Sponsored seats: how operators pay for your pilot training

Pilot training is expensive. A type rating can cost anywhere from 94,000 to 285,000 credits, and that puts many talented people off before they start. The good news is that most of our students do not pay the full fee. Last year 61 per cent of type rating and endorsement places were sponsored by hiring partners.

A sponsored seat is simple. An operator that needs pilots, such as a freight union, mining cooperative, rescue trust or passenger line, pays your tuition. In return you commit to fly for them for an agreed period after graduating, usually two to four years. If you leave early, you repay a proportion of the fee.

Our partners sponsor different courses depending on their fleets. Freight unions fund Atlas Heavy Freighter trainees on the Heavy Freight Type Rating. Belt mining cooperatives fund the Ore Hauler Type Rating, often a whole cohort at a time. Medical trusts sponsor Medevac Flight Operations in return for two years on their rescue rosters. Jovian helium cooperatives cover most places on Gas Giant Skimming. Some partners also fund First Solo places for young people with no flying background, which is how many of our best pilots began.

To apply, you go through our normal admissions process, then tick the box for sponsorship. We share your application with partners whose fleets match your interests, and they interview candidates directly. Some cooperatives vote on which candidates to fund, so be prepared to introduce yourself.

Graduates on sponsored seats start work almost immediately. In 2186 we placed 94 per cent of all graduates in flying jobs within six months, and nearly every sponsored graduate was flying for their sponsor within six weeks of their check ride.

There are trade-offs. A sponsored seat ties you to one employer for a few years, and the most popular sponsorships are competitive. But for most people it is the difference between flying and not flying.

If you run a fleet and are struggling to find qualified crews, our operator briefing explains how to sponsor seats. If you are a prospective student, talk to us at a careers fair.