Future pilots invited to free monthly forums

FAPA President Louis Smith, a retired airline captain, said the company stepped up its game in light of the need for placing 650,000 pilots into jobs within the next 20 years, according to a widely circulated Boeing study. “The nine major U.S. airlines will hire greater than 4,200 pilots this year,” Smith told AOPA. “We forecast the hiring for 2017 will exceed 4,500; the highest since the year 2000.”

The no-cost seminars will present career options for those interested in pursuing professional aviation careers and are “designed for kids, parents, teachers, and counselors,” said Laura Arden, FAPA’s director of sales and marketing. Forum partners Piedmont Airlines and Ameriflight will play key roles, and a variety of speakers, exhibitors, and schools also will participate in the educational experience.

Arden explained that the free forums are part of a two-day weekend event that begins on Fridays with a paid-attendance global job fair for qualified pilot applicants and ends on Saturdays with the free informational forums for potential aviators. Future Pilot Forums are already scheduled for Jan. 28 in Honolulu, Feb. 4 in Phoenix, and April 22 in Las Vegas, with more dates to be announced soon.

In-person attendees will receive an overview of multiple pilot path options; learn about the global pilot job outlook, financing, and training; participate in Q&A sessions with airlines, schools, and universities; and view the movie Living in the Age of Airplanes.

Because “not everybody can come to Miami” or other cities, Arden said FAPA will initiate virtual registration options for its Future Pilot Forums. Online attendees may view the material at their leisure via archived high-quality video. Both the in-person and online educational seminars are intended to lead future aviators by the hand as they determine the best course of action to attain their goals.

“We are on a mission to inspire kids that have demonstrated an interest in becoming a professional pilot, and we are committed to building the pilot pipeline,” Arden said.