Trainee pilots must be protected from losing tens of thousands of pounds from flight school collapses, the government has been told.
Pilots’ union, Balpa, has written to transport secretary Mark Harper calling for urgent action following the collapse of three UK flight schools in the first half of the year.
Students who paid in advance for flight training were left out of pocket when Tayside Aviation and FTA Global collapsed.
Some trainees are owed up to £90,000, sums that are unlikely to be recovered from the liquidators, Balpa warned.
Pilots now want to see proper financial regulation of flight schools and secure a stable pilot training pipeline for the UK aviation industry.
Balpa has started a campaign urging action from the Civil Aviation Authority over flight school regulations.
Interim general secretary Miranda Rackley said: “Flight schools going bust is financially devastating to hardworking students who deserve to have their money better protected from flight school failures.
“Pilot training is amongst the most expensive training of all professions, and unlike other careers such as law and medicine, there is no student funding available. Many trainees resort to family support to fund their training, such as remortgaging family houses.
“Government needs to step up and protect students that are so vital to the future of the UK aviation industry.”