CNN reported recently: American Airlines wants to hire 2,000 pilots this year. Delta anticipates adding between 100 and 200 pilots to its ranks each month this year. United expects to train 500 pilots through the Aviate Academy every year over the decade.
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An Airline Transport Pilot training as a beginner costs almost $90.000. Even private pilots have to pay almost $70.000, so it is a commitment that you need to be sure about. Nonetheless, if newly certified ATP holders are able to land an airline job at the end of it all, the cost and hard work are surely all worthwhile.
United’s special ‘Aviate’ program
So how can airlines support budding pilots to reach their goal of working for an airline despite the financial obstacles? United Airlines, for one, has come up with an interesting solution in the form of its ‘Aviate‘ program. This provides $2.4 million in scholarships and covers the cost of private pilot training. This reduces the fees from $89,000 to $71,250.
The program sees the new pilots begin their careers at United’s regional partners. Interestingly, this is an area in which it has recently been experiencing pilot shortages. As such, it may just be the ideal solution.
Inside The Aviate Program: How United Is Securing Future Pilots
United Airlines has an enormous need for pilots over the next ten years and beyond. Between retirements and fleet expansion, the airline has a mammoth task ahead of it to fill its pilot ranks and keep the airline flying smoothly. One of the ways United has been working to ensure it maintains a strong pipeline of pilots for the future is through its Aviate Program, which offers one of the most direct ways for aspiring pilots to enter the pipeline and get a job with the airline.
This pathway to United is based on training that helps aspiring pilots earn a Private Pilot License and then move further with aviation training. The Aviate Academy comes at a cost, but United and Chase are partnering to provide $2.4 million in scholarships to help cover expenses for the program. There are also loan options, though United is focused on ensuring that financial background does not serve as a barrier to entry.
United’s Aviate Academy in-house flight training operation is the first for any major airline in the US. Phoenix’ Goodyear airfield, where the training takes place, is putting the school's first class of about 60 students on a streamlined path to a new career.
An aviation consulting firm says airlines worldwide need an estimated 34,000 new pilots by 2025 to meet growing demand and keep up with retirements. If it's a crisis, it's a crisis for small communities.
Traditionally, airlines looked to the military to provide a steady stream of qualified candidates. Civilian pilots had to come to the table with thousands of flying hours cobbled together on their own — the Federal Aviation Administration requires a minimum of 1,500 hours of piloting experience to earn an Airline Transport Pilot certificate.
This is the model is an economic opportunity to let people come in who don't have $100,000 to spend on their certification but have great potential, great ability — to let them get through the whole process of becoming a commercial airline pilot.
United says its academy costs $71,250, with scholarships available. Delta Air Lines recently dropped its requirement that pilot applicants have a four-year college degree, too. While the industry average pay for pilots is more than $190,000, according to the Labor Department, entry-level pay is notoriously low and training costs are high, frequently exceeding the limits of federal student loans.
Airlines cut costs by asking veteran flight crews to take early retirement packages during the depths of the pandemic are now staffing up. Now the aggressive hiring puts pressure on the regional airlines, which operate smaller planes branded United Express, American Eagle, and Delta Connection that also serve as career feeders to the mainline carriers.
In United's inaugural Aviate Academy class, 80% are women or non-white
— disproportionate to United's current pilots of which only 19% are not white men
The first step is the 10-month Aviate academy, where students graduate with multiple credentials. The dormitory is on campus near the Cirrus SR-20 single-engine planes the students fly. After graduation, United points trainees toward jobs at partner companies, such as flight schools, where they can build the necessary hours. Then participants fly regional jets for a United partner, and two years later, have top priority to be a first officer at United.
Read more details:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/business/united-airlines-flight-school/index.htm
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