In early November, we welcomed the first all-Aviate class of new-hire pilots to United. Fifty new-hire pilots, who were previously United Aviate participants, were recognized at the United Flight Training Center (FTC) in Denver.
“This is truly a momentous occasion—a memorable occasion—for United Airlines to have a basic indoctrination class with nothing but pilots from our Aviate program,” says Denver Flight Training Managing Director Captain Marc Champion. “We hope to get to a point where this is a common occurrence every week, where we’re starting a class of 50 pilots.”
Champion, Aviate and Pilot Strategy Managing Director Captain Curtis Brunjes, Managing Director and System Chief Pilot Captain Mary Ann Schaffer, and representatives from the Air Line Pilots Association welcomed these new hires with excitement and shared our vision for the future of Aviate and our pilots.
The Aviate program is our industry-leading pilot development program, which offers aspiring and established pilots the most direct path to a first officer position in the United flight deck. Participants receive continuous support and coaching, access to senior leadership, site visits, and more.
Our unique program matches pilots of different experience levels, making it easy to share knowledge in a personalized way. Our training reflects our high standard of professionalism and deep commitment to delivering a safe, caring, dependable, and efficient travel experience.
Additionally, our FTC is the world’s largest industry-leading airline training facility. More than 20 other airlines and government agencies use our facility to train their personnel. With our recent $150 million renovation, we’re able to support more than 50,000 live training events every year.
The opportunities continue to grow with our expanding network and fleet. We have nonstop or one-stop service from almost anywhere in the U.S., and our participation in Star Alliance provides access to a global network with 28 member carriers. What’s more, we have the most wide-body aircraft (192 of them) of any North American carrier.
We invest in an inclusive culture where the best pilots and leaders want to work, with supportive business groups and game-changing diversity initiatives. We pride ourselves on creating a working environment with opportunities for everyone.
Our commitment to hiring the best pilots in the industry is at the forefront of our efforts, and we’re just getting started. As we celebrate this all-Aviate class and welcome them to United, we’re certain Aviate will continue to be the most direct path to United and an integral part of our pilot-hiring efforts. We expect this will help us reach our goal of hiring more than 10,000 pilots by 2030.
Congrats, new hires!
Learn more about Aviate at unitedaviate.com.
Next Up: United Fosters the Next Generation of Women in Aviation
