Flight Schools: Farm Teams for the Airlines

FLYING staff writer and CFI shares story of a student recruited by an airline right out of flight school.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 12:19 PM ET

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Today, many airlines are using stipends to help their future captains and first officers pay for their training—even when they are years away from the flight deck of a jet. [File Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Airlines are proactively addressing the pilot shortage by recruiting aspiring pilots early in their training, often offering financial assistance like stipends and sign-on bonuses to help cover costs and accelerate their path to airline employment.
Flight schools face a "revolving door" challenge where high demand for training exists, but experienced flight instructors (CFIs) are quickly hired by airlines, creating a shortage of instructors for advanced training.
While not strictly required, an aviation college degree can significantly reduce the flight hour requirements for a Restricted ATP (R-ATP) certificate, speeding up a pilot's eligibility for airline positions, and many airlines partner directly with such programs.