Bipartisan Bill Aims To Help Military Veterans Get Their Wings

The legislation would allocate flight training grants to establish a pathway for veterans to become commercial airline pilots.

Amelia Walsh

Monday, March 13, 2023 at 11:39 AM ET

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What skills and knowledge do pilots master to obtain the CFII, and how long does it take? [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The bipartisan American Aviator Act of 2023 has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate to create a pathway for veterans to become commercial airline pilots.
The act establishes an FAA grant program, allocating $5 million annually for five years, to provide financial support for flight training, tuition, and resources for veterans not already military pilots.
This legislation aims to address the significant national pilot shortage while simultaneously easing the financial burden for veterans pursuing aviation careers and helping them transition to well-paying civilian jobs.

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A bipartisan bill that would create a pathway for veterans to become commercial airline pilots has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate.

On March 10, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) unveiled their American Aviator Act of 2023, which builds off of the Forces to Flyers research initiative—a three-year study conducted in response to the airline pilot shortage, and was begun in 2017.