Cambridge Airport selected by Pilot Training College for New UK Professional Flight Training Centre.

Thursday 16th June 2011

Pilot Training College (PTC) has selected Cambridge Airport as the location for its new professional flight training academy, Pilot Training College (Cambridge), pending CAA approval, which is expected by Autumn this year.

"We are pleased to welcome a professional flight training provider of PTC's calibre who can benefit from our academic brand and superb facilities. This also fulfils part of our commercial strategy to attract a professional flight training organisation to Cambridge", said Archie Garden, Airport Director. PTC will also be able to draw on the fully equipped classroom facilities provided by the Marshall Aeroacademy and, in turn, add flight training to the range of aeronautical training currently available at Cambridge Airport.

The new partnership enables Pilot Training College to establish a noteworthy presence in the UK in addition to its existing Training Centres in Ireland at Waterford and Dublin, and in Florida, USA. PTC trains up to 300 pilots per year and has contracts with leading airlines from around the world such as Flybe, Nasair, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air Astana. Initially PTC will be basing a new Boeing 737 simulator, an FNPTII procedures trainer and a fleet of Piper Seminole aircraft at Cambridge Airport.

"We are delighted to announce that we are entering a partnership with Cambridge Airport to establish a Flight Training Centre in the United Kingdom providing high quality ab-initio training to (F)ATPL level. This is an important step in establishing a firm foothold and presence in our largest market in Europe. In the course of our negotiations we have established a very positive and synergistic working relationship with the personnel at Marshalls in Cambridge which I am confident will lead to significant growth and development of our joint objectives at the airport.I look forward with enthusiasm to further developing our operations in tandem with Cambridge", said Capt. Mike Edgeworth, Executive Chairman and CEO, Pilot Training College.

It also marks the return of professional flight training to Cambridge, which has a proud heritage as the cradle of the RAF's ab-initio Flying Instructor scheme, which was universally adopted by the RAF in 1941 and continues in use today. The airport's owner, Marshall, also trained 20,000 pilots during the Second World War from Cambridge and other satellites, of which 700 were trained prior to The Battle of Britain.

Today Cambridge is a fully fledged commercial airport with a 24/7 capability, holding a Public Use Licence and maintaining CAA Category 7 Fire & Air Traffic Control status. It has full navigational aids, communications and radar approach coverage of 30 nm. It has invested in a new GPS approach to complement the existing ILS system. With a 1965m/6447ft runway it accepts intercontinental business jets and aircraft up to Boeing 757 or Airbus 320 size.

About Pilot Training College:

Established in 2002, Pilot Training College (PTC) is a leading European and USA based (JAA) Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) certified flight training organisation with Training Centres in Waterford, (JAA IRL/FTO-005-03), and Dublin, Ireland (JAA IRL/RTF/A13-11) and also in Florida, USA (JAA IRL/FTO-009-08).

A major draw to Pilot Training College for many commercial airlines are the benefits in training from three distinct locations. PTC Waterford and Cambridge can provide trainee pilots with excellent IMC conditions ideal for instrument training, while PTC Florida which is located at Melbourne International Airport provides students with the broadest possible flying education with over 300 days a year of near perfect Visual Flight Rules (VFR) training conditions. PTC has access to over 40 modern aircraft and invests heavily in its aviation technology and infrastructure.

PTC is fully certificated to provide JAA integrated pilot training which is a fast paced intensive course that sees pilots trained in under 14 months and also provides a series of JAA modular training courses that allow more flexibility both in the study programme and in the financing of the course.

PTC also has a Training centre at Weston Executive Airport in Dublin which specialises in training to Private Pilots Licence level.

www.pilottrainingcollege.com

About Cambridge Airport:

Cambridge Airport is part of the Marshall Group of Companies, a private family business, owned and managed by the Marshall family. The business was founded in Cambridge in 1909, and entered aviation in 1929. The Marshall Group activities include Cambridge Airport, Marshall Executive Aviation, and Marshall Aerospace, focused on engineering and technology.

Cambridge Airport primarily targets the east of England market with a strong focus on Cambridge and its business, academic and industrial. It is also a strong provider to the equine community as it is just 10 miles from Newmarket and offers regular services for the transportation of horses.

Cambridge Airport is home to a variety of aviation service providers including charter operator Marshall Executive Aviation, MEA which operates a Cessna Citation Bravo and Citation XLS as well as a Bombardier Challenger 300. Other aviation companies include Capital Air Services and several GA flight training operators.

www.cambridgeairport.com