<p>If there is one thing that Ryanair has shown time and again, it is a drive to improve and never become complacent. The approach has taken the carrier to regular sizeable profits and a fleet of more than 430 Boeing 737-800s.</p>
<p><img alt="FR-VA Training deal " src="/getasset/f4ada611-bfef-4239-a3b9-37d44e023efd/" /><em>IMAGE CAPTION:<br />
Celebrating the VA–Ryanair partnership for the APS MCC mentored programme are (l–r): John Dooly, GM ops development, Ryanair; Faethon Thanos, FOPs SME, Ryanair; Angelo Currao, pilot recruitment coordinator, Ryanair; Lisa Gilmore, senior airline training adviser, VA; Anthony Petteford, executive director VA; Senan O’Shea, head of training, Ryanair; Ben Boness, executive director, VA; and Mark Duffy, head of talent acquisition, Ryanair.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, over the next five years the airline plans to increase that figure by more than 150 as it plans for an all-Boeing 737 fleet of 585 aircraft by 2024. To get there it has 135 new 737 MAX 200s on firm order, plus options for 75 more.</p>
<p>Obviously that means more pilots will be needed. And although the planned early deliveries of the carrier’s 737 MAXs have been delayed by the family’s grounding, Ryanair has already begun the process of attracting and training the crew it will need once deliveries resume.</p>
<p>Instrumental in that is a major new training partnership with VA Airline Training to deliver a “Ryanair Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) programme” at the training company’s UK base in Cambridge. Announcing the deal, the airline emphasised how the partnership “will ensure Ryanair continues to attract highly trained professional pilots to support its continued growth across Europe”.</p>
<p>This new EASA-approved enhanced MCC programme is designed to give trainee pilots a structured path to reach a required standard – and there will be at least eight places available every month. It uses Ryanair standard operating procedures (SOPs), charts and electronic flight bags on VA’s Boeing 737NG simulator. On successful completion, candidates are considered ready to join the Ryanair Boeing 737 Type Rating programme.</p>
<p>“Over the course of the next three years, over 300 new pilots from across Europe will be assessed and trained by VA Airline Training, underlining its respected position in the pilot training market,” the low-cost carrier elaborated.</p>
<p>The Ryanair-mentored APS MCC will be delivered over a three week period. It includes 35 hours of theoretical knowledge instruction. All courseware – a flight deck infographic foldout poster and systems manual – is included. Students will receive 25 hours of briefing and debriefing before and after simulator training lessons (which will run to 40 hours in VA’s Boeing 737NG simulator).</p>
<p>Candidates will also have unlimited access to tactile FMC (flight management computer) trainers and flight deck mock-ups. A ‘Competency Assurance’ will be provided by VA as confirmation of the highest levels of competencies, before moving on to the Ryanair Type Rating assessment.</p>
<p>“This new Ryanair–VA Airline Training programme will provide a steady pipeline of talented and professional pilots from around Europe to meet the needs of our growing network. Ryanair will hire up to 1,000 pilots per annum over the course of the next five years and our pilots can look forward to unmatched opportunities,” declared Ryanair’s head of crew training, Captain Senan O’Shea.</p>
<p>“After careful consideration, we have chosen VA Airline Training as our UK-based APS MCC pilot training partner due to their continuous high standards in APS MCC training,” O’Shea continued. “We are pleased to lend our operational expertise to VA Airline Training, especially in the provision of what will be an outstanding Airline Pilot Standard MCC.”</p>
<p>VA Airline Training’s executive partner, Anthony Petteford, noted how his company was the first Approved Training Organisation to launch APS MCC in the UK and added, “This exciting new partnership with Ryanair further endorses the added value attributed by airlines to this training.</p>
<p>“This is a unique and outstanding opportunity for our graduates to become commercial airline pilots for the fastest growing airline in Europe. Ryanair has an industry leading training department with an unrivalled safety record and we are proud to be associated with them. This is a new approach to pilot training and one that we welcome enthusiastically,” Petteford remarked.</p>
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<p><img alt="FR-VA Training deal " src="/getasset/f4ada611-bfef-4239-a3b9-37d44e023efd/" /><em>IMAGE CAPTION:<br />
Celebrating the VA–Ryanair partnership for the APS MCC mentored programme are (l–r): John Dooly, GM ops development, Ryanair; Faethon Thanos, FOPs SME, Ryanair; Angelo Currao, pilot recruitment coordinator, Ryanair; Lisa Gilmore, senior airline training adviser, VA; Anthony Petteford, executive director VA; Senan O’Shea, head of training, Ryanair; Ben Boness, executive director, VA; and Mark Duffy, head of talent acquisition, Ryanair.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, over the next five years the airline plans to increase that figure by more than 150 as it plans for an all-Boeing 737 fleet of 585 aircraft by 2024. To get there it has 135 new 737 MAX 200s on firm order, plus options for 75 more.</p>
<p>Obviously that means more pilots will be needed. And although the planned early deliveries of the carrier’s 737 MAXs have been delayed by the family’s grounding, Ryanair has already begun the process of attracting and training the crew it will need once deliveries resume.</p>
<p>Instrumental in that is a major new training partnership with VA Airline Training to deliver a “Ryanair Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) programme” at the training company’s UK base in Cambridge. Announcing the deal, the airline emphasised how the partnership “will ensure Ryanair continues to attract highly trained professional pilots to support its continued growth across Europe”.</p>
<p>This new EASA-approved enhanced MCC programme is designed to give trainee pilots a structured path to reach a required standard – and there will be at least eight places available every month. It uses Ryanair standard operating procedures (SOPs), charts and electronic flight bags on VA’s Boeing 737NG simulator. On successful completion, candidates are considered ready to join the Ryanair Boeing 737 Type Rating programme.</p>
<p>“Over the course of the next three years, over 300 new pilots from across Europe will be assessed and trained by VA Airline Training, underlining its respected position in the pilot training market,” the low-cost carrier elaborated.</p>
<p>The Ryanair-mentored APS MCC will be delivered over a three week period. It includes 35 hours of theoretical knowledge instruction. All courseware – a flight deck infographic foldout poster and systems manual – is included. Students will receive 25 hours of briefing and debriefing before and after simulator training lessons (which will run to 40 hours in VA’s Boeing 737NG simulator).</p>
<p>Candidates will also have unlimited access to tactile FMC (flight management computer) trainers and flight deck mock-ups. A ‘Competency Assurance’ will be provided by VA as confirmation of the highest levels of competencies, before moving on to the Ryanair Type Rating assessment.</p>
<p>“This new Ryanair–VA Airline Training programme will provide a steady pipeline of talented and professional pilots from around Europe to meet the needs of our growing network. Ryanair will hire up to 1,000 pilots per annum over the course of the next five years and our pilots can look forward to unmatched opportunities,” declared Ryanair’s head of crew training, Captain Senan O’Shea.</p>
<p>“After careful consideration, we have chosen VA Airline Training as our UK-based APS MCC pilot training partner due to their continuous high standards in APS MCC training,” O’Shea continued. “We are pleased to lend our operational expertise to VA Airline Training, especially in the provision of what will be an outstanding Airline Pilot Standard MCC.”</p>
<p>VA Airline Training’s executive partner, Anthony Petteford, noted how his company was the first Approved Training Organisation to launch APS MCC in the UK and added, “This exciting new partnership with Ryanair further endorses the added value attributed by airlines to this training.</p>
<p>“This is a unique and outstanding opportunity for our graduates to become commercial airline pilots for the fastest growing airline in Europe. Ryanair has an industry leading training department with an unrivalled safety record and we are proud to be associated with them. This is a new approach to pilot training and one that we welcome enthusiastically,” Petteford remarked.</p>
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