UK/Europe Ab Initio Pilot Training

About L3Harris

L3Harris Airline Academy's history dates back to the 1990s when a team of ex-pilots set-up CTC Aviation, an airline academy with one primary objective: to provide high-quality pilot training to the aviation industry. Built on a foundation of airline partnerships, fostering strong relationships with airlines is still at the heart of everything we do.

With world-renowned global locations offering state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities we are committed to delivering the highest standard of pilot training. We also understand the need for flexibility in pilot training; hence all MPL and ATPL programmes can be fully tailored to your airline's own SOPs. 

With our global footprint and regulatory approval from aviation authorities including the UKCAA, EASA and FAA we are ideally positioned to deliver training programmes tailored to your needs.

Recent News

ANA and L3Harris signing

In March 2023 we announced the news that Japan's leading airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA) had selected our UK Airline Academy to deliver training for their future pilots.

In the course designed specifically for ANA, students attend a 60-week, single-engine and multi-engine flight training and ground school in the UK before returning to Japan to complete their Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau license.

To discuss our options for delivering a cadet training program for your airline, get in touch with our team.

Pilot training courses

By working closely with our partner airlines, we ensure the changing needs of a commercial pilot in today’s world are met. We ensure that an airline’s values are ingrained in the trainee pilot throughout their training and seek to customize where at all possible. Pilots undertaking the Integrated ATPL route are available to airline partners to tag throughout their training guaranteeing the employment following successful completion of their training based on the hiring airlines set minimum standards.

Typical course timeline consists of:

  • 28 weeks Ground School training - London Training Centre
  • 25 weeks Basic Flight Training - Orlando, Florida, U.S.
  • 8 weeks Advanced Flight Training - Cranfield, UK
  • 3 weeks Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation - London Training Centre
  • Option of 8 weeks Type Rating, dependent on your airline's requirements  - London Training Centre

 

The MPL programme is versatile, as L3Harris works with MPL airline partners and associated regulators to ensure that the course footprint meets all regulatory aspects and produces highly skilled pilots ready to undertake the role of a First Officer.

Typical course timeline consists of:

  • 28 weeks Ground School training - London Training Centre
  • 20 weeks Core Flight Training - Orlando, Florida, U.S.
  • 7 weeks Basic Simulator Training - London Training Centre
  • 9 weeks Intermediate Simulator Training - London Training Centre
  • 6 weeks Advanced Simulator Training - London Training Centre

 

L3Harris provides industry leading Type Rating training and its courses can be tailored to meet specific airline requirements. In order to provide the most efficient and cost-effective Type Rating training programme to airlines, we use a range of training technologies including computer-based training (CBT) platforms, fixed based training devices and our world-renowned RealitySeven Full Flight Simulators.

Setting a new training standard

L3Harris is a recognised leader in Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) and Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs, processing more than 18 million flights from commercial black-box data recorders.

We have implemented our own FDM technology into Airline Academy ab-initio flight training. This technology provides operational trend data for detailed instructor feedback and preventative maintenance and provides academy pilots with detailed flight data to improve training and development. Watch our video below to learn more about this implementation. 

This innovation enhances our safety culture and improves training efficiency through a data-driven approach. 

L3Harris received Air Transport World’s (ATW) Aviation Technology Achievement award in 2022 due to this implementation.

Click here to learn more     Download brochure

Our UKCAA / EASA Training Locations

Below is an overview of our training facilities approved to deliver UKCAA and EASA training programs.

location-london-training-center

London Training Centre

Opened in 2019, the London Training Centre is a new state-of-the-art purpose-built pilot training and flight simulator production facility based in close proximity to London Gatwick Airport. It is a global centre of excellence, providing the airline industry with the highest quality of training services in a state-of-the-art environment. The facility houses a range of the latest innovative flight training technologies, including RealitySeven Full Flight Simulators, briefing rooms and classrooms.

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L3Harris Academy fleet in Sanford, Florida

Florida Flight Academy, Sanford

Our Florida Flight Academy delivers the basic flight training phases of UKCAA and EASA training. The location - previously known as the Delta Connection Academy - benefits from more than 300 flying days a year. UK/Europe trainee pilots have access to single-engine Cirrus, Cessna and Piper PA28s and the mutli-engine Piper Seminole aircraft, purpose-built facilities at an international airport with high-intensity runway lighting and AWOS weather reporting system.

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L3Harris Academy fleet in Cranfield, UK

Cranfield Training Centre

Based at Cranfield Airport, owned by Cranfield University renowned for its aeronautical research and development, the Airline Academy holds a prime location on the airport's main taxiway with access to the digital control tower. The facility houses single and twin engine Diamond aircraft, including ILS, NDB, and GNSS approaches. There is also an 1800m runway with UK's only digital ATC tower which allows replay approaches to aid learning, as well as numerous classrooms and briefing rooms.

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Pilots From The L3Harris Graduate Placement Pool

Two L3Harris Airline Academy students

Is your airline or operation looking for low hours pilots to meet your recruitment needs? Reach out to us today.

Why choose L3Harris for your pilot recruitment needs?

  • Low hour pilots
  • A dedicated L3Harris assessor to help conduct assessments
  • Cadets trained up to and including the APS MCC stage
  • UKCAA and EASA licence holders
  • Trained through Integrated and MPL routes
  • Cadets kept current and recent through simulator refresher sessions

To find out more, reach out to our Global Pilot Selection team here.

MAKE AN INQUIRY

Please complete the form below to contact the team for more information on how our UK Airline Academy can support your airline.

Submit a General Inquiry

FIND OUT MORE

FDM system

Airline Academy Flight Data Monitoring

We have implemented our own Flight Data Monitoring technology into Airline Academy ab-initio flight training.

Latest news

All Nippon Airlines students will train on aircraft like the Diamond DA42 at L3Harris’ Cranfield Training Center in England for the 60-week, single-engine and multi-engine flight training and ground school.

Press release | 02. 07. 2023

L3Harris Selected to Train All Pilots for Japan’s Leading Airline

L3Harris Technologies announced today its selection by Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd., to train its next generation of pilots.

All Nippon Airlines students will train on aircraft like the Diamond DA42 at L3Harris’ Cranfield Training Center in England for the 60-week, single-engine and multi-engine flight training and ground school.

Press release | 02. 07. 2023

L3Harris Selected to Train All Pilots for Japan’s Leading Airline

L3Harris Flight Academy Piper Aircraft

Editorial | 09. 23. 2022

L3Harris' Florida Flight Academy Earns Additional Regulatory Approvals

L3Harris Airline Academy launches new training centre facilities at Cranfield.

Trade Release | 07. 15. 2022

L3Harris Airline Academy Launches New Training Center Facilities at Cranfield

L3Harris’ Florida Flight Academy Earns UK Regulatory Flight Training Approval.

Trade Release | 07. 14. 2022

L3Harris’ Florida Flight Academy Earns UK Regulatory Flight Training Approval

Aircraft in-flight

Trade Release | 06. 22. 2022

L3Harris Receives Prestigious International Aviation Technology Achievement Award