Nearly 2,000 respond to call for Air New Zealand pilot cadets

Nearly 2,000 applicants expressed their interest to join the Mangōpare Air New Zealand Pilot Cadetship programme, proof that aviation is a dream industry for many New Zealand citizens.

This is the first time that Air New Zealand has made an open call for a cadetship programme. The Mangōpare, in particular, was designed for accelerated all-inclusive training: cutting the time from between 24 to 36 months to just 14 months.

The airline also received positive engagement through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process, aimed at identifying New Zealand-based training organisations to deliver a fully integrated pilot training cadetship aligned with its current turboprop operations.

Buoyed up by enthusiasm

David Morgan, Air New Zealand’s chief operational and integrity officer, remarked that the airline was impressed by the enthusiastic response from a new generation of potential pilots regarding the Mangōpare Air New Zealand Pilot Cadetship.

Morgan said: “We always knew there would be plenty of Kiwis out there who wanted to pursue a career as a pilot but who might have needed a little bit of help to achieve their dream, and it is a privilege to play a supporting role in that.

“The response to the cadetship has been astounding, and we have been impressed with the incredibly high calibre of applicants from across Aotearoa. We’re excited to have a new generation of pilots to connect New Zealanders with each other and the world”.

Applications for the cadetship have since closed and interviews with prospective candidates are slated for next week. Those chosen by the selection panel in Auckland will make their way to Arizona in September to commence training.