United Airlines officially inaugurated yesterday the United Aviate Academy, its flight school located at Phoenix Goodyear Airport, Arizona, welcoming its first class of students, which also, according to the company, is composed of 80% women or people of color, which is aligned with its goal of training around 5,000 pilots by 2030, of which at least half should belong to one of these groups.
The company seeks not only to address the problem of the lack of new pilots but also to create opportunities for people for whom this career would normally be inaccessible due to economic reasons, considering that an investment of around USD 100,000 is required to obtain a commercial pilot’s license.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 5.6% of pilots are women and 6% are people of color, which is why United Airlines and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have renewed their commitment to allocate almost USD 2,400,000 in scholarships for future pilots who join the United Aviate Academy, in a joint effort with other organizations such as the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Sister of the Skies, The Latino Pilots Association and The Professional Asian Pilots Association to inform those interested about the benefits of being a pilot and about the scholarships.
«Our pilots are the best in the industry and have set a high standard of excellence,» said Scot Kirby, CEO of United Airlines. «Recruiting and training more people who have that same level of talent, motivation, and skill is the right thing to do and will make us an even better airline. I couldn’t be prouder of this first group of students and look forward to meeting the thousands of talented individuals who will pass through these doors in the years to come,» he added.
The academy hopes to train around 500 pilots a year to be one of the pillars of United Airlines’ plan to hire at least 10,000 new pilots by 2030. The company currently employs 12,000 pilots, and a captain of 787 or 777 aircraft can earn more than USD 350,000 a year. Globally, it is estimated that by 2025 there will be a shortage of 34,000 pilots according to a report by the consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
Its facility occupies 340,000 square feet (31,500 m2) at Phoenix Goodyear Airport, and is equipped with a fleet of single-engine Cirrus SR-20 aircraft, multiple hangars and student quarters.
«The first class undergoes a year-long training program that prepares them for a career that reflects United’s high level of professionalism and deep commitment to providing a safe, caring, reliable, and efficient travel experience. After completing their academy training, students can gain flight and leadership experience while working within Aviate’s pilot development ecosystem at partner universities, professional flight training organizations, and airlines operating for United Express on their way to becoming United pilots,» the company said.
