United, the only major U.S. airline to own a flight training\nschool, officially opened United Aviate Academy today and welcomed a historic\ninaugural class of future pilots, 80% of whom are women or people of color.\nUnited Aviate Academy is a key part of the airline’s goal to train about 5,000\nnew pilots at the school by 2030, with at least half women or people of color.\nThis unprecedented training commitment will dramatically expand access to this\nlucrative and rewarding career while upholding United’s world-class safety\nstandards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last summer, United unveiled its ambitious United Next\nstrategy to revolutionize the United flying experience and introduce more than\n500 new, narrow-body aircraft into its fleet to match the anticipated\nresurgence in air travel. United plans to hire at least 10,000 new pilots by\n2030 to meet this need with about 5,000 of those coming from United Aviate\nAcademy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby and United President\nBrett Hart were joined today by Federal Aviation Administration Deputy\nAdministrator Brad Mims and other government officials at the Phoenix Goodyear\nAirport to welcome the new students. The group also outlined United’s plan to\nhelp break down some of the barriers to entry through targeted recruiting,\nstrategic partnerships and scholarship and financial aid solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Our pilots are the best in the industry and have set a\nhigh standard of excellence,” said Kirby. “Recruiting and training\neven more people who have that same level of talent, motivation and skill is\nthe right thing to do and will make us an even better airline. I couldn’t be\nprouder of this first group of students and look forward to meeting the\nthousands of talented individuals who will pass through these doors in the\nyears to come.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, for many people becoming a pilot seems not\nonly out of reach financially, but completely unimaginable. According to the\nU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 5.6% of pilots are women and 6% are\npeople of color. Earning a commercial pilot’s license in the U.S. can cost\nabout $100,000 and becoming an Airline Transport Pilot requires 1,500 hours of\nflight time, which requires a significant commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have renewed last year’s\ncommitment to fund nearly $2.4 million in scholarships for future aviators\nattending United Aviate Academy. The airline also directly works with the\nfollowing organizations to educate prospects about the benefits of becoming a\npilot and to find candidates for scholarship opportunities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United currently has about 12,000 pilots, and Captains of\nUnited’s Boeing 787s and 777s can earn more than $350,000 per year. In\naddition, United pilots receive one of the highest 401(k) matches in the nation\n\u2013 16% of base pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United Aviate Academy expects to train at least 500 students\nannually as one part of United recruiting as the carrier works toward hiring at\nleast 10,000 pilots by 2030. Aviation consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates a\nworldwide pilot shortage of 34,000 aviators by 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United Aviate Academy’s first class is undergoing a\nyear-long training program that sets them up for a career that reflects\nUnited’s high standard of professionalism and deep commitment to delivering a\nsafe, caring, dependable and efficient travel experience. After completing\ntheir training at the academy, students can build flight and leadership\nexperience while working within the Aviate pilot development ecosystem at\npartner universities, professional flight training organizations and United\nExpress carriers on their way to becoming United pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As a United pilot for more than 32 years, it’s\nexciting to see these new students earning their wings and beginning their\naviation careers, and I’m looking forward to them joining me on the flight deck\none day,” said United Chief Pilot Mary Ann Schaffer. “We need more\npilots and a more diverse pool of young aviators, and United Aviate Academy\nwill help us achieve both goals.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United worked closely with multiple organizations, cities,\nand elected officials to help make the academy a reality for aspiring pilots\nwho otherwise may not have pursued a career in aviation. The airline extends\nits gratitude to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and his office; the Arizona\nCommerce Authority; the City of Phoenix and Mayor Kate Gallego; and the City of\nGoodyear and Mayor Joe Pizzillo and the late Mayor Georgia Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United Aviate Academy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 340,000 square-foot United Aviate Academy facility at\nPhoenix Goodyear Airport includes world-class features such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n