At the Green Flight Academy flight school in Skellefteå, 30 percent of all training takes place with electric gliders. Now the school’s first pilots have been examined: five completed the 18-month training a few days ago.
– Now they can now apply for jobs with commercial airlines, says Cecilia Holmlund, site manager at Green Flight Academy.
Costs a million kroner
But attending the education is far from free – the price is one million kroner, something the student has to pay out of their own pocket.
– We are working hard to ensure that the education becomes CSN-eligible. That would make things much easier, says Cecilia Holmlund.
Great need for pilots
As a result of thousands of pilots being laid off during the pandemic and retirements being larger than normal, the need for pilots in both Sweden and Europe has increased sharply.
– The need for pilots is great all over the world, so training will be needed, says Cecilia Holmlund.
One of those currently taking the training is Ludwig Storbjörk from Kronoby in Finland, and he has great faith in the future.
– I will finish this autumn and have spoken to Finnair. There seem to be job opportunities when I finish, he says.