Notes Demand For Career Pilots Will Increase

Young aspirants to a professional pilot career face many daunting challenges on their paths to the sky... but it may help them to know the over 412,000 members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are behind them. AOPA tells ANN the pilot advocacy group has launched "AOPA Career Pilot," a new effort to support America's young men and women who are planning or already working toward a career as a professional pilot.

"AOPA has always been about pilots," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "We have provided world-class products and services to millions of members since we were founded in 1939. This program continues that tradition -- one that leverages our unique strengths so we can effectively serve an important and fast-growing segment: the next generation of career pilots."

AOPA Career Pilot provides several useful resources for anyone seriously considering a career as a professional pilot, as well as those already in the early stages of flight training. The print and online resources have been developed by AOPA staff members, in conjunction with highly-respected aviation and training professionals.

In the coming years, a range of factors will increase the demand for new pilots -- the airlines are using smaller jets for short-haul flights; new air-taxi services are expected to become available as the new very-light jets start to enter the market; low-cost carriers like JetBlue continue to grow; fractional-ownership programs like NetJets are expanding. And the military, historically a major contributor of personnel to the airlines, is moving toward technologies that require fewer pilots.

"This is a growing market, one that AOPA is uniquely positioned to serve with our unmatched range and depth of resources," said Boyer.

One of the features of AOPA Career Pilot is a section dedicated to aspiring professional pilots in the award-winning AOPA Flight Training magazine. Each month a variety of articles will focus on the needs of tomorrow’s professional pilots. Stories will provide information on employment options, training programs, hiring statistics and strategies for effective interviews and resumes. Other topics will include pertinent information such as profiles of flight schools, job market forecasts and inside tips from airline recruiters.

In addition to the print materials, an AOPA Career Pilot Web site will offer a broad range of interactive resources. Visitors to the AOPA Career Pilot website will be able to enjoy services such as participating in a mock interview session; creating a blog about their own experiences; and chatting with professional pilots, among many other planned resources.

"Over the past decades AOPA has created a remarkable body of resources for pilots," noted Boyer. "Our AOPA Career Pilot initiative continues that tradition while building a whole new level of service, using today’s latest technology for tomorrow's professional pilots."

FMI: www.aopa.org/careerpilot/