Portishead Cadet Selected for easyJet Training Programme!

Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing congratulates one of its own who has won a place on a commercial flying training programme with easyJet!

Cadet Flight Sergeant Coutts-Wood, at 2494 (Portishead) Squadron, hangs up his cadet uniform in August to start the next chapter in his aviation career. We asked him about his time as a cadet and how it has helped him towards this achievement:

“I joined 2494 (Portishead) Squadron back in 2012. Since then I’ve met some amazing people and had some phenomenal experiences. The highlight of my cadet career was being able to fly solo in a powered aircraft (Aquila A211), even before I could drive, on my Air Cadet Pilot Scheme (ACPS) Flying Scholarship. I would recommend the scheme if you want a taste of an integrated flight training programme, where you can work with your peers to achieve the goal of solo flight within just 12 hours of flight time. The 2 weeks in a Hilton hotel is a bonus! Both the ACPS and the Air Training Corps in its entirety gave me the relevant skills and experience to pass the rigorous selection process at L3 Airline Academy (formerly CTC Aviation) and make the leap onto a commercial training programme with easyJet. During selection, competition was incredibly high and so were the standards, which made it very tough. The Generation easyJet Programme allows for L3 Airline Academy cadets to enter direct employment with the airline straight from training, into a First Officer role. I’ll always be very grateful to the squadron, Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing and the ATC for all they’ve done for me and I will definitely return as staff. I will be more than happy to answer any questions anyone might have about selection, the medical, funding, the programme itself or anything else related.” – Cdt Flt Sgt Coutts-Wood

The Wing wishes him every success on his forthcoming career.