Virgin Australia and Skywest Airlines have named Flight Training Adelaide as the preferred training provider for their new cadet pilot program.
The first 56-week training course is scheduled to begin in December. Following graduation, cadets will work as first officers on Virgin’s Skywest-operated ATR turboprop fleet for three years or 1,500 hours before transitioning to Virgin jet first officer positions.
Recruitment for the initial class of cadets, who do not require any previous flying experience, is scheduled to begin in August. Virgin says it will offer financial assistance to successful candidates by advancing upfront training costs and assisting with living expenses during the training program.
“I am proud that Virgin Australia has been able to create a program that makes it possible for more Australians to realise their dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot,” Captain Brad Thomann, Virgin’s general manager for group flight operations, said.
“The cadet program will supplement pilot recruitment from more traditional career paths and provide us a consistent long-term pipeline of well-trained pilots for years to come.”
Founded in 1982, Flight Training Adelaide has trained pilots for airlines including Qantas, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Dragonair and JAL Express.
