ACS Flight training held a pilot careers and training seminar on Saturday 23^rd March 2024 at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow Airport. It is Scotland’s largest annual pilot career event with organisations like TUI and Loganair presenting and answering all the important questions to a career in aviation!

It was a long day and I learnt a lot! I will keep it focussed and talk about the two airlines that really caught my eye on the day: TUI and Loganair. I will also talk about my experience doing a 12-hour round trip in one day from London to Glasgow!  

That’s correct. It was a 5 hour 30 min journey one-way! Without coffee too may I add!

Departure time: 6.30am on Saturday morning.

Travel duration: 6 hours by car (me and my little Golf against the world!)

Journey details:

There was no traffic on the way up – thankfully. It was a non-stop journey to Glasgow as I felt quite rested the night before and comfortable throughout the journey. Plus I travel quite a bit up and down the country for work, so I am somewhat resilient to long-trips. BUT I can definitely say this is the longest trip I have done!

Arrival time: 12.15

The event started at 11:45 – I planned it so to miss the introduction where ACS Aviation talk about their school – it meant I had an extra hour’s worth of sleep and made it in enough time to hear TUI and Loganair speak.

Parking: There was 700 people at the event – so you can imagine the Holiday Inn free parking was pretty full! . So I decided to park at the next best place – the NCP, Glasgow Airport. It was £5 for 24 hours – what a bargain!

I hurried down the lifts, validated my parking and entered the presentation hall. I arrived in the nick of time to listen to Loganair and TUI.

Martin Smith, First Officer and Pilot Management Project Pilot at TUI delivered an excellent presentation into the TUI MPL Pilot Cadet Programme.

I met Martin a few months ago at the Future Pilot Skills Event in London – click here for blog. A lot of what Martin went through at the Glasgow seminar was identical to what he presented in London.

I raised my hand to ask Martin a question. First, I congratulated TUI on being a trailblazer and leading by example with their sponsored programme (first airline in two decades to do so). I asked Martin about the assessment centre weightings – he smiled and answered although there are weightings he won’t be able to dwelve further. I’m sure he’ll remember me as the guy standing at the back asking a very cheeky question!

Here is a summary of what he discussed:

• TUI welcomed 6,800 applications in 2023
• 2000 digital interview
• 140 candidates invited to the assessment centre.
• 48 candidates progressed to the simulator assessments.
• 30 candidates were awarded.

TUI was awarded the Scott Farnie Medal by the Air League. This marks TUI’s recognition in being the first fully-funded UK pilot cadet programme in over 20 years!

Something new I found out was…In 2024, TUI received over a whopping 13,000 applications!

My Promise to Martin Smith in London.

I remember following the London event I told Martin I’d see TUI again in Glasgow. In fact, I commented on his LinkedIn post the same! So for me it was incredibly important I delivered on that promise – unknowing of the fact Martin would be at the Glasgow event too!

The reason I attended the Glasgow seminar was for two reasons. First, I applied to the ACS Aviation flying scholarship. And to re-connect with Donald Cameron – First Officer at TUI – who I had the pleasure of meeting last year.

Donald’s story really inspired me – he was a firefighter and started training at 38. It goes to show anyone with any age and any background can go into aviation. Click here to read more about last year’s experience.

Who I met from the TUI team?

I must add… Having met the TUI team was a great privilege. Just a day prior to the event I had been shortlisted from 13,000 applications to 130 to attend the TUI Assessment Centre in East Midlands for the TUI MPL Programme. So I feel incredibly grateful to have spoken to the TUI team and gain a unique footing and preparation ahead of the AC.

I was expecting to see Donald Cameron again. Instead, I had the pleasure to meet:

• Martin Smith, FO and Pilot Management Project Pilot (involved in the TUI MPL Programme) – met at FlightPad Future Pilot’s Event in London (2024)
• Donald Cameron, First Officer @ TUI – met at the ACS Flight Seminar, Glasgow (in 2023).
• Gregg Burnett @ TUI – 2023 MPL Cadet Pilot – Spoke through Instagram before.
• Ryan Broll @ TUI – 2023 MPL Cadet Pilot.
• Dale Mudie @ TUI – Senior First Officer and Instructor – met at Pilot Careers Live, London (2018).
• Julie Robson @ TUI (involved in the TUI MPL Programme working alongside Kathyrn Cleaver).

I actually met Dale Mudie at one of my first Pilot Career events in London (2018). One thing that stuck out to me was how transparent he was about his role, the TUI culture, his salary, the routes and his previous roles. I remember feeling so inspired to work for TUI and still do to this day. Having seen him again after 6 years almost felt like a full circle moment.

What I learnt from conversations with the TUI team

Each conversation brought about it’s own tips and lessons. I spent most of my day speaking to TUI only. Time truly flew away from me. If you’re attending the assessment centre – here are some of the tips to keep in mind:

• Be yourself for the Assessment Centre – Gregg and I talked around being yourself. TUI is not looking for an all rounded student. Nor are they looking for someone who knows it all. They are looking for unique, genuine individuals. You really have to believe this. Each and every one of us has something unique in us – that’s what makes us excellent. And excellence is at the heart of everything TUI does – it forms part of the TUI northern star!

• TUI is not here to catch you out at the AC – Donald and I talked around his role in direct-entry role recruitment. He can see through an act and is looking for passionate individuals. Later, Donald, Ryan and I talked around the assessment centre. The team is there to make you feel at home and comfortable. They want the best from you. The AC is an overall weighting taking in consideration various aspects of the AC. Ryan like me visited a TUI store and it was a great talking point in the interviews.

• You’re more than a pilot – Martin and I spoke around the role of a pilot. You’re more than a pilot. You might find yourself finding solutions to engine problems out in Cancun. You may find yourself solving issues to an in-flight computer in Istanbul.  Or solving an electrical fault in Barcelona. In addition to this, a TUI pilot is not your average pilot – fly from A to B. You offer experiences. Life-changing, eye-watering experiences. You are the start and end of the holiday-makers holiday. So make it one to remember – that’s the spirit of the Live Happy brand.

• Development opportunities – Donald and I further echoed around what Martin spoke about – you’re more than an airline pilot. With TUI you are a multi-department pilot. For example, Donald is involved in recruitment. Martin is involved in inspiring the next generation through school presentations. Katy Lee (another TUI pilot I know) is doing something similar with inspiring generations. Dale Mudie has worked with BALPA for a better aviation. And you have other pilots also working in the TUI store in their down time.

• The ‘Come as you are’ TUI Culture – Martin and I dived deeper into sustainability and the people culture. I spoke around my day job and my employer’s commitment to the environment. We spoke about general green-washing and TUI’s commitment to diversity – being the first UK airline introducing a fully-funded MPL programme. We spoke about TUI owning their hotels and the freedom to liquidate assets to survive and retain staff during COVID – a unique proposition not many airlines could do. Donald, Gregg and I expanded into diversity and talent. TUI is not a tick-box company who will conform to society’s standard to be ‘seen’ as that diverse company. It hunts non-discriminatory talent. If you have the competencies and you’re unique – that matters more!

• Just before leaving I was introduced to Julie Robson. She spoke about her role in the TUI MPL Programme and was ecstatic to hear I was invited to the assessment centre. I’m really looking forward to seeing her in East Midlands on the 17^th April 2024. She was really impressed I made my way up to see them – and took my name down which was really nice of her!

These are some of the conversations I had with the TUI team. I am truly thankful to everyone who I spoke to regarding the TUI MPL programme – at career events, in-store, on linkedIn or instagram. They are a living testimont of what TUI is all about.

I am also really fortunate to have spoken to the TUI recruitment team every step of the application process. Prior to my application I gained some really good insights into the MPL through speaking to Amanda in the Watford store. I later spoke to Martin during the first stages of the application. And now I managed to speak to the team before the assessment centre.

Pilots from Loganair delivered an exceptional presentation! They really sold why Loganair is the airline to fly with – everything from sustainability, their people culture and diversity – everything was a tickbox for me. Loganair and TUI are amongst the few airlines that truly embed and live by values that are important to me – sustainability, culture and customer-centricity.

Here are some of the key take-aways from their presentation:

• Loganair has 36 UK bases.
• They fly to 77 destinations and are affiliated with airlines, such as BA, Qatar and KLM via codeshare. This partnership offers customers greater regional, domestic and international connection – something we as the UK lost through the Flybe collapse.
• Loganair are UK’s fourth largest airline (in terms of flights) – bet you didn’t know that? Nor did I.
• Yes! They do fly to the beach. Loganair carries out flights to the Island of Barra through their otter aircraft. Sign me up immediately!
• Loganair are the largest operator in Southampton. My work manager lives in Southampton – definitely a fun fact I’ll be sharing with her next time I see her!
• Loganair has begun running flights to London Heathrow (as of 2023) – currently operating a whopping 6 flights a day! Watch out BA…they’ll take your slots before you know it!
• 12 services deliver 30 tonnes of mail to the Royal Mail…. So next time your parcel is delayed – you know it’s in the air somewhere with the trusted Loganair!
• Green Skies pledge – Launched in October 2021. First UK regional airline to take ambitious pledges to carbon neutrality by 2040. For now, it is meeting their carbon neutrality targets through carbon-offsetting.
• Fleet Renewal Programme – Loganair is retiring their old fleet of aircrafts and renewing them with the new ATR600.

Cool facts about Loganair I bet you didn’t know:

• They support oil and gas industry north North Sea Operations through transporting personnel and equipment there! (Sunburgh Shetlands Islands).
• Best work-life balance – flights stop after 9pm and start again at 6-7am. Perfect for anyone with kids! You can guarantee you’ll be home in time to tuck in your kids.
• People – a whopping 16% of pilots are female! Loganair is working incredibly hard to bring diversity with people from LGBTQ and female backgrounds.
• Mobility equipment – Loganair has installed mobility equipment across their bases. This enables mobile passengers with dexterities to travel from remote places like the Isle of Man to Liverpool for hospital appointments and cancer treatments – which otherwise would be too difficult or impossible before!

I learnt a LOT about Loganair. Definitely a great airline to be working for in the future.

Before the day ended I also had the opportunity to speak to Jet 2. They advised there might be a sponsored MPL programme in the pipeline – so watch this space!

Leaving Glasgow: Same day return to London.

The event was an incredibly insightful one.

I left the same day as I had work the next day so I couldn’t afford to stop over for the night. I recall there were no street lights coming up past the Scotland border to Glasgow. The weather wasn’t great on the way down so I decided to leave with enough time before dark struck. It was a great decision because by the time it was dark I had reached Preston and at least the motorway was lit – and I wasn’t travelling in pitch black along the Scotland mountains!

I have to admit the worst part of the journey was leaving Scotland! It took an hour just leaving Scotland! But once I was out – the journey back felt quicker than the journey up. I made one stop just past Birmingham for some Greggs – unfortunately, it was closed! So I resorted to a £3.50 Cheese Ploughmans sandwich from M&S services. Before I knew it – I was home! Woohoo.

Just before I end on this blog I want to say a big thank you to ACS Flight Training and ACS Aviation for organising this incredibly insightful annual event. I found it incredibly insightful and enjoyed speaking to everyone there.

I hope this blog has been insightful – full with tips and advice from aspiring pilots, pilots and the recruitment team. As well as giving you a feel into TUI, Loganair and the overall experience at the ACS Flight Seminar in Glasgow. I would highly recommend attending the 2025 one.

Blue Skies – The Proficient Airman.

Highlight photos of the day: