete their APS MCC with VA and both parties benefit. The ‘pointed’ pilot earns a £150 credit towards their APS MCC or future training. The ‘pointing’ VA Graduate pilot also earns a £150 credit towards an Airline Simulator Assessment Preparation session or Flight Simulator Experience.
