Pilot training remains popular in Belgium

Despite all the setbacks of the airline industry in recent years, pilot remains a popular career choice in Belgium, writes De Standaard. Terrorist attacks, the Sabena bankruptcy and the economic crisis all took a heavy toll on the aviation sector, but Belgian flight academies continue to see a steady enrolment of new pilots.

The CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in Brussels, for example, consistently has between 60 and 80 students every year. “Flying remains a dream for many people,” sales manager William Khalil told De Standaard. “Before they came to our academy, they were already active in a gliding club or practicing with a flight simulator. They want to turn their passion into a career."

Jetairfly also reports that it receives more applicants every year than it has places. Their combined work and study programme is particularly popular. At Ben Air Flight Academy (BAFA), too, 50 to 60 pilots graduate every year.

Flying is not a cheap dream, however, with training costs totalling between €75,000 and €125,000, estimates Kurt Callaerts of transport union ACV Transcom. “And that doesn’t even cover all the extras for advanced training. But it’s an investment with a quick return,” he says.