Air New Zealand fast-tracks training to stave off pilot shortage

A new programme aimed at accelerating the path to becoming a commercial pilot has been launched by Air New Zealand in order to futureproof against pilot shortages.

The Mangōpare Air New Zealand Pilot Cadetship aimed to train pilots in 14 months, compared to the typical 24-36 months, with 30 New Zealanders to be selected for the programme beginning in September.

Air New Zealand's chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan told Morning Report that the airline was not currently short of pilots, but that it was an ageing workforce.

"There is a worldwide shortage of pilots, we need to futureproof ourselves to that supply constraint."

Morgan also hoped the cadetship would provide opportunities for those who never thought they'd be able to be a pilot.

"The current model is such that there is a reasonably significant gap between the funding that's available through student loans and the cost of the actual training itself.

"So Air New Zealand is largely funding the entire cost of the cadetship programme for these people."

Morgan pointed out that the cadetship aimed to diversify the crew working for Air New Zealand.

"We need to be more diverse with our crew. We need more women in the airline as pilots, and we need more ethnic diversity as well, more representation of the wider population of New Zealand."

Those selected for the programme would do their training in Arizona, in cohorts of six, where they would spend a little over a year, before completing the training in Dubai.

This was the first time a cadetship of this type had been offered in New Zealand, which was why the training would be done overseas.

Morgan said in the future Air New Zealand hopes to be able to run the training in New Zealand.

"We are putting out expressions of interest today to the aviation training industry to set up the programme in the long run in New Zealand."

The cadets would be bonded to Air New Zealand.