Airline Pilot training academies

[Tom Braeunig]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with any of the airline pilot training academies like Horizon Ascend, Delta Propel, United Aviate or Southwest 225.

My grandson completed the application process for the Horizon Ascend Academy. He got his FAA Class I medical and a current passport as required, and he did a video interview. Following that, he was invited to an in-person interview. For that interview, Horizon flew him to their headquarters at SeaTac.
After the in-person interview he was told that he had not been accepted. Needless to say, he was pretty disappointed, but even more disappointing was that they didn't give him any reason, or any feedback at all. It was just a flat "no" with no explanation or advice on how to proceed.

He is a student pilot and has completed all of the requirements for his PPL. He is doing his final prep for his checkride.
I know that these academies will accept applicants with little or no flying experience, and he was told that he shouldn't start on his instrument rating. So it seemed like he was at exactly the right place training-wise. It's hard to tell what criteria they use for acceptance into their programs.

 

[Tools]

These “academies” aren’t as well organized as you may think. They are wild attempts at contracting with WHOMEVER to fly HOWEVER.

They may be interviewing while not having capacity, among a thousand other behind the scenes problems.

Don’t be discouraged. They may be too embarrassed to even say why they can’t take him.

Tools, ala Nauga, behind the scenes

 

[Larry in TN]

Look into some interview prep counseling.

 

[write-stuff]

LIFT is fully owned and operated by Republic Airways. They have locations in Indianapolis and Myrtle Beach.

 

[Tom Braeunig]

Thanks write-stuff. I found their website, looks like an excellent program, and they place their graduates into 1st officer po

 

[Oldmanb777]

Larry in Tn has it right. Get some good interview prep. Then don't give up. Go everywhere, and then go again. Thier requirements to have you in their program changes by the hour.
Don't get discouraged. It's interview practice.

 

[Pinecone]

Just saying, airlines are also trying to check boxes on diversity........

 

[EvilEagle]

Not uncommon for airlines. I know a lot of fully qualified great people that interviewed at airline X - didn’t get hired and gave them zero feedback. Airline Y… same thing. Then airline Z hired them straight away and loved them. If he wants to be an airline guy, it’s a great time to start developing that thick skin.

 

[Ryan F.]

I would say, "welcome to aviation." Getting knocked down a few times is normal for all of us in this business. He should take whatever learning opportunity may come from the experience (limited though it may be at this stage) and move on without thinking twice. Future is bright! Welcome!

 

[mandm]

Not sure how those programs work but I think you still have to do your own training and build your own hours.

 

[Tools]

Some do, some don’t… EVERYTHING is on the table, the biggest problem is ACTUAL execution.

Training/hiring/hr departments are talking to flight school owners, sometimes without a single pilot being involved. It goes as far as advertising before people realize things aren’t going to go as advertised!

Some are totally legit. No problem. Others are no more than words on paper…

deltas propel is a program, not a flight school, for example.

I know one airline accepted applications BEFORE contracting with a flight school… not sure if that one ever even got started.

The “terms and conditions” are all over the place. Attrition rates of students and flight training providers are huge. There are no standards….

This “industry” is a shocking mess! You simply don’t know what is REALLY going on until you actually show up and see the instructors and planes, I don’t care who’s name is on it. There are some big names and zero programs, some zero names and impressive programs.

If you have ever run a small business and tried contracting work with a big to giant company, you know what I mean.

And it ain’t like “my business makes small cast iron parts, now I’m gonna contract with GM for a small cast iron part”.

Rather, I run a successful small IT company, I think I’m gonna buy some planes and contract taking kids off the street and teaching them to be airline pilots” sort of thing….

HR folks at airlines are buying the inflated claims of people who think they can just set it up and get it running AFTER they sell the goods….

The successful flights schools out there, don’t generally want to be beholden to a single client, rightfully so.

And then there’s the successful attempts that get a slew of kids who decide it ain’t for them… but now the investment capital is gone.

My point is, it ain’t all it seems, can’t be discouraged by it. There is no obvious solution, keep an open mind. If it sounds too good to be true…. Most importantly, KEEP FLYING! No matter what, get tangible hours however ya can.

 

[Pinecone]

Not sure how those programs work but I think you still have to do your own training and build your own hours.

No, these days there are flight academies with connections to airlines. They "hire" you, and then you go through the program, and come out the other end with a guarantee of an interview or an FO position in a regional.