German-born Captain Andre Ludwig has spent the past eight years flying for Wizz Air from the airline’s Bucharest base in Romania, and he plans to remain with the airline for many years to come.
Captain Andre joined Wizz Air through the Direct Entry Captain Program. Alongside his flying duties, he has become a key member of the airline’s training and recruitment team.
After spending almost five years living out of a suitcase while flying for a legacy carrier, Captain Andre was drawn to Wizz Air’s welcoming culture and the opportunity to begin a new chapter with one of Europe’s fastest-growing airlines.
With his extensive experience flying for Wizz Air and deep understanding of life as a Captain, AeroTime’s Michael Jonga, sat down with Captain Andre for a unique behind-the-scenes interview, where he shared valuable insights for those considering a flying career with the airline.
Whether they are complete beginners, newly qualified pilots, ambitious First Officers looking to command their own crew, or experienced Captains seeking a new challenge, Captain Andre said Wizz Air offers opportunities for every stage of a pilot’s career.
During the interview, he explained how pilot recruitment works, what candidates can expect throughout the selection process, and why joining the airline has been one of the best decisions of his career.
As Wizz Air works towards operating a fleet of 500 aircraft by the end of the decade, the airline is seeking new pilots who share its ambition for growth.
“We are continuously seeking new pilots, meaning experienced people, as well as either new joiners or low-experienced first officers,” Captain Andre explained.
He highlighted that Wizz Air is one of the few companies offering individuals fresh from flight school a direct route to operating an Airbus A320 with a “highly standardized airline”.
For those with little to no previous aviation experience, the Wizz Air Pilot Academy offers aspiring aviators a pathway to obtain their Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and the chance of flying for Wizz Air.
Wizz Air
“You do not need to spend so much money, like I had to do at that point. It’s one of the biggest pluses that we have, that we even have this opportunity to start the flight school with Wizz Air,” Captain Andre said.
For experienced pilots already flying with commercial airlines, he noted that Wizz Air’s family-like culture and attractive benefits have given him a better quality of life away from work that he had not experienced before.
“We are home every single day, so we’re starting from our home base, performing the flight, coming back, sleeping in our own beds, and that is one of the biggest things, combined with an attractive competitive package, including salary, other benefits, growth and internal job opportunities,” Captain Andre explained.
He added: “[But] it is not only the salary, it is not only the roster, it is not only the opportunity to fly with low hours or to get your command within this company. It is the combination of it all, and this is one of the things that is outstanding.”
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Captain Andre also spoke about the company’s recruitment days that he helps to lead, particularly those that are attended by candidates who have just finished flight school.
With many potential recruits hoping to find their first job at an airline, the atmosphere can be stressful for te candidates with a lot of nervous energy in the room.
“I know exactly how they feel, the atmosphere, a bit of fear that you have, because it is an important step,”
Captain Andre explained. “I see myself in all the candidates, and I know how they feel. I think I will never forget it, because at the end of the day, we’re all human beings.”
‘Are you ready to apply the standards?’
He also discussed the simulator assessment phase, during which Wizz Air evaluates the candidates’ capabilities.
“We’re trying to set up a very realistic scenario based on the skill level that we’re expecting from each candidate, based on their previous experience, and then what we’re looking for, mainly from our side, is the so-called trainability,” he said.
When asked what qualities Wizz Air values beyond technical ability, Captain Andre’s answer was simple: attitude.
“It’s your personal attitude towards the job itself, towards the airline industry,” he said. “Are you ready to apply the standards?”
Take your career to new heights with Europe’s fastest growing low-cost airline, visit the Wizz Air pilot application webpage.
You can watch the full interview with Wizz Air’s Captain Andre on the AeroTime YouTube channel.
