ExpressJet Airlines will partner with JetBlue Airways on a program to offer qualified college students and current pilots a path to a career at JetBlue.
The JetBlue University Gateway Program creates three distinct paths by which a graduate of an Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) partner school can move to employment at ExpressJet, and then on to a position at JetBlue.
Students who graduate from an AABI partner school and serve as certificated flight instructors for one year to meet airline transport pilot/restricted airline transport pilot (ATP/R-ATP) minimums could then be hired as a first officer at ExpressJet. After serving at least 3,000 hours and 36 months and with at least 4,000 hours total flight time, they could interview and begin training at JetBlue.
Alternatively, graduates of AABI partner schools could be flight instructors for one year to meet ATP/R-ATP minimums, then serve as a first officer for ExpressJet for at least 1,800 hours and 24 months. They would fly as captains for Cape Air for at least 1,000 hours and 12 months to log at least 3,800 hours total flight time. They could then interview and begin training at JetBlue.
Finally, graduates of AABI partner schools could serve as flight instructors for one year, then serve as captains at Cape Air for at least 1,000 hours and 18 months. They would then be first officers at ExpressJet for at least 1,800 hours and 18 months to log at least 3,800 hours total flight time before they could interview and begin training at JetBlue.
Cape Air and JetBlue have had a longstanding partnership. That pathway agreement requires graduates of AABI partner schools to obtain flight instructor experience, log 2,500 hours, and work 24 months at Cape Air for a total of at least 3,200 hours, and complete a jet transition course before obtaining an interview with JetBlue.
The new partnership will offer a variation of the gateway program for current ExpressJet pilots who meet all program requirements, the company said.
AOPA ePublishing staff
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