Airline Academy

British Airways Partnership Signals the Start of a New Era in Pilot Recruitment

  • Article by Dave Coward, VP & General Manager, L3Harris Airline Academy
  • Published
  • Duration 3 minute read

British Airways recently selected L3Harris to be their accredited pilot recruitment partner, supporting the airline’s need for its next generation of highly-skilled pilots. This is great news for aspiring pilots, L3Harris and the industry at large as it shows a positive development in graduate pilot recruitment from one of the world’s foremost airlines.

I know from speaking with aspiring pilots and their families at industry events, and our own L3Harris Open Days, that airline job prospects for graduates, or lack of them in recent years, has contributed to peoples’ apprehension around commencing pilot training. With this announcement, students in training, our recent graduates and those thinking about starting training, should take great confidence that the tide is turning, and employment opportunities are showing signs of returning at pace. It’s incredibly motivating to know that the excitement shared with me by our students of becoming airline pilots has a much clearer path ahead.

As part of the agreement British Airways will recruit newly qualified pilots from the L3Harris Graduate Placement Pool and students at various stages of training - a process known as ‘tagging’. This means students currently in training, that meet the airline’s recruitment criteria, can apply, and if successful in their airline interview will be offered, employment as First Officers with BA Euroflyer, upon successful completion of training.

British Airways always demand the highest performers in their pilot recruitment and we take great pride in ensuring our students are trained to the highest standards. All the way through Ground School, flight training and APS MCC our students are trained to become airline-ready-pilots from day one. It is due to this that 159 graduates have successfully found employment as airline pilots in 2023 alone and why I am confident that L3Harris students will be best placed to take advantage of the British Airways pilot recruitment opportunities.

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I’d also like to take a moment to congratulate all of the L3Harris graduates that are now flying for some of Europe’s leading airlines and acknowledge the hard work of our Graduate Placement team that work tirelessly to find these opportunities.

Since the beginning of 2022 over 315 L3Harris graduates have started their pilot careers with airlines including: easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Jet2, Wizz Air and many more.

So, what does this tell us?

  • Industry growth: Confidence has returned to the airline industry and it’s now in a growth phase
  • Pilot demand: Airlines are seeking recruitment partnerships to satisfy a rapidly increasing demand for pilots.
  • Now is the right time: It has never been a better time to start your pilot training. With the average Integrated ATPL course taking 70 weeks, there won’t be a lack of employment opportunities when you graduate.

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Thinking About Making the Next Step?

We offer a range of pilot training courses, regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority and European Union Aviation Safety Agency for those who want their career to take off. Our Integrated ATPL training at L3Harris Airline Academy provides you with an unparalleled learning experience and equips you to become a successful pilot

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What's Next?

If you are feeling inspired by this article then why not take a look at all the pilot training programmes we have to offer? Or reach out to our team to discuss in more detail.