A Pilot Pathway Agreement between Pan Am International Flight Academy, headquartered in Miami, and ExpressJet Airlines was signed today providing Pan Am’s Career Pilot Academy’s Certified Flight Instructors an opportunity for future employment at ExpressJet.
The agreement was formally signed at PAIFA’s facilities in Miami.
“We are excited to join Pan Am International Flight Academy in establishing a career pathway that supports future generations of aviators,” said Darrin Greubel, Director of Flight Operations for ExpressJet. “ExpressJet’s reputation for industry-leading training and safety programs as well as our pilot pay package that provides over $50,000 in first-year compensation makes this an ideal opportunity for Pan Am CFIs.”
“Pan Am International Flight Academy’s CFIs will have the opportunity to join a valued and respected US regional carrier through this agreement,” said Mark Johnson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Pan Am International Flight Academy. “This fills us with pride and solidifies our commitment to training the next generation of the world’s aviation professionals.”
This agreement is a step by two key players in the aviation industry amidst a market prediction for commercial pilots in the future. Boeing’s 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook says aviation is looking at an “unprecedented” demand for 790,000 pilots over the next two decades and research firm Cowen & Company estimated that “more than 42% of active U.S. airline pilots at the biggest carriers will retire over the next 10 years, roughly 22,000 of them.”
Pan Am International Flight Academy is a leader in aviation training and has more experience and more programs catering to the aviation service industry than any other training organization. In 2017 it trained over 5,000 aviation professionals. As the only surviving division of original Pan American World Airways, the Academy can trace its instruction heritage to the earliest days of airline flight training. With locations in Miami, Las Vegas, Tokyo & Europe, Pan Am is a legacy, dedicated to training aviation professionals one customer at a time.
As a United Express partner, ExpressJet serves over 110 airports in 34 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Mexico. ExpressJet also offers its pilots the clearest path to a position with United Airlines through the Pilot Career Path Program with its partner. The airline operates a fleet of more than 130 Embraer and Bombardier regional jets.
Both parties agree that this arrangement is a “win-win”, for Pan Am International Flight Academy’s Certified Flight Instructors having a pathway for employment at ExpressJet Airlines, and for ExpressJet, who will receive quality trained pilot candidates to meet the businesses’ demands.