EasyJet is Britain’s biggest airline offering low-cost journeys to more than 1,000 routes in 30 countries. Currently, more than 2,800 pilots are employed by the company, with that number rising every year to meet the ambitious dreams for the business. However, becoming a captain is far from easy, taking years of hard work and one of the first steps for easyJet hopefuls takes place in New Zealand.
The L3 Airline Academy at Hamilton International Airport allows cadets to take small, single-engine planes up into the skies to test their theory.
During the filming of ITV’s “easyJet: Inside the Cockpit”, viewers got a glimpse of how situations can turn bad quickly.
Trainee Sophie Trunan was tasked with taking off, flying outside the airport, then returning and landing.
However, the team had misjudged the weather and as soon as she took off, clouds began closing in.
Ms Trunan had to get out a map to help (Image: ITV)
Clouds started to descend on the single-engine plane (Image: ITV)
It can take less than three minutes to lose control of a small aircraft in cloud
EasyJet: Inside the Cockpit
The narrator said in 2017: “This flight will equip her for potential disasters if a colleague in the cockpit in an easyJet plane falls ill.
“Sophie will fly by sight only, so it’s crucial she keeps an eye on the weather as in low cloud she could become easily disorientated.
‘Halfway into the flight and Sophie spots a problem.
“With the weather closing in, she needs to get back to base.
“It can take less than three minutes to lose control of a small aircraft in clouds.”
