United Graduates First Class from Aviate Pilot Academy

United's Aviate Academy is the only flight school operated by a major airline.

Amelia Walsh

Monday, January 30, 2023 at 04:42 PM ET

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United Airlines plans to hire 10,000 new pilots by the end of the decade. [Courtesy: United Airlines]

Key Takeaways:

United Airlines Aviate Academy (UAA), the only flight school operated by a major airline, celebrated its inaugural graduating class.
UAA is a significant investment by United, aiming to train 5,000 new pilots by 2030 to help the airline meet its goal of hiring 10,000 pilots this decade.
The academy emphasizes diversity, with its first class comprising a high percentage of women and people of color, and provides graduates a direct pathway to becoming United pilots within approximately six years, addressing a looming industry-wide pilot shortage.

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United Airlines Aviate Academy (UAA), the only flight school operated by a major airline, celebrated its inaugural class of graduates on January 25 at its Goodyear campus in Arizona.

A first of its kind, UAA is a significant investment in creating additional pathways to the flight deck as the airline plans to hire 10,000 new pilots by the end of the decade. Of the 51 graduates, 39 percent were women, 69 percent were people of color, and 84 percent came in with no prior flight experience.