Revalidate your pilot license for free

Airline pilots made redundant can now revalidate their licenses for free with the help of our industry partner, Aviation Insider. Through a government grant (subject to conditions,) Aviation Insider will help pilots recover the cost of their simulator training. 

Over the last few months, Aviation Insider has helped a number of pilots secure funding from the government, including former Flybe and Thomas Cook pilots who wanted to keep their licenses valid and access funds to pay for their simulator training. 

License revalidation funding is available on the following aircraft: a320, a330, B737, 747, 787, E190. 

It is also possible to use the funding to help with any airline simulator preparation or refresher training which is available on a320, a330, B737, B747. B757/767, 787 and E135/145/190. At the moment, Aviation Insider offers renewals on the a320 and 737.

The restrictions in order to access the funding are; you must reside in the UK and be unemployed at the time of the application. It is not guaranteed to always get the funding as it depends on the job coach.

You will first have to register with the JobCentre. Once registered you will be assigned to a job coach.

The steps to follow with your Job Centre coach are:

1. Ensure you inform your coach that you wish to undertake specialist airline pilot training with Aviation Insider before booking our services (You can’t book a course and claim retrospectively)
2. Help them to understand why you require bespoke services unique to airline pilot training. If you have airline applications registered with airlines and hope to have an interview, this will help your case further.
3. That you wish to claim for the course by making use of the ‘flexible support fund’ 

You will need to book your simulator session with Aviation Insider and they will provide you a letter of confirmation and invoice to prove that the training will go ahead. In some cases you may have to pay the invoice before the job centre reimburses you.

For further information, contact Aviation Insider here.