Air Transport

Flybe has become the first airline to win a substantial UK government grant for training its own and third-party pilots, engineers and cabin crew.

The UK Learning and Skills Council has confirmed that its capital specialisation fund will provide £4.3 million ($7.1 million) to help Flybe, Europe's largest regional carrier, set up its long-planned Flybe Training Academy close to its main base at Exeter airport in south-west England.

The council's move has also triggered a £2.8 million local development grant from the south-west's regional development agency, specifically to assist with the costs of building the new academy, a project that will now be launched.

Flybe chairman and chief executive Jim French says: "We are naturally delighted to have received final confirmation of the funding available to help with this major investment. Now this is secured we can go ahead with fulfilling our commitment to the region by building a world-class training facility in Exeter."

Simon Witts, Flybe’s director of safety, quality and training says that because plans for the Academy and its building had been approved in advance subject to the grants that have been authorised today, the training centre should be complete by August 2010.

Flybe is working with the University of Exeter and Exeter College to develop high-level vocational skills for its workforce and other businesses. The airline has already broken new ground by achieving recognition for its cabin crew national vocational qualification (NVQ), a call centre NVQ, a foundation degree and engineering apprenticeships.