Irish Flight Training Academy Announces New Pilot Training Financing Solution

Ireland – Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA), Elevate Credit Union, and Clonmel Credit Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a dedicated finance solution for aspiring commercial airline pilot students in Ireland.

• The initiative follows a recommendation in the Pathfinder for Irish Aviation report, a strategic roadmap for the future development of Ireland's aviation sector commissioned by Irelandia and authored by Joe Gill and Eamonn Brennan. Irelandia’s 2025 Pathfinder report proposed a Euro 40 million Pilot Training Debt Fund, backed by the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, to provide low-cost, repayable financing through the banking system. It estimated that such a structure could increase annual Irish commercial pilot output from approximately 100 to around 400.
• The Aspiring Pilot Loan Scheme combines AFTA's training capacity with the community-rooted lending model of credit unions.
• AFM previously reported that Irish lenders were exploring a dedicated pilot-training finance structure in December 2025, citing the Pathfinder proposal for a Euro 40 million low-interest fund capable of increasing annual pilot output from approximately 100 to 400. The latest MoU represents a concrete collaboration between AFTA and two Irish credit unions following that earlier financing proposal.
• AFTA operates a fleet of 26 aircraft comprised of Cessna 172, Diamond DA40/DA42, and Slingsby aircraft.

Statements

• "For many years, we've seen talented individuals with the ability and determination to become professional pilots but without a clear pathway to finance their training. This agreement marks an important milestone in addressing that challenge and opens up new opportunities for future generations of pilots," said Mark Casey, Founder and CEO of AFTA.
• "This scheme shows the power of credit unions when they work hand in hand with the right partners. By combining our community-rooted lending model with AFTA's world-class training expertise, we're opening the flight deck to talented young people who might otherwise never get the chance. That's the cooperative difference — capital with a conscience, inclusive and creating opportunities," said Padraig Enright, CEO of Clonmel Credit Union.
• "Credit unions have always punched above their weight, and the Aspiring Pilot Loan Scheme is a perfect example of what's possible when we think ambitiously. It demonstrates that cooperatives can innovate and compete, staying true to what we're here for: members and our communities," said Roy McKnight, CEO of Elevate Credit Union.
• "This is a tremendous step forward in providing finance to aspiring commercial pilots in Ireland. The 'Pathfinder' report identified such a fund as key to unlocking the opportunity to expand pilot training at Irish airports and support the growth of Irish and global airlines. It is fitting that credit unions are central to this fund because they have always provided finance that gives opportunity to all income and demographic cohorts," said Joe Gill, co-author of the Pathfinder for Irish Aviation report.

Source: Atlantic Flight Training Academy