WORKING WEEK
flightglobal.com 19-25 January 2016 | Flight International | 43“It is nothing short of a privilege to work with people so motivated”Finding the best path for new pilots
After spotting that opportunities were becoming restricted for trainees following a modular route, Isobel Hall
established Kura Aviation to give aspiring applicants a more cost-effective route into the airline industryWORK EXPERIENCE ISOBEL HALL
Kura AviationIf you would like to feature in
Working Week, or you know
someone who does, email your
pitch to kate.sarsfield@
flightglobal.comLooking for a job in aerospace?
Check out our listings online at
flightglobal.com/jobsTell us about your career so far.
I have worked in pilot training
for the past 18 years; first for
FlightSafety and then Oxford
Aviation Academy (OAA), cul-
minating in my role as ‘global
lead – selection and customer
services’ when CAE acquired
OAA in 2012. During that time I
spent three months running the
Gondia training school in India,
which was one of the best experi-
ences of my life. I left OAA and
worked as a consultant before
setting up Kura in 2013. I have
been very lucky; I’ve worked
with modular and integrated
self-sponsored cadets; airline
cadets and international airlines
and have been involved in set-
ting up programmes such as the
EasyJet multicrew pilot licence,
British Airways future pilot pro-
gramme and, most recently
through Kura, the new first
officer modular pathway with
BA CityFlyer. It can be a change-
able industry and I have experi-
enced the highs and lows of all of
it, shoulder to shoulder with stu-
dents, colleagues and pilots.
Would I work in any other indus-
try? Absolutely not.
Why did you launch Kura?
I have worked with hundreds of
fantastic pilots who have trained
through both the integrated and
modular training routes. I saw
that there were fewer airline
opportunities for modular
trained pilots, while emphasis
was growing on integrated career
programmes offering profession-
al development training andemployment support. I didn’t
believe this was good for individ-
uals – or the industry – so I set up
Kura to create new training and
employment opportunities as a
way for aspiring pilots to access
the profession by the most cost-
effective route possible in the
knowledge that there was no
compromise in training quality
or employment opportunities.
And, at the same time, I was giv-
ing airlines the same risk reduc-
tion strategies through our type
rating performance guarantee.
I’m really pleased that we have
achieved all of this.
What are the challenges facing
the pilot training industry?
The biggest challenge for aspir-
ing pilots is the huge cost barrier;
it is a huge risk to invest in train-
ing when there is no guaranteed
airline job. For training organisa-tions, the biggest challenge is to
deliver training that creates out-
standing first officer candidates
who have the breadth and depth
of knowledge, skills and attitude
airlines require of flight crew.
Pilot training is a competitive
business. How do you stay
ahead of the game?
I believe Kura is unique: we are
creating new airline employment
opportunities; we have our own
rigorous selection process, not
based on first series passes or
ATPL exam results, but airline
potential; we provide construc-
tive feedback regardless of
whether or not applicants enter
our training programme; we sup-
port modular and integrated stu-
dents wherever they trained;
and, finally, I am very proud of
the fact we are now the first
Community Interest Company(CIC) in the sector. Being a CIC
means our profits must be rein-
vested back into the pilot com-
munity and will be in the form of
funding and sponsorship oppor-
tunities. We are independent and
that is also very important.
What do you enjoy most about
your role?
I have met the best people of my
life working in aviation and I
love the customers. It is nothing
short of a privilege to work with
people so motivated and so pas-
sionate – the risks and hard work
they are prepared to undertake in
order to achieve their dreams is
unbelievable. The joy of seeing
them get their first airline job is
nothing short of amazing.
The least?
Keeping up with technology! But
in terms of the industry, when
there’s a downturn it’s really
tough for pilots and those train-
ing. Fortunately it’s a good time
for aspiring pilots at the moment.
Where do you see yourself five
years from now?
Still forging ahead with deliver-
ing industry-leading training and
with Kura, generating lots of
opportunities to help natural-
born pilots into the profession. nhttp://www.flightglobalimages.com
Check out Flight International’s Image Store
Browse or customise a gift or memento from our
CUTAWAY ARCHIVE of more than 1000 aircraft drawingscutaway SH.indd 1 05/11/2015 11:17