Aerospace

Graduates' flight business helps shape students' choices

Posted 13 March 2013

A trio of students who studied Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training at Buckinghamshire New University are putting their experiences into practice after setting up their own company.

Futuris Aviation, in Berkley Square, London, has been founded by former Bucks New University classmates, James Ralph, Jay Yates and Abdel Zou Zou, and offers advice on the best pilot training available.

The fledgling company, which was launched in May 2012, has been working with Bucks New University, and as one of its first projects, has undertaken a scoping study on pilot training for the University.

Zou Zou is the managing director of Futuris Aviation, specialising in corporate jet operations and flight training consultancy; Ralph is marketing director; and Yates heads up a helicopter section of the firm.

Yates, from Ringwood, Hampshire, said the students had benefited from the industry links gained on the course which had fired their ambition to set up their own business.

He added that the business was growing thanks to word of mouth and the trio are attending industry fairs, air shows and seminars to network and talk about their work.

He said: “The modular training offered at Bucks New University is an advantage over the different, integrated pilot training you may get elsewhere, and it gives you experience of a wide variety of training schools and locations.

“The training has provided a paper-trail for my CV and also stood myself, Abdel and James in good stead for the business we are now pursuing.

“This business has been launched on the back of an increase in flight training offered in Europe. We estimate that training is now offered in 27 countries so there is a lot of choice, but we want to help people decide on the best places to train.

"We are confident this venture will be a success, and our aim is to provide accurate information on current training and give advice on how best to learn how to fly anything from small to large aircraft."

The trio also all remain pilots and fly regularly, in their own time.

Dr Jenny Tilbury, department manager, travel & aviation, at Bucks New University, said she had been impressed by the work carried out by Futuris Aviation for the University. She said: “It is delightful to see how my three former students have become eloquent businessmen and have carried out work of a high standard for Bucks New University.”