Frontier Hiring Candidates With No Expertise, Pilot Scarcity

It’d seem to be the simplest resolution for the continued business pilot scarcity can be to easily rent extra pilots. Nonetheless, prior selections by airways have ensured there isn’t a big pool of certified candidates left to pluck from. Many carriers supplied their workers buyouts and early retirement to downsize throughout the early peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These former workers don’t need to return largely resulting from lackluster pay and substandard working circumstances. So, in response, a number of airways have launched packages to coach and rent candidates with little to no flight expertise for employment.

Frontier Airways’ F9 Pilot Cadet Program is the latest carrier-backed coaching scheme within the trade. The airline intends to just accept 35 candidates per thirty days into the 24-month coaching program and run in partnership with ATP Flight Faculty. Requirements for candidates are very open: Candidates should be at least 19 years of age, clear a background verify, and have a highschool diploma — although, an affiliate’s diploma is most well-liked. Candidates are additionally required to get financing from ATP for tuition. Nonetheless, Frontier is providing monetary support to partially offset the price of coaching.

As soon as cadets full the coaching program, they’ll have the required certifications and flight expertise to take their assured place as a Frontier Airways first officer. Regardless of the acquisition of Spirit Airways falling via, the Frontier fleet is anticipated to develop considerably within the coming years. Frontier has leased sufficient plane from Airbus that the airline’s fleet will triple in dimension by the last decade’s finish.

Brad Lambert, Frontier’s Vice President of Flight Operations, mentioned:

“That is an thrilling alternative for anybody who has ever dreamed of turning into a business airline pilot. We’re placing this program in place to not solely practice future pilots however to assist them overcome the limitations to entry individuals could encounter when attempting to pursue an aviation profession. We’re thrilled to embark on this journey that may lead us to a brand new era of Frontier Airways pilots.”

Different airways are taking totally different routes to attempt to attain an analogous vacation spot. Alaska Airways is partnering with an Oregon-based flight college to create a pilot pipeline within the Pacific Northwest, the service’s dwelling area. Delta Air Strains has partnered with over a dozen universities to recruit college students to coach to change into pilots. United Airways created its personal flight academy primarily based at Phoenix Goodyear Airport with the objective of coaching 5,000 pilots by the top of the last decade.