United Airlines is purchasing a flight-training school to help increase the supply of future pilots and is exploring ways to boost financing programs to help pay for aviators' education.
The agreement to buy Westwind School of Aeronautics in Phoenix, United States, is designed to churn out pilots for United Express regional carriers, which have struggled to fill jobs known for demanding schedules and entry-level pay. About 56 per cent of United's daily departures are flown by the regional airlines, which include ExpressJet Airlines, SkyWest and Mesa Air Group.
Increasingly, those companies also train the bulk of pilots who eventually work for major US carriers such as United and Delta Air Lines.
United expects 300 students to graduate from the renamed United Aviate Academy in 2021, its first full year of operation. The company is planning to expand to 500 annual graduates over time, given the demand for pilots in the regional industry, said Curtis Brunjes, a United 787 captain and the carrier's managing director of pilot strategy.
"The long-term goal is for this to be the predominant path for United [pilot] hires," he said.