20 cadets started a couple of weeks ago and had their welcome day at Cranebank with their families. The group picture was posted on our flight ops newsletter the other day.
From flight ops mgt, the cadet scheme is here to stay, and it will provide the majority of pilots to BA over the next five years or so (quoting our DFO). Of the 800 pilots to be recruited, 240 or so have already been offered contracts (the majority of whom are now on-line in BA), 400 are to come from the cadet stream leaving 160 or so to be recruited as DEPs. The BMI thing will increase the numbers required over the coming years, as LH aircraft require more pilots, plus I hear the age demographic of BMI pilots will mean more will retire in the coming years. Even so, cadets will feature in the coming years, just as they did 10+ years ago.