Ken O'Flynn
Question:
105. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the average time required to recruit, train and bring to full operational competency a pilot, an aircrew member, and an aircraft technician within the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32880/26]
View answer
It has not been possible to provide a response within the time frame available. I will respond to the Deputy when the information requested is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
I refer to the above-referenced Parliamentary Question 105 of 6th May 2026 and my original reply stating that it was not possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available. I am now in a position to do so.
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians undertake full General Service Recruit training of approximately 26 weeks duration in advance of commencing a further 3.5 years of technician training. Aircrew members will similarly complete full GSR training upon induction followed by a period of further training that can last anywhere between 2 weeks and 9 months depending on the course of training undertaken.
Personnel inducted to a pilot cadetship will undertake a period of training of approximately 30 months duration comprising 10 months in the Cadet School followed by a further 20 months in Flight Training School.
I am advised by the Defence Forces that the strength of the Air Corps as at the 31st March, the latest date for which this figure is available stood at 778 or 88% of establishment. Last year saw the induction of 78 personnel to the Air Corps and in order to further boost staffing levels, concerted efforts continue to be made regarding recruitment. General Service recruitment remains open and ongoing. In 2025, a total of 60 General Service Recruits were inducted to the Air Corps, in comparison to 46 during 2024. As of the 31 March 2026, there were 13 further inductions of General Service Recruits to the Air Corps. A new competition for Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) launched recently while new competitions for Direct Entry Air Traffic Controllers and Aerospace Technicians are being progressed. The 2026 cadetship competition closed for applications in March with over 800 applications received for the pilot and Air Traffic Controller cadet streams respectively.
