Ryanair selects Skyborne as first UK provider for its Future Flyer Academy
Already partnered with the likes of British Airways, Jet2.com and Delta, Gloucestershire-headquartered flight school Skyborne has now signed a contract to train pilots for Ryanair.
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Skyborne Airline Academy has been chosen by Ryanair to train the next generation of aspiring pilots through the Future Flyer Academy training programme, offering UK entrants a dual UK CAA and EASA licence.
Trainees on the Ryanair Future Flyer Academy will receive a conditional job offer upon enrolment and complete their Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) with Skyborne before joining Ryanair as second officers.
Lee Woodward, chief executive officer, Skyborne, said: “Having secured EASA approval to support this initiative, this is the first time Skyborne is offering UK trainees the opportunity to gain a dual UK CAA and EASA licence.
“We’re proud to contribute to the industry’s growth by providing Ryanair with pilots who meet and exceed the highest standards of professionalism and expertise.
“This collaboration underscores the growing demand for streamlined pathways to the flight deck and the exceptional quality of our airline cadet programmes, which consistently produce highly skilled and well-prepared individuals.”
Prospective trainees will have the option to select an ab-initio, Modular, or Airline Pilot Standard Multi-Crew Cooperation Course (APS MCC) route.
Neal McMahon, chief operations officer, Ryanair, said: “We are delighted to launch the Future Flyer Academy in partnership with Skyborne Airline Academy in the UK.
“By combining Ryanair’s industry-leading expertise with Skyborne’s excellent 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 Skyborne pilot trainees through our Future Flyer Academy over the years to come.”
The Ryanair Future Flyer Academy will be available to trainees based at Skyborne’s facilities in the UK and Vero Beach, Florida, US, with full support from both Skyborne and Ryanair throughout.
You can find a full list of entry requirements on the Skyborne website.
Skyborne is proud to hold close relationships with the world’s leading airlines, offering opportunities for trainees as part of Ryanair’s Future Flyer Academy, British Airways’ Speedbird Pilot Academy, Jet2.com’s Jet2FlightPath, the IndiGo Cadet Pilot Program, the Propel Flight Academy by Delta and the SkyWest Professional Pilot Pathway. Skyborne is also the only academy to support DHL Air (UK) with a fully funded Integrated ATPL training initiative for its employees.
This press release was sent to Raikes by 8020 Communications in June 2025.
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