News and Blog  

Browse the latest news and blog posts – from exciting expansion plans and industry updates to pilot careers and essential training information.

Latest News

How to Become a Pilot: Turn Your Dream Career into Reality

How to Become a Pilot: Turn Your Dream Career into Reality

As we embrace the new year, consider transforming your dream of flying into a reality with a career as a commercial pilot. Leading Edge Aviation welcomes everyone, from school and university students to those seeking a career change, to explore the exhilarating world...

read more
Leading Edge Aviation – Year End Summary of Achievements

Leading Edge Aviation – Year End Summary of Achievements

1. Airline Partnerships and Graduate Employment Success: Graduate Employment: Our graduates have achieved remarkable success, securing positions across a wide range of airlines including British Airways (BA), BA CityFlyer, BA EuroFlyer, easyJet, TUI, Titan Airways,...

read more

Blog

Our Graduates

Our Graduates

At Leading Edge Aviation, we offer two routes to becoming an airline-ready commercial pilot. A full-time integrated route ‘LEAP’ as well as a flexible modular option ‘MAP’. Both provide graduates with a ‘frozen’ Airline Transport Pilot Licence, the professional...

read more
Wizz Air UK visits Leading Edge Aviation

Wizz Air UK visits Leading Edge Aviation

The ultimate goal of Leading Edge Aviation’s students is to secure role as a First Officer for an airline, and after nearly 2 years’ hard work – securing their first role in the flight deck is the ultimate reward. To help inspire and inform our students, Leading Edge...

read more
Our first uMAP courses settle in to life in the academy

Our first uMAP courses settle in to life in the academy

September & October were very exciting months at Leading Edge Aviation as we welcomed the first two uMAP courses into the academy! uMAP (University Modular Airline Preparation) is our very own course that integrates with your university degree. The uMAP course...

read more
Flight Training Resumes…

Flight Training Resumes…

This week, our CEO, Andy McFarlane, talked to Ian Seager, Flyer magazine & Pilot Career News about our return to flying and how we are safeguarding our staff and students. Over the past few weeks, in support of government guidance, we’ve continued to deliver a...

read more
Virtual Skills Assessment

Virtual Skills Assessment

So, you’re ready to take your first step to becoming an airline pilot? You’ve researched flying academies and have chosen where you would like to train. The next step now is to sit a Skills Assessment, this is where we find out if you have the skills and attributes...

read more
Ground School Goes Virtual!

Ground School Goes Virtual!

Leading Edge Aviation extend virtual classroom to deliver Ground School training to students during Covid-19 period of isolation This week sees the successful launch of Leading Edge Aviation’s virtual Ground School. Whilst the academy has been using virtual and tech...

read more
Our 2019 Highlights

Our 2019 Highlights

2019 has been a huge year for Leading Edge Aviation – not only for our academy but for the talented individuals who trusted us with their pilot training. We celebrated our first birthday in October, currently have 60 students training with us, with several graduates...

read more
Leading Edge Aviation Announce Bose Partnership

Leading Edge Aviation Announce Bose Partnership

We are delighted to announce a new partnership with Bose who will be supplying A20 Aviation Headsets for the Leading Edge aircraft, for use by all student pilots and flight instructors. The Bose A20 Aviation Headset provides acclaimed noise reduction and a comfortable...

read more
New AL42 Simulator Approved

New AL42 Simulator Approved

The new Leading Edge AL42 simulator is installed, approved and ready to fly. Based at our new facility in Glenmore Business Park, this fixed based simulator will give Leading Edge student pilots the most advanced simulator technology as they train for their future...

read more
Bursary Programme

Bursary Programme

Get one step closer to achieving your dream with our new bursary programme for aspiring pilots. At Leading Edge Aviation we know that the cost of training can be a barrier to a career as an airline pilot. So we’d like to help. We are offering three bursaries towards...

read more
Wellbeing Curriculum For Trainee Pilots

Wellbeing Curriculum For Trainee Pilots

At Leading Edge Aviation, we believe that preparation for your future as an airline pilot starts on day one of training. With us, you’ll receive dedicated ground and flight instruction that will see you graduating on time and airline-ready, but you’ll also receive...

read more
Leading Edge Legends!

Leading Edge Legends!

We’d like to thank Amir and Gus for being our first two students for having the courage to take control of their training and join us. Their dedication and trust have paid off and we are very pleased to announce that they both passed their IRs first time. Their next...

read more
Pilot Career Live (PCL) News

Pilot Career Live (PCL) News

Leading Edge Aviation enjoyed a productive day at the busy Dublin Pilot Careers Live exhibition on 2 March 2019. Dublin was chosen as the official launch location as an EASA Approved Training Organisation, and we are now fully operational to conduct both integrated...

read more
Gateway To The Airlines

Gateway To The Airlines

Leading Edge Aviation are delighted to announce their alliance with VA Airline Training of Cambridge. VA will deliver the Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation course to Leading Edge Trainees after the completion of their Instrument Rating. Starting in Oxford...

read more

Press Releases

Leading Edge Aviation Celebrates Graduation of Class of 2023

Leading Edge Aviation Celebrates Graduation of Class of 2023

OXFORD, UK — 17 May 2023 — Leading Edge Aviation hosted its 2023 graduation ceremony on 12 May beneath the wings of the iconic Concorde at Aerospace Bristol. The event was a celebration of the hard-earned achievements of our 68 graduates, attended by over 250 family...

read more
Fully Funded LEAP & FI Couse launched

Fully Funded LEAP & FI Couse launched

Leading Edge Aviation launches a Fully Funded LEAP and Flight Instructor Training programme with Guaranteed Employment on Completion.   Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) leads the way in flight training with the launch of its innovative, fully funded Pilot and Instructor...

read more
Graduates achieve dual UK CAA & EASA licences

Graduates achieve dual UK CAA & EASA licences

Leading Edge Aviation Graduates achieve dual UK CAA & EASA licences Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) are one of the only ATOs (approved training organisations) who are offering students the opportunity to achieve a dual UK CAA & EASA licence. Their first students...

read more
Graduates airline placements

Graduates airline placements

Leading Edge Aviation graduates secure roles with multiple airlines Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) are delighted with the recent news that a further selection of their graduates have recently secured roles as commercial pilots with leading airlines. Following on from...

read more
Leading Edge Aviation wins Polys award for XR virtual cockpit

Leading Edge Aviation wins Polys award for XR virtual cockpit

Leading Edge Aviation wins Polys award for XR virtual cockpit Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL), in collaboration with Playko Software have won the Augmented Reality Experience of the Year for their A320 cockpit simulator at the 2021 WebXR Awards, The Polys. The two...

read more
Leading Edge Aviation turns three years old

Leading Edge Aviation turns three years old

Leading Edge Aviation turns three years old and celebrates its expanding fleet & milestone student population. This month, Leading Edge Aviation turns three years old and what better way to celebrate than with a ‘class of 2021’ photo. In addition to their...

read more
Dual licensing goes live at Leading Edge Aviation

Dual licensing goes live at Leading Edge Aviation

Leading Edge Aviation announce the introduction of dual licensing options for their suite of ATPL professional pilot training courses. As the industry continues to show ‘green shoots’ with airlines announcing recruitment drives, the Oxford based ATO who offer both UK...

read more
Leading Edge Aviation continue to invest in their fleet

Leading Edge Aviation continue to invest in their fleet

Leading Edge Aviation announce further investments in their fleet with the addition of another DA42 Simulator. The sim has been manufactured and installed by Diamond and compliments their growing fleet of Diamond Aircraft and existing DA42 and A320 simulators. The...

read more
Announcing our new, bespoke APS MCC course

Announcing our new, bespoke APS MCC course

Cleared for take-off – Leading Edge Aviation receive approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority on their Airbus A320 FTD-1 Simulator & announce the launch of their new APS MCC course. Leading Edge are delighted to announce that after a busy 2020, they have...

read more
Announcing our new, bespoke APS MCC course

Airbus A320 Simulator Announcement

Leading Edge Aviation achieve another significant phase of growth and announce the purchase of a brand new MPS A320 FTD-1 Simulator. Following the news in July, where they announced the expansion at Airspeed House, Leading Edge Aviation continues to thrive and expand....

read more
A course of firsts!

A course of firsts!

A course of firsts, Leading Edge Aviation celebrate several exciting new milestones! Leading Edge are delighted to welcome their newest Integrated LEAP course of students, LEAP- 007 who have started their training this week. Every new course is celebrated in the...

read more
Airspeed House Announcement

Airspeed House Announcement

There’s no stopping them! Leading Edge Aviation announce their next phase of expansion. Leading Edge are delighted to welcome staff, students & visitors to their newly expanded home at Airspeed house. After an incredibly successful year and strong growth, they are...

read more
Laser Strike

Laser Strike

On Tuesday 4th February, a Leading Edge Aviation aircraft was the subject of a laser attack whilst flying over the area of Charlbury & Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire. The aircraft was carrying out a training flight and had taken off from London Oxford airport. The...

read more