On Wednesday 13th November, Emily Borner attended the Pilot Careers Live exhibition at London Heathrow, an event designed to inspire and guide aspiring pilots.

Emily, who has long been interested in a career in the Navy, has recently been exploring the possibilities within commercial aviation. At the event, she had the opportunity to meet EasyJet’s Head of Training, who explained the airline’s commitment to training and hiring 1,000 pilots over the next three years. This connection led to an invitation for Emily to visit EasyJet’s training headquarters near Gatwick Airport.

During the exhibition, Emily attended a presentation by the training team and several serving pilots. She also spoke with cadets currently in training, learning about their experiences, including six months in Phoenix, Arizona, and simulator sessions at EasyJet facilities in Gatwick or Milan.

The highlight of the event for Emily was trying out one of EasyJet’s £70 million flight simulators. With expert guidance, she successfully landed into Gatwick Airport, hitting the centre line smoothly.

Reflecting on her experience, Emily said: “Meeting the pilots and getting hands-on experience in the flight simulator felt like stepping into the future I’ve always envisioned for myself. Every moment of the trip boosted my determination to become a commercial airline pilot. It’s unbelievable how inspiring it is to be so close to the real thing.”

This experience has added to Emily’s exploration of aviation as a potential career and we look forward to seeing how her ambitions develop in the future.