Helicentre Aviation Academy has announced its 2022 scholarship initiative – the largest since the programme began in 2012. The quarter-of-a-million pound (GBP) scholarship fund will assist prospective integrated and modular trainee helicopter pilots to fast-track their careers and will continue to provide exceptional, qualified professional helicopter pilots to the UK crew supply chain. The scholarships, bursaries and part-sponsored places will all be awarded by summer 2022.

The application window has opened for prospective integrated students to apply for up to £10,000 to part-sponsor their place on the September 2021 or January 2022 Integrated CPL(H) (Commercial Pilot Licence – Helicopter) courses with ATPL(H)/IR TK (Theoretical Knowledge). The full-time, 12-month programme is a fast-track and cost-effective route to becoming a professional helicopter pilot, and it is the only integrated CPL course for helicopters approved in the UK.

Sixteen part-sponsored integrated CPL(H) places will be offered, totalling £100,000. These will consist of four places, each with £10,000 of part-sponsorship, and twelve places each receiving £5,000. Applicants must complete the form online at flyheli.uk/apply by 15th August 2021. Successful candidates will be notified before the end of August.

For modular students, a further £150,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries will be awarded consisting of one modular CPL(H) scholarship worth up to £55,000, and a “Bristow” CPL(H) scholarship offering a £15,000 modular CPL(H) course paid for by Helicentre with mentorship by Bristow. This will be awarded to one candidate who shows promise in an Oil and Gas career pathway. A fully-sponsored flight instructor course worth £20,000 will also be awarded a full-time FI(H) position on completion, and for ab-initio students, bursaries towards the PPL(H) modular course will be available totalling £60,000.

Helicentre Aviation has been training professional pilots for more than two decades now, and its scholarship programme has part-funded pilots through training since 2012, investing over £750,000 so far into trainees. Head of Training, Captain Sarah Bowen explained why the company has decided to invest so much in the future pilot workforce this year. “Our scholarship programme has always identified stand-out individuals and has provided us with so many high-quality personnel for our own operation, many of whom now have post-holder roles or are flying in other sectors of the helicopter industry.

“It has become really apparent, especially recently that there is a huge lack of awareness about helicopter careers as a whole. So many people choose fixed-wing careers because they don’t think opportunities exist in the helicopter industry, or they believe it is more expensive. With the demographic of an ageing helicopter pilot workforce, and a sector of aviation that has been on the whole resilient through COVID-19, our goal is to raise awareness and give more applicants opportunities for part-sponsorship. This could well be the opportunity someone needs to start their life-long career as a helicopter pilot.”

Those interested in finding out more should register their interest at flyheli.uk/scholarships. A “virtual” career seminar will be held, free of charge on Thursday 5th August and Saturday 14th August to provide detailed information about the entry criteria and subsequent career opportunities once qualified. Places can be reserved by visiting flyheli.uk/seminar.