Republic Opens their Flight Academy

[BrettInLJ]

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/ne...cademy-to-Combat-Pilot-Shortage-230910-1.html

$65,000. “Graduates of the program are, according to Republic, guaranteed a First Officer position with the airline.”

Hopefully they are selective enough on admission to the program and standards for graduation.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

Guaranteed a job with republic? Thats a pretty terrible threat.

God bless

 

[PenguinAviator]

Do you have a pulse? Big bank account or access to student loan$????

WELCOME ABOARD!

 

[SeanD]

How does this idea combat the pilot shortage?

 

[bp]

How does this idea combat the pilot shortage?

It gives the lazy and uncreative an easy way to part with their money

 

[srn121]

How does this idea combat the pilot shortage?

It depends on how they promote it. 65k for your ratings through commercial could be pretty reasonable compared to some other programs like Embry Riddle. I think a lot of the general public never considers aviation as they assume it's extremely expensive and something out of reach, but with Republic marketing this as a pathway to flying for the regionals I'm sure it will entice more people to consider flight training that weren't otherwise looking into it. Maybe I'm missing or overlooking something, but I don't see how this could be a bad thing and if they are able to get affordable financing for prospective students then that'd be absolutely awesome.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Good for potential students, bad for the rest of us. Personally, I want to watch every single regional shrivel up and die when all of their planes go to mainline. And don't get all weepy, they'd do it to you if there was a buck in it.

 

[tcco94]

They just signed an agreement with my college last month as well. It appears their not wasting any time making pipeline programs around the country.

I still feel like this will take years to be positively effective. Good on them on starting early though.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

"Guaranteed regional jet job offer!"



Where have I heard that before...........




JET UNIVERSITY!

 

[chrisreedrules]

I think an above poster nailed it. To most the thought of being an airline pilot is an unastainable thing. A lot of that has to do with not having a clue how to go about becoming one. These kind of programs solve that for some and it will likely attract people.

 

[BigZ]

Yup... pipelines are the thing

 

[killbilly]

Do the pilots basically work up through their certificates/ratings, and then instruct the next wave? It's a straight-regimented 141 program?

 

[mshunter]

 

[This is My Screen Name]

Pyramid scheme

 

[deadstick]

One person with 250 hrs and a CFI would still need another 1250 to qualify for the ATP, right?

On average (awhile ago) a person going from 0-CFI part 61 would need 30 hrs dual for the PPL, 20 hrs for the IR, 10 for the CPL and 10 for the CFI. So one student would generate about 70 hrs in the log book for the instructor. So, for ONE CFI at Jet U! Part Deux to reach the ATP hours they need 18 people to fork over $65k, or $1.17M. That’s with 100% completion and a full pipeline.

This’ll be interesting to see.

 

[Kekistan]

We need MPL so that the 250 hr. Comm/Multi/Inst pilot can go straight to a mentored position as a first or second officer and not have to waste their time and money beating around the traffic pattern as a CFI till 1500hrs.

 

[TallFlyer]

We need MPL so that the 250 hr. Comm/Multi/Inst pilot can go straight to a mentored position as a first or second officer and not have to waste their time and money beating around the traffic pattern as a CFI till 1500hrs.

Sarcasm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boris Badenov]

Sarcasm?

Disappointingly subpar trolling. UP YOUR GAME, KEK, YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS.

 

[tcco94]

Sarcasm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Doubtful. That's how that dude thinks.

 

[FlyPurdue]

We need MPL so that the 250 hr. Comm/Multi/Inst pilot can go straight to a mentored position as a first or second officer and not have to waste their time and money beating around the traffic pattern as a CFI till 1500hrs.

I used to work at a major (non flying positions), and the topic of MPL came up frequently from leadership whom had never been privy with what initial pilot training entailed. After presenting many decks on what exactly MPL was, and what it omitted, no one was onboard with ever advocating or lobbying for a 'true MPL' in the states. An MPL only requires ~75 hours of actual flight time in Phases 1 and 2, with ~225 additional hours being taught in a full motion simulator or FTD. This of course severally constrains pilots from learning a methodical decision making process, and does not allow them to experience real world situations, where decisions have to be made.

That being said, I am a big fan of a 'hybrid model', where ratings are still earned in a (flying) aircraft, and chances to make (and learn) from mistakes is presented, That being said - having several hundred hours in (or watching) a multi-crew environment (even in an FTD) is still invaluable as I have seen first hand the struggle of 1,500+ hour pilots moving from a trainer to a jet transport...and firmly believe that there needs to be a more concrete 'apprenticeship' programed developed before pilots should be expected to thrive in the airline atmosphere. If you look at the jetBlue 'Gateway Select' program, and compare it to a EASA MPL, it is nearly identical, with the only difference being their students still have to earn ~1,500 hours of flight experience...other than that the 'phases' and 'modules' are nearly identical.

The notion that the regionals are that apprenticeship is a flawed ideal, as passengers are absolutely not purchasing an apprentice flight crew member, nor are there any discounts or differentiators when flying on an outsourced E175 to IAH versus a mainline operated E190.

Although I have no personal investment or involvement in the Republic LIFT Academy, I hope that this program has the ability to create a true apprenticeship for the sake and sanctity of the pilot profession.