A new initiative to help aspiring young pilots into a career in aviation has been launched by CTC Aviation, the Air League and Lasham Gliding Club.
The joint initiative, called ‘iFly’, will use the sport of gliding as an affordable tool to not only help young people get in the air sooner, but also to give their CV a real boost when it comes to progressing an application for a pilot training programme in the future.
To kick-start the launch of the programme, the Air league is funding a week long intensive gliding course (24-28 August 2015) for four lucky pre-launch competition winners. Those entering the pre-launch competition will need to be between 16 – 18 years of age and available 24-28 August 2015 to take advantage of this prize. During the week, aspiring pilots will learn to glide in a fleet of modern two-seat training aircraft with experienced instructors.
Many young pilots want to fly for their own pleasure before they embark upon an airline pilot career programme, but often find it difficult to fund their passion. The iFly programme will enable successful applicants to gain valuable experience in terms of flying and theory designed help them in their future airline pilot career endeavours.
Following a one week intensive gliding course with Lasham Gliding club, the programme will continue until the iFly member turns 18, and aims to get aspiring pilot’s gliding solo by the end of their first year. More details of the full iFly programme – which is intended to be extended to those aged 14-18 years – will be launched during autumn 2015. The winners of this pre-launch competition will not only win the week’s gliding course at Lasham, but also be the first iFly crew to benefit from the full programme when it goes live.
Andy Perkins of the Air League who has lead the initiative with CTC Aviation and Lasham says, “Gliding is a comparatively cheap and green sport that is building for the future. It’s a great way to engage young aviators at an earlier age – you could go solo as young as 14 – but it also helps to enhance your flying ability. iFly is designed to equip aspiring pilots with not only flying, but the teamwork and other interpersonal skills that are vital for a career in the airlines.
“Gliding was featured on the BBC news this weekend (15 August 2015), so the sport is ‘hot news’ right now. This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for the lucky winners to get involved and they will go on to be our first iFly crew members benefitting from a range of exciting initiatives that our iFly partners – CTC Aviation, Lasham Gliding Club as well as the Air League – are all supporting.”
Discover more and enter via www.ifly-gb.com
Entries must be received by Wednesday August 19th 2015 and prize winners will be notified by Friday 21st August 2015.
