United Airlines opened doors to its flight school on Thursday, reaching new heights as the first major U.S. airline to own a flight training school.
At the United Aviate Academy, United hopes to train about 5,000 new pilots by 2030 with the school as airlines continue to struggle with staffing shortages amid the pandemic, according to a statement.
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“As a United pilot for more than 32 years, it’s exciting to see these new students earning their wings and beginning their aviation careers, and I’m looking forward to them joining me on the flight deck one day,” said United Chief Pilot Mary Ann Schaffer. “We need more pilots and a more diverse pool of young aviators, and United Aviate Academy will help us achieve both goals.”
Eighty percent of the inaugural class comprises women or people of color, the statement said.
United and JPMorgan Chase & Co. will provide nearly $2.4 million in scholarships to trainees. A commercial pilot’s license could cost about $100,000 in the United States, according to the statement.
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Earlier this month, United had about 4% of the airline’s total workforce, or approximately 3,000 workers, out sick, forcing the airline to cancel flights. Flight cancellations became prevalent across several airlines in recent months due to staffing shortages.
Next year, United Airlines expects to have a shortage of more than 12,000 pilots, according to CBS News.
