Leading Edge Aviation has been selected to deliver multi-engine pilot training for the Ministry of Defence under a contract worth approximately GBP 1.8 million, though the deal has not yet been formally signed.
The two-year contract, published on the government’s Find a Tender service on 10 April, would see the Oxfordshire-based firm train up to 22 fixed-wing pilots between April 2026 and April 2028, with the option to extend for a further two years to 2030.
The training is split across two distinct syllabi to account for what the notice describes as “differing input standards and onward training routes.”
The first group covers up to 10 pilots undertaking what is known as Multi-Engine Crossover training. These are personnel who have already completed significant military flying training or who hold substantial operational experience. The notice states that trainees will have completed “Elementary Flying Training, Fast-Jet Lead-In, and Basic Fast-Jet Training with associated Groundschools” as a minimum. Alternatively, they may be “previously qualified military Fast-Jet or Rotary Wing pilots who have been awarded RAF Wings and completed at least one front-line tour with approximately 1000+ total flying hours.”
Their course will draw on elements of the modular Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating syllabus alongside the Airline Pilot Standard Multi Crew Cooperation course. However, the MoD noted that it is “not looking for the award of a Commercial Pilot Licence / Instrument Rating at the end of this training” as trainees will not have met the minimum CAA entry requirements, but is instead seeking to achieve “a near equivalent CPL/IR skills test standard.”
The second group covers up to 12 ab-initio trainees who will fly both single-engine and multi-engine aircraft before progressing to further military instruction. Their single-engine training will “broadly mirror the Private Pilot Licence syllabus” with a focus on building pilot-in-command experience and instrument flying skills, followed by a multi-engine phase covering instrument flying techniques and asymmetric flying. These students will also complete the Multi Crew Cooperation course. As with the first group, the MoD is not seeking the award of any civilian licence upon completion.
Two tenders were received for the contract, both from small and medium-sized enterprises. Leading Edge Aviation, based at London Oxford Airport, was selected as the preferred bidder.
The notice was published as a UK6 contract award notice under the Procurement Act 2023. This type of notice is issued after an award decision has been made but before the contract is formally signed, triggering a mandatory standstill period of at least eight working days during which unsuccessful bidders can challenge the decision. The standstill period runs until 21 April, with the earliest signing date set for 27 April.
Image Estormiz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Up to 22 fixed wing Pilots”
Where the hell are we going to get that amount of aircraft ?
Problem is retention and the ridiculously large number of pilots the RAF maintains. They have around 2,500 trained pilots at anytime and 400 or so aircraft. The RAF still works under some 1940’s assumption that it will need lots of trained pilots in a war and can always get more aircraft.
The reality in modern warfare is that manned aircraft take so long to acquire that any war would be long since over before you get any replacements and that as Ukraine has shown you can get new pilots trained relatively quickly.
Right now under ideal conditions with hot production lines and existing designs in mass production the earliest I can buy a new F35 is around 2030 and the earliest I can get a Typhoon is around 2032.
I can take a fresh kid off the street and have them flying fast jets in one to two years.
In a war most aircraft losses will not result in the death or capture of the pilot.
We should purchase many more aircraft that we need for operations and have them in climate controlled hangars. Aircraft like F35 are cheapish to buy but expensive to run and fairly easy to store.
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Hello, where can I get “Two Kids” ?
I’d love to give It a go.
Get as many as you want, as the taxpayer is coughing up for them all now! Personally I’m looking to sponsor the Ukrainian ballerina team, and give them a place to stay for the duration of the war!
😁
That will be a ‘huge’ help Airborne, I’ve got the ladies staying with me, but the men are looking for accommodation.
I’ll send them your way👍
And Babcock has just renewed an extension of 4 years for the LAFT2 contract.