Jeff G
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
- Posts
- 184
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, through its Aviation & Space Technology Academy (ASTA), is making it possible for a qualified individual to transition from aviation enthusiast to regional airline pilot in less than a year through its new accelerated First Officer Flight Training (FOFT) program.
The innovative 10-12-month course, which trains first officer candidates to regional airline and corporate fleet standards, gives candidates 550 hours of total flight experience and advanced jet simulator flight time, preparing them for positions as first officers with domestic regional airlines.
“We established this program to take advantage of opportunities created by an anticipated shortage of qualified pilots, unprecedented growth of the regional airline industry, and market demand in aviation,” says George Ebbs, president of Embry-Riddle. “It is a practical response to the needs of our industry.”
A recent Embry-Riddle survey shows that commercial aviation will need more than 11,000 new pilots by 2003, yet only slightly more than 7,500 qualified civilian and military pilots will enter the field that year. With plans by the Federal Aviation Administration to increase the capacity of the nation’s airports and airways by 30 percent, the pilot crunch will continue to be a problem for years to come.
What dreamworld are these people living in? There are thousands of pilots out of work, and they think a 550 hour pilot is going to take the industry by storm?