22 August 2007
The privately-owned Bond Aviation Group, which operates Super Puma helicopters in the offshore oil and gas industry and a mixed fleet of EC 135T2s and Bolkow 105s inshore, has announced it is investing £4m in the first phase of an expanded training programme which will provide 12 pilots and 20 engineers.
Bond Executive Chairman, Peter Bond, said: “We recognise that the shortage facing the industry requires a proactive approach in attracting new people and to help meet our longer term requirements in expanding our activities”.
An initial 12 applicants are being sought to train as pilots, with the first stage in the USA where they will spend 48 weeks gaining their flying licences, followed by 16 weeks with the Bond Training Division at Staverton for Instrument Rating.
As qualified crew, they will then fly as co-pilots on Bond’s offshore operations for several years before having the opportunity to become captains of light twin-engine helicopters on onshore operations. The career development programme with Bond includes later returning to flying in the offshore industry as Captains.
Four engineering apprentices annually are being sponsored by Bond over five years, with the first group of students already in training.
<a href=’http://www.bondairservices.com’ target=’_blank’>Bond Air Services website</a>
