20 July 2022
L3Harris is expanding its professional pilot training centre at Cranfield Airport, UK.
The improvements will include new classrooms and three new Diamond DA42 flight simulators to enhance the learning experience for trainee pilots, as well as increase capacity for safety repetitions via simulator training alongside airborne flight training.
“We are committed to providing the highest quality of training for aspiring pilots and airline partners,” said Dave Coward, general manager of L3Harris Training Services.
“The aviation industry is recovering quickly and the demand for well-trained pilots continues to grow. These investments answer those demands and reinforce that our Cranfield facilities are the pilot training centre of excellence in the U.K.”
The training centre is located at Cranfield University’s own airport. The L3Harris collaboration with the university enables trainee pilots to immerse themselves in campus life with on-site accommodation adjacent to the training, research and development facilities.
As well as booosting its UK centre, L3Harris has received approval from the UK CAA for its Integrated Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) courses at its Sanford Flying Training Academy near Orlando, Florida.
An equivalent approval with the European Aviation Safety Agency [EASA] and other global regulators is expected in coming weeks.
The accreditation enables cadets training for ATPL licences to complete a basic 32-week flight training course at the Florida academy. The programme includes single-engine aircraft flights, skill tests and a first solo flight, as well as navigation and night flying. Students then return to the UK to complete advanced multi-engine flight training.
The course is designed to take a cadet from little or no flying experience to a fully qualified airline pilot in approximately 72 weeks.
“Integrated ATPL cadets can now complete basic flight training at our US Academy, getting maximum use out of our fair weather flight academy in Orlando, Florida,” said Dave Coward.
“With roughly 300 flying days a year – and our ideal location – this approval sets us up to expand training to maximise our international Academy footprint and more efficiently use our world-class facilities and training aircraft.”
