September 2026 intake: Astonfly welcomes its largest cohort of student pilots

An exceptional cohort for the September 2026 intake

On Wednesday, 2 September 2026, the new student pilots walked through the doors of the Astonfly campus at Paris-Saclay-Versailles Airport (Toussus-le-Noble). This is the largest cohort ever welcomed by the school since its creation, marking a major milestone in the development of our airline pilot training programmes.

Hailing from across France and several countries worldwide, these students of diverse nationalities share a common goal: obtaining their airline pilot licence and stepping into the cockpit of a commercial airliner. Some have just completed their secondary education, while others are changing careers after several years of higher education or working life. All are embarking on a 24-month journey that will take them from ground school theory to their first flight hours.

First days designed for integration

Rather than diving straight into formal lectures, Astonfly chose to kick off the year with several induction days. The goal: ensuring every student gets to know their campus, instructors, and peers before opening their first textbook.

Discovering the campus

The management and instructional teams welcomed the cohort in the classroom to present the school’s layout and operations: floor plans across both levels, briefing rooms, workspaces, the flight operations department, and the technical library. Each student left with their welcome pack and training schedule.

The flight simulators

A first hands-on experience with the campus’s Alsim flight simulators. These devices faithfully replicate the cockpit and instrumentation of a real aircraft, allowing students to practise procedures safely on the ground, both before and between flights. For many, it was their first time taking the controls.

Team building

Lunches on the terrace in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, go-karting, and an evening bowling session: a pilot cohort is also forged outside the classroom. Crew cooperation—working effectively as a crew—is an integral part of the profession, and it begins right here.

Official photo

These initial days wrapped up with the official cohort photo—white shirts and ties—beneath the Astonfly logo in the main reception hall. A picture each student will look back on years later, with their stripes added.

What lies ahead

Students in this cohort are split across our various training pathways:

• The Integrated ATPL programme, a 24-month course taught in English, training future airline pilots from zero flight hours through to a full licence.
• The Ryanair Future Flyer Academy, for which Astonfly is the exclusive partner in France. This pathway features training tailored to the airline’s standards and, subject to successfully completing all training stages and the airline’s selection process, opens the door to a conditional job offer.
• The Multi Airlines programme, designed for students looking to prepare for recruitment assessments across multiple airlines.

In all cases, the syllabus combines ATPL theoretical knowledge (all aeronautical knowledge required by the European authority), flight training on our aircraft, and simulator sessions, with personalised support provided by our instructors.

Want to join the next intake?

Astonfly holds four intakes per year: March, June, September, and December. As places are limited, we recommend applying three to six months before your chosen intake.

No prior flight experience is required: training can start from scratch. The requirements are straightforward: be at least 17 years old at the start of training, hold a baccalaureate/A-levels or equivalent (all educational backgrounds are accepted), have a good command of English (around B1 level), as English is the language of the cockpit, and obtain a Class 1 medical certificate, the mandatory medical examination for commercial pilots.

All applicants start with the same online assessment, accessible remotely whenever you are ready. Your results will determine the programme(s) you are eligible for, and a career advisor will guide you through to enrolment. If you are still shaping your plans, our pilot pathway guide details each step of the process.

Come and discover Astonfly at our open day

Can you picture yourself in an upcoming cohort? Join us on 3 October 2026, from 10:00 to 18:00, at the Astonfly Paris-Saclay-Versailles campus. Come explore the school, speak with our students and career advisors, and ask any questions you have about airline pilot training.

View the Open Day and register — Under the ‘Meet us’ section, click ‘Register’ for the open day on 3 October.