An agreement signed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University’s Commercial Airline Pilot Training (CAPT) program
and Focus Air, a cargo carrier covering the Pacific Rim, clears the
way for CAPT graduates to be hired as flight crewmembers by Focus
Air.
Under the New Hire Bridge Program agreement, selected CAPT
graduates will be employed in Focus Air’s Flight Operations
Center as a flight follower for six to eight months. They will then
enter training to become a Boeing 747 flight engineer for 12-18
months, followed by training to become a B-747 first officer. Upon
successful completion, candidates may be assigned to a flight-crew
duty position in as little as eight months after graduating from
the CAPT program.
“I know of no other programs, beyond those at
Embry-Riddle, that offer opportunities for brand-new pilots to
realize their goal of flying overseas and logging time in a Boeing
747 in such a short period,” said Guy McClurkan, executive
director of CAPT. “Embry-Riddle has succeeded, once again, in
creating a highly professional and innovative ab-initio training
program that allows our pilot graduates, with no previous flight
experience, to participate in unique opportunities like the one
with Focus Air.”
The New Hire Bridge Program also calls for CAPT to perform all
new-hire screening for Focus Air. CAPT has one of the most thorough
screening programs in the industry. To be admitted, each candidate
must pass an airline-style background investigation and a screening
process involving psychometric testing, simulator evaluation, and a
formal airline-style interview.
“We are pleased to be able to put our experience and
practical knowledge of pre-employment screening to good use on
behalf of our airline partners,” McClurkan said.
The CAPT program at Embry-Riddle is an approximately 12-month
immersion program that trains individuals with no flight experience
to the highest standards of the commercial airline industry. The
program employs the latest technologies and training tools to
deliver airline-specific training to its cadets. These include
flight video cameras, self-reflecting journaling, line operations
safety audits, and a comprehensive academic curriculum built on a
foundation of crew concepts and crew resource management.
Cadets graduate from CAPT with private, commercial,
multi-engine, and instrument ratings, as well as a DC-9 series type
rating, gained in the program’s FAA-certified Level D Boeing
MD-90 glass cockpit simulator. This airline type-rating course
gives graduates loggable jet time as both captain and first
officer, as well as expert knowledge and real-world experience in a
modern transport jet.