Zephyr Flight Crew Pilot

Press

The Airbus Defence and Space UK Zephyr is a world record breaking High Altitude Long Endurance solar-electric powered Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) capable of persistent operations in the stratosphere.

Following our successful test flying campaigns over the last 3 years we now have opportunities for talented, team-oriented people to join our exciting programme. We are an inclusive group of aviation professionals who all share a vision to operationalise the stratosphere and if you have suitable transferrable skills, including relevant technical and aviation experience, then this is your chance to apply to join the flight operations team.

We now have multiple positions for flight crew to support our test flying campaign in 2023. Full training is provided to suitable candidates at our specialist training facility in Farnborough. Successful graduates from our training programme rotate through deployment overseas and our operations centre in the UK. All travel, accommodation and meals are provided when working overseas.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and experience, although you will need to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK, as well as have the ability to travel overseas. We are not able to obtain work visas to enable living and working in the UK, although visa support will be provided where required for overseas operations.

This is your opportunity to be part of an exciting aviation activity at the leading edge of global RPAS operations.

Role and Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for the safe and effective delivery of Zephyr flight operations as part of a multi-person crew encompassing the following tasks:

Flight planning, meteorology, system preparation and airspace management
System management and aircraft navigation from a ground control station
Working with external stakeholders including air traffic controllers and customers
Technical, operations or management tasks according to your individual skill set

Essential Skills and Experience

Ability to work well as a member of a team
Excellent analytical, interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills
Ability to make and implement complex technical risk-based decisions under pressure in a small-team environment
Fluent in English to negotiation standard (minimum ICAO Level 4), have the right to live and work in the UK, and be willing and able to deploy overseas for extended periods
Competent in Maths and English (minimum GCSE level 5 / C, O’Level / O’Grade level C)
Working knowledge of physics
Working knowledge of Microsoft Windows applications
Able to meet UK DVLA Group 2 or medical standards or a minimum of Class 3 aviation medical standards from an ICAO contracting state.

Desirable Skills and Experience

Aviation or aerospace technical qualifications, including current or previous flight crew, UAS, UAV, RPAS or engineering licenses.
Level 3 or higher qualifications in aviation or aerospace, or comparable experience.
Aviation experience as flight crew or engineer, either military or civil.
Training in, or understanding of, CRM, NOTECHs, TEM policies and practises.
An understanding of the technical, operational and environmental factors affecting Zephyr.
Beyond line of sight, large RPAS operating experience.

Role Details

Location: Farnborough, with 50% travel time overseas Arizona, USA and Australia.

For UK work – standard day shift approx. 37 hours per week in office hours 9-5 Mon-Fri, with flexible working.

Initial training onsite Farnborough circa 8 weeks; when tasks are allocated (developing documents, conducting research, study at home etc) then this is at the discretion of the contractor.

Off-site work required. Some office work onsite, remote working from Airbus supplied IT equipment at home and travel to flight trials locations up to 50% of the time.

Expectation of 8 week deployments with approx. 6 weeks between deployments, probably 2 -3 deployments in 2023 and some daytime visits to UK test flying sites as required.

You will need to be available for training in early January, February or March to be eligible to apply.

Guidant Global (Airbus) is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.

Apply here