Ryanair aims to hire over 400 aspiring pilots as second officers over the next four years under its Future Flyer Academy pilot training programme in collaboration with Atlantic Flight Training Academy.
The Future Flyer Academy offers aspiring pilots a comprehensive training program combining classroom, simulator, and practical training, leading to an employment path as a Second Officer at Ryanair, aligning with the airline’s growth plans to carry over 300 million passengers annually on a fleet of 800 aircraft by 2034.
Through the partnership, Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) provides training to aspiring pilots to meet criteria for completing their Type Rating course to operate Ryanair’s Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 aircraft, fast-tracking pilot training progression within the program while ensuring job guarantees at Ryanair upon completion.
Benefits for candidates in the Future Flyer Academy include competitive earnings potential, access to Ryanair’s Route-to-Command program, industry-leading rosters, diverse basing opportunities, and the chance to fly on Europe’s youngest and most efficient fleet, contributing to environmental sustainability with an average CO2 emission of 65g per passenger/km. Interested applicants can apply through the Ryanair website or AFTA’s dedicated webpage, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to supporting and developing future pilot talents.
Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, said: “we are delighted to launch the Future Flyer Academy in partnership with Atlantic Flight Training Academy here in Ireland. By combining Ryanair’s industry-leading expertise with AFTA’s world-class training programmes, our Future Flyer Academy will create unparalleled opportunities for 100’s of aspiring pilots who are looking to kickstart a well-paid career in aviation as a commercial pilot. Ryanair’s new Future Flyer Academy training programme shows our continued commitment to supporting, developing, and recruiting aspiring pilots for future positions as we take delivery of over 300 Boeing 737 MAX-10 aircraft over the next 10 years. Ryanair looks forward to growing the careers of many more AFTA pilot trainees through our new Future Flyer Academy over the years to come.”
Mark Casey Managing Director at AFTA, said: “we are delighted to announce the partnership with Ryanair on the Future Flyer Academy. AFTA will celebrate 30 years in business next March 2025 and has a long-standing relationship with Ryanair. A very large number of our graduates currently fly as First officers, Captains, Training Captains and management pilots within the airline. The new Future Flyer Academy will give successful applicants a clear path towards a long and rewarding career as a Ryanair pilot. Ryanair’s training department is recognised as the best in the industry and the partnership validates the quality of our training programmes and AFTAs role in shaping the future Captains of the skies. We look forward to welcoming future Ryanair Captains through our doors in AFTA.”
