Budding helicopter pilots, as young as 12 years old, are taking the first step towards becoming a helicopter pilot by undertaking flying lessons in advance of university study.
Indeed, our latest booking data here on FlyDays reveals that our Tactical Helicopter Flying Lesson for One is our current bestseller for 2022 to date. The package is available to aspiring aviators as young as 12, and accounts for 16% of all our Flying Experience voucher bookings to the end of July 2022.
Such is the popularity of the package, the experience has flown high above an array of our other aviation adventures, including Gliding, Helicopter Football Stadium Tours and Flight Simulator packages, and the package has in fact increased year-on-year in overall sales by 25%.
Dan Jones, operations manager at FlyDays.co.uk, says: "Helicopter pilots enjoy a hugely rewarding and prestigious career, which of course requires years of dedication and hard work."
"Our booking data reveals that many proactive young pilots are taking a practical first step on this exciting journey by actually taking a seat in the cockpit and heading skyward to grasp the basics of flying a helicopter."
FlyDays.co.uk also suggests that similar experiences, such as flying a fixed-wing aircraft, could play an important role in inspiring more people to learn to fly to combat the ongoing pilot shortage, which has wreaked havoc on international travel this year.
Dan concludes: "Travel chaos has disrupted the plans of millions of passengers this year, with the ongoing pilot shortage cited as one of the major reasons behind the turmoil. There are various barriers to entering the industry, with cost and accessing opportunities to gain relevant experience being some of the biggest issues people face."
"As young people across the UK get their exam results this week and consider their future options, a flying experience could be a great way to get a career as a pilot off the ground, and go some way towards navigating the turbulence the industry is facing by inspiring a new generation of aviators."
Visit our Helicopter Flights and Flying Lessons pages today on the FlyDays website to book through purchase of our Gift Vouchers.
