CTC Aviation’s annual graduation took place in a grand marquee at the company’s Airline Resourcing and Selection Centre – Dibden Manor on 12 December 2014.

208 graduates of CTC Aviation’s airline pilot career programme CTC Wings and the company’s modular training Route, CTC Takoff were congratulated on their achievements by the guest of honour for the day, International Airlines Group CEO, Willie Walsh.

Speaking at the event, Mr Walsh said – “I’m pleased to say that British Airways is delighted to have a relationship with CTC Aviation. It’s been a very productive one and I’m delighted to see British Airways cadets, now pilots – first officers – in the room with us today. I’m also delighted to say that we will be embarking on the next phase of our future pilot programme early next year; so we will be giving the opportunity that you have had, to another group of people who will be able to get into this industry and hopefully have a long and enjoyable career.

“This is a great industry and you have a great opportunity. I want to recognise the great efforts you have made to get so far, to congratulate you on behalf of everybody here on the work that you have done and to wish you the very best in the industry that you now enter. I hope you have an exciting career – as exciting as mine. Every single one of you sitting here could have my job and that is the ambition you should have because there is nothing to stop you moving forward in this industry.”

31 of this year’s graduates have already been placed with British Airways, either through British Airways’ own Future Pilot Programme that is managed by CTC Aviation, or directly through CTC Aviation’s own airline pilot career programme, CTC WINGS. CTC Aviation has been exclusively selected by British Airways as the only flight training provider able to supply newly qualified pilots to British Airways outside of those selected through the Future Pilot Programme. This year, 6 of the British Airways graduates had completed their training with CTC WINGS and underwent British Airways selection during the advanced stages of their CTC WINGS training. They and their fellow FPP graduates are all now flying as First Officers on the airline’s Airbus A320 fleet.

In addition to the British Airways pilots, 87 of this year’s graduate group are now with easyJet and others have joined Monarch Airlines, Flybe and CTC Aviation’s own private jet operation, CTC PRIVATE JET. CTC Aviation’s dedicated graduate placement team facilitates placement opportunities for a record 98% of its graduates from the various CTC WINGS Routes and the company is confident that the remaining pilots will commence their first flying roles with a Partner airline within 6 months.

Rob Clarke, CEO of CTC Aviation also spoke at the event; “Close association with Industry is helping us drive diversity and bring opportunity to an ever wider audience of prospective pilots and I’m proud that CTC Aviation has helped so many people start their career. We continue to lead the industry with our placement success as a result of the fantastic relationships we are blessed to have with our airline partners.”

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