JetBlue’s year-old pilot training partnership with Cape Air resulted in over three dozen new pilots being added to the program run in partnership with the University of North Dakota (UND) and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). In addition to internships at the partner airlines, upon graduation participants become instructors at their home university for a year and fly for Cape Air for two years before being eligible for consideration as a JetBlue pilot.
“We are pleased to announce that 41 young pilots from University of North Dakota and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University have now been accepted into the program – they are progressing exceptionally well,” said John Ross, vice president of flight operations at JetBlue. JetBlue and Cape Air will bring more students into the program in the next two months after interviews at ERAU Daytona, ERAU Prescott and UND.
JetBlue’s Gateway program isthe first of its kind, said the company. The program targets young pilots at the beginning of their careers, providing them a structured program of training and experience that, once completed, affords them a final interview for hiring at JetBlue.
Cape Air recently completed the first summer of internships for Gateway participants. “Some of the pilots flew as first officers, while others worked in a variety of ramp functions,” said Dave Bushy, COO of Cape Air. “But all of them also spearheaded important projects, such as creation of new Quick Reference Handbooks for the C-402 and business cases for the airline,”
“Cape Air is currently expanding as an airline and desirous of well-trained and motivated young pilots,” said Bushy. “The UND and ERAU students are motivated and well-prepared. Cape Air’s culture is much like JetBlue, where the crewmember feels like a part of the team and wants to contribute. Our pilots get airline-quality training and a depth of experience unmatched in the regional industry.”
To be considered for the program, a student must have recommendations from professors at the partner university (UND or ERAU), a grade point average of 3.0 or above and completion of an Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) Accredited Aviation Program at UND or ERAU, including all appropriate pilot certificates.
“Our students came back to campus with glowing reports – they feel as if they were part of a culture called Cape Air and had a better understanding of aviation as a business,” said Kent Lovelace, chair - Department of Aviation at UND. Jackie Luedtke, Dean of ERAU – Prescott said the students participating in the program see a tangible goal in sight, “They know they are part of a continuous pipeline program that will give them the right training and experience to one day fly a JetBlue airplane as a crewmember.”