HeliCentre Aviation Academy has been granted CAA approval to conduct CPL(H)/IR training courses and is enrolling for its May and September intakes. The course is available at both its Midlands and London Oxford airport bases.

The Academy offers ab-initio integrated and modular professional helicopter pilot training, and has a proven track record with successful graduates flying high across the industry. The outstanding results these trainee pilots have attained have paved the way to careers both offshore and onshore, as well as leading to dozens of Flight Instructor scholarships and sponsorships funded by the Academy over the years to support its own crew supply chain.

After successfully producing a continual supply of professional pilots through the modular training route in its first twenty years of operation, the Academy delivered its first Integrated CPL(H) course in 2019, achieving a 100 per cent employment rate for its graduates who all secured First Officer positions offshore. Now on its twelfth intake, the integrated course has proven so successful, with over 40 of its CPL(H) graduates progressing onto modular instrument training on completion, an option for pilots to be able to take an Integrated CPL(H)/IR course was a natural next step.

This new programme has been in development for more than 18 months. Now approved, the course is available for new students wishing to enrol as early as next month on to the next integrated intake. The Academy has also just been awarded CAA approval for the MCC (Multi-Crew Co-operation) course using its own AW109 SP/MCC simulator at the London Oxford airport base.

HeliCentre Aviation Academy specialises in ab-initio rotary training, operates a fleet of 17 company-owned aircraft with 15 full time, permanent flight instructors, approved to teach students on integrated courses, and ultra-modern, purpose-built facilities. The addition of the CPL(H)/IR, which will be delivered alongside existing courses, will allow new trainee pilots to benefit from the high standards and resources already in place at the Academy, bringing some significant time and cost savings to those wishing to go all the way through from beginner to qualified Commercial Helicopter Pilot with Instrument Rating in one continuous course.