20 July 2026
Pilot Careers Live’s return to Manchester attracted its biggest-ever northern audience this month, underlining continued strong demand for professional pilot training despite the financial and economic challenges facing many would-be airline pilots.
Held at The Sheridan on 11 July, the exhibition welcomed 10% more visitors than last year’s event, making it the best-attended Pilot Careers Live North show to date.
Organisers also reported that 95% of attendees were visiting a Pilot Careers Live event for the first time, suggesting the exhibition continues to attract a fresh audience of aspiring pilots.
July’s Pilot Careers Live in Manchester was the busiest northern event to date
The show brought together airlines, flight schools, training organisations and industry bodies, Judging by the busy seminars and the steady stream of social media posts afterwards, visitors came away with more than just brochures.
Several attendees highlighted funded training opportunities as a major attraction. Student pilot Jamail Ndakana said he learned about a range of scholarship schemes, including Bristol Groundschool’s Jet2 NextGen scholarship and funded ATPL and instructor training opportunities from Leading Edge Aviation, describing the event as proof that a professional flying career is “certainly not impossible”.
Seminars from airlines were hugely popular
Aspiring pilot Katherine Killick said the event gave her “a stronger insight into navigating through the aviation industry”, while Nathaniel Kolan praised the opportunity to build contacts, saying networking is “one of the most important factors” in pursuing an airline career.
The exhibition also reinforced efforts to broaden participation within aviation. Volunteers from the British Women Pilots’ Association and the Elevate(her) Aviation team reported strong engagement from young women considering careers on the flight deck, with several commenting on the growing visibility of female role models across the industry.
easyJet was one of several leading airlines to attend PCL Manchester
The demographics reflect the event’s focus on future entrants. Forty per cent of visitors were aged 16-18, while a further 20% were between 19 and 22. Organisers also reported a notably balanced audience, with women making up 40% of attendees. Just as importantly for training providers, 60% of visitors said they intended to begin flight training within the next year.
Exhibitors described a busy day of conversations with prospective students. Training provider 2FLY said its stand experienced “non-stop conversations” throughout the exhibition and noted that demand for airline pilots remains high. British Women Pilots’ Association volunteer Claire Hatton described the venue as spacious and easy to navigate, adding that sharing the excitement of flying with future pilots made the day “well spent”.
For anyone considering an airline career, the message from Manchester was consistent: despite the cost of training, opportunities are expanding through scholarships, mentoring schemes and direct engagement with airlines and training organisations. If the record attendance is any indication, interest in the profession shows little sign of slowing.
