NetJets Europe is recruiting candidates for a new ab initio pilot training program that it hopes could provide its growing fractional ownership fleet with up to 45 new first officers each year. The part-sponsored program will be run by the UK’s Oxford Aviation Training (OAT), with the first 17-month courses due to start in May.
Trainees will complete OAT’s standard ab initio ATPL course, which will be supplemented by about two weeks of NetJets-mandated additional instruction to cover unusual-attitude training and VFR operations at certain demanding airports. After the course, the new ATPL holders will do another six months of training with NetJets before being rostered as line pilots with the company.

According to the OAT Web site, the total cost of the ab initio ATPL will be approximately £75,000 ($145,000). This includes the cost of training, tests and accommodation.

NetJets Europe will pay its trainee first officers €36,500 ($47,000) in their first year of employment, plus a one-time payment of €20,000 ($25,800) toward repaying their training loans. It is expected that repaying the rest of the loan will take pilots five or six years, with deductions made from their monthly salaries. After this, the new pilots will receive the full NetJets Europe first officer starting salary of €56,500, adjusted upwards to account for the seniority they will have accrued by then.

NetJets Europe’s existing minimum requirements for new first officers with ATPLs is 1,500 hours total flying time, with multi-engine and multi-crew cockpit ratings. After six months as a first officer, pilots with at least 3,000 total hours can apply for promotion to captain, for which they will receive upgrade and line training.

The first NetJets Europe ab initio candidates will be selected by the middle of next month. Further courses are expected to start in June and August, with more candidates to be chosen for 2008 courses.