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The newest group of recruits for the 2016 Cadet Pilot Training Programme Jason Clarke Photography

Ireland's newest pilots had less than a 0.5% chance of getting the job

Out of the 2,800 that applied there were only 12 places available.

THE NEWEST BATCH of recruits set to become Aer Lingus pilots has just been selected by the airline.

The elite group of only 12 was chosen from more than 2,800 applicants – meaning each person selected had only a 0.42% chance of making it through.

This is part of the airline’s Cadet Pilot Training Programme, with it being in its fourth year.

The candidates will now undertake 14 months of training on the ground and in the air.

What will the new recruits be doing

The 12 new recruits, eight men and four women from Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, will be jetting off to undertake ground school in Jerez in Spain.

There they will undergo the initial phase of flight school, flying a range of aircrafts and simulators.

Aer Lingus Four of the new recruits Jason Clarke Photography Jason Clarke Photography

After this stage is complete, the candidates will be returning to Dublin to complete their training, undertaking the transition to real-life flying.

Once this is done they will be awarded their wings and start flying the airline’s AirBus A320 planes.

Good news for the cadets is that they won’t be left out of pocket by the process.

Aer Lingus will be fronting up the €70,000 needed for each candidate’s training.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie about this when the positions were announced, Kieran O’Connor from the National Flight Centre said:

We would charge about €70,000, so if you’re being paid for, that’s massive. It would be 200 hours of flight time. No more than any degree, there’s a set curriculum.

Read: How difficult is it to become a pilot for an Irish airline?

Als0: ‘Fake bomb’ causes Paris-bound Air France jet to make emergency landing

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38 Comments
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    Mute Seamus Larkin
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Terrible comments. We should withdraw our aid from this backward regime until it treats all peoples with human rights.

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:28 PM

    Could say the same about this country.

    85
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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:56 PM

    @ Begrudgy: For all the criticism of this country, I believe we will be within the first 15 countries in the world to legalise gay marriage in 2015 as well as one of the first to legalise adoption by gay couples.

    That is most definitely a better record on gay rights than Nigeria’s.

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    Mute Marcus power
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:14 PM

    Ryan. ….I hope we can drop the inappropriate. … and dated moniker “gay ” and start just having adoption and marraige as rights in the societies that we live in as citizens. ..taxpayers and residents. …maybe I’m living in a fools paradise ????

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    Mute Donny White
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:40 PM

    Considering there are more convicted rapists than open homosexuals in Nigeria, I would respectfully suggest the good doctor address the more systemic and evil of the two issues.

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:24 PM

    Hi everyone,
    If you could be mindful and respectful while leaving comments on this article, it would be much appreciated. We have a comments policy that can be read here: http://www.thejournal.ie/comments-policy/
    Any racist, homophobic or offensive comments will be deleted.
    Thanks in advance,
    Aoife

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:35 PM

    You guys are overzealous with your moderation to the point of censorship.

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:31 PM

    Whatever happened to freedom of speech? You might not like what they’re saying (and I certainly don’t!) but they do have the right to say it!

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    Mute Colm Durkan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:37 PM

    No, you don’t have the right to publicly say that homosexuality is the same as paedophilia.

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:42 PM

    Why?

    I’m not saying I agree there exists such a link, but who are you to censor anyone else saying as they please?

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    Mute Buster Ó Briain
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:53 PM

    They can say what they want, and we have the right to criticise it.

    Having the right to say something doesn’t make it exempt from criticism.

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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:05 PM

    @ Wallace: I don’t see anyone seeking to stop the Ambassador’s right to free speech. Merely he is being attacked and criticised for making such an invalid, untrue and hurtful comparison.

    @ Everyone:

    Normally I am not a fan of his, but I think Noel Whelan summed it up pretty well at the weekend in his Irish Times article:

    “Many liberals seem to be afraid to let a conservative position be heard in the debate. Do they lack confidence in their own ability to counter it? It is worrying at this important moment, a year out from when the people will directly decide on the issue, that a pattern has already developed of seeking to edit out opposing views rather than confront and defeat them.”

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/readiness-to-hurl-the-word-homophobe-may-not-help-the-liberal-reform-agenda-1.1667387

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:07 PM

    Metro Eireann showed poor judgement giving this man an award . Perhaps they should have considered honouring that gay Kenyan writer Ken Binyavanga Wainaina who came out in the past few weeks in a country that being gay is illegal . Countries who have human rights issues whatever the discrimination should have sanctions placed on aid

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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:16 PM

    That would be most countries worldwide so can’t see it working somehow.

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    Mute Sammy Sausages
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:49 PM

    I don’t like what he said but I’m not a fan of censorship either (or sending solicitor’s letters to gag people)….. I certainly don’t think this Governor should be in line for any type of an award with such an inhumane view of gay people.

    It’s easy to cater to populist opinions in your country, but it takes bravery and strength of character to say what is right.

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