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New pathway to Frontier right seat

Regional air carrier Great Lakes Airlines launched a career pathway program June 2 to funnel pilots into first officer positions with Denver-based Frontier Airlines.

Solid flying skills, aviation education, and flight experience can lead to a career in aviation. iStock photo.The Career Pilot Program allows its partner airline to jointly recruit and interview interested pilots who are then hired on a contingent basis by Frontier, but first employed by Great Lakes, which is headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Applicants working at the regional air carrier are “trained and mentored for approximately 2 – 2.5 years as they build experience,” wrote Great Lakes Operations Director Joe Linnebur in an email.

Once selected by Frontier, pilots must remain employed by Great Lakes and build at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time while working their way up to captain. Throughout that time Frontier keeps an eye on them to make sure all of their training events and milestones are met.

Linnebur wrote that Great Lakes Airlines “allows Frontier to place that pilot into a class and that individual is then a Frontier employee.”

Frontier fuels the program by participating in recruiting events and interviewing pilot candidates.

“This could be the start to many of these in the future and could be a great way for airlines to incentivize college age pilots to continue towards a career in aviation,” wrote Linnebur.

David Tulis
David Tulis
Senior Photographer
Senior Photographer David Tulis joined AOPA in 2015 and is a private pilot with single-engine land and sea ratings and a tailwheel endorsement. He is also a certificated remote pilot and co-host of the award-wining AOPA Hangar Talk podcast. David enjoys vintage aircraft and photography.
Topics: Training and Safety

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