Hungarian Wizz Air launches training programme for female pilots

Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has launched a cadet programme to support the careers of female pilots. The training will last for 18 months. The cadets will be able to repay the tuition fees in equal instalments over six years after passing the pilot’s exam, the airline said on Wednesday.

She Can Fly pilot programme

With only 5 percent of pilots being female, Wizz Air is committed to breaking down gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality in this profession, too, the company said. The new cadet programme for women over 18 offers opportunities for those who want to become pilots on Wizz Air commercial flights, airportal.hu reports.

The She Can Fly pilot academy programme provides a unique, simple and financially rewarding opportunity for those who want to become pilots on the airline’s commercial flights. The training programme, which is open to applicants with no previous pilot experience, will run for 18 months and is run in partnership with Trener Flight Academy in Hungary.

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The training

At the beginning of the training, cadets acquire the theoretical knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to become a pilot, index.hu writes. Successful cadets can progress to advanced training, after which candidates will undergo Wizz Air-specific training before becoming full-fledged first officers with the airline, they said.

The financial part of the training

Cadets will have to pay a fee of EUR 800 at the start of the course. The remaining EUR 60,668 will be paid in advance by Wizz Air if applicants meet the requirements after the fifth month of training. The tuition fee can be paid back in equal instalments over a period of six years after the successful completion of the pilot’s exam, the airline said.

Attila Tóvári, Head of Education at Wizz Air’s pilot training school, pointed out in the statement that only 5 percent of commercial airline pilots worldwide are women, and it is time to change this.

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Source: airportal.hu, index.hu, wizzair.com