United States based low cost carrier Frontier Airlines attended the pilot and aircraft maintenance training organisation Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Career Fair in Broomfield, CO. They met with students who are passionate about aviation and shared insights about opportunities at Frontier.
“We’re excited to have several students join Team Frontier after they graduate!” shared Frontier Airlines.
Source: Frontier Airlines
Photo Credit: Frontier Airlines
Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, expressed satisfaction during the 2024 Changi Aviation Summit in Singapore, stating that the industry’s progress and recovery remained robust throughout 2023.
Walsh said the following in his speech:
Source: IATA
Photo Credit: IATA
Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) presents its annual scholarship for the Professional Pilot Upset Training program to a deserving pilot just embarking on their aviation career.
This scholarship represents not just a financial grant, but also an opportunity for unparalleled training, mentorship, and the chance to join a community of pilots who are dedicated to leading the industry in excellence and safety. This opportunity is open to any pilot who is currently enrolled or recently graduated from a pilot training program.
Requirements:
Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) trains pilots to avoid aviation’s most lethal threat—Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I)—through intensive, integrated academic, on-aircraft, and simulator instruction. The world’s most trusted and experienced airplane Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) training provider, APS serves thousands of pilots each year through locations on three continents with a singular focus to help pilots bring everyone home safely.
Each year, APS offers a scholarship for a Professional Pilot Upset Training program to deserving pilots just embarking on their aviation careers. APS has successfully trained 1000’s of professional pilots in fully comprehensive upset recovery skill development, more than any other training organization. APS offers comprehensive LOC-I solutions with industry-leading web-based, on-aircraft, and full-flight simulator upset recovery and prevention training programs.
UPRT is dedicated pilot training developed specifically to mitigate the risk of Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I), aviation’s biggest threat to air safety. UPRT trains pilots to develop the often counter-intuitive skills necessary to recognize and prevent or recover from an unexpected airplane upset. In addition to helping pilots develop these life-saving skills, UPRT also helps pilots improve general manual handling skills and develop mental strength. Upset Prevention and Recovery Training saves lives, and it also looks great on a resume. Pilots with Upset Prevention and Recovery Training can show not only that they are specially trained and prepared for an unexpected upset situation, but also that they are dedicated to safety as well as excellence in flying.
Source: APS
Photo Credit: APS (shown as meta image)
Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. (RHC), a global leader in civilian rotorcraft, announces Kurt Robinson, president and CEO of the privately-owned company, will transition to an advisory role and remain on the board of directors effective immediately. Concurrently, David Smith, formerly Robinson Helicopter’s vice president of operations, has been named the new president and CEO. This leadership transition marks a new chapter in the company’s 50-year history. The last leadership transition occurred in 2010 when founder Frank Robinson retired, and Kurt Robinson was elected president and CEO by the board of directors. Smith becomes only the third to lead the civil aviation company in 50 years.
“Watching and helping our company grow from our living room to become a global leader in the helicopter industry is a fantastic lifetime achievement, and I am incredibly proud of my 40-year career with the company,” said Kurt Robinson. “Moving forward, RHC requires a committed, strong leader who shares our company values, and we’ve found that leader in David Smith, who will be taking over the day-to-day leadership of the business as President and CEO. With his strategic experience and passion for our industry, David is well poised to lead Robinson Helicopter Company into an exciting future marked by continued innovation, success, and global leadership.”
Smith is committed to maintaining Robinson’s reputation for safety and reliability and building on the company’s legacy of innovation and growth. With his experience and fresh perspective, he plans to continue the culture of excellence and collaboration, driving the company forward with new product development initiatives, enhanced business systems, and expanded manufacturing capabilities. Smith recognizes the importance of staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the rotorcraft industry and ensuring that Robinson helicopters remain the benchmark for efficiency and performance. Additionally, Smith aims to strengthen relationships with customers, suppliers, and partners worldwide, positioning RHC as the preferred choice for civilian rotorcraft solutions.
“Leading Robinson Helicopter Company is an extraordinary privilege. With a 50-year legacy of success, I am honored to lead the company into the next 50 years of vertical flight,” said Smith. “I look forward to working with the more than 400 service centers and dealers and the more than 1100 employees of RHC as we pursue new products, markets, partnerships, and technologies.”
Smith joined Robinson Helicopter in early 2023 as vice president of operations and has nearly two decades of experience in aviation and rotorcraft. The majority of his career was spent at Bell Flight in multiple leadership roles across engineering, serving as program director for critical product developments as well as the vice president of operations modernization, leading organizational growth and profitability. Smith also led TRU Simulation + Training Inc., an affiliate of Textron Aviation, delivering pilot training solutions, including full-flight simulators and flight training devices for business aviation, rotorcraft, commercial air transport, and military markets.
Smith’s new role is effective immediately.
About Robinson Helicopter Company
For more than 50 years, Robinson Helicopter Company has been at the forefront of the helicopter industry by delivering safety-enhancing technologies, including OEM-designed crash-resistant fuel cells, 4K cockpit video cameras, autopilot systems, and NVG-compatible cockpits. Robinson is committed to developing, manufacturing, and supporting the most reliable and efficient helicopters in the industry.
Source: Robinson Helicopter Company
Photo Credit: Robinson Helicopter Company
Ronald E. Kelly, the new CEO the Las Vegas Flight Academy (LVFA), has been awarded with the distinguished Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award given by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in recognition of 50 years of safe flying. Mr. Kelly becomes one of a small group of African Americans to receive the distinguished award during the LVFA’s grand opening ceremony, appropriately held during the nation’s celebration of Black History Month.
“Although the FAA does not track the race of Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recipients, given that less than 3 percent of all U.S. airline pilots are African American, we can assume that the number of Wright Brothers Award recipients who are African American is very, very small,” said Dr. Alan Meyer, Associate Professor specializing in technology and aviation history at Auburn University, and author of Flying While Black, which investigates the slow pace of racial integration in the airline cockpit from the Civil Rights Era to present.
Mr. Kelly began flying sailplanes in Southern California at age 14 and later earned his private pilot’s license. Although he spent most of his professional career in real estate sales and development, aviation remained his first love. In 2004, he became part of the business venture that built an eight bay, 38,000 square foot full motion flight simulation complex for Pan Am International Flight Academy in Henderson, NV. In 2020, Kelly bought out the assets of Pan Am’s Las Vegas operation which then became Las Vegas Flight Academy.
In addition to receiving the coveted Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award at the LVFA grand re-opening on Feb. 24, Mr. Kelly also made public for the first time the launch of his 501c3 non-profit organization called Minority Pilot Advancement Foundation, designed to educate minority teens about careers in aviation and drive generational change for them and their families. The goal of the organization is to bring 600 minority and women pilots a year into the aviation industry. Due to a nationwide pilot shortage, the FAA has dropped the need for a four-year degree as a prerequisite for employment as a pilot, opening opportunities for youth who may not realize that a career in aviation is now a possibility for them. Youth who are served by the Foundation will be trained at Flight Ventures Aviation Academy in Murrieta, CA, owned by Mr. Kelly, and Chris and Danni Haug.
About Wright Brothers Master Pilot Awards
The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award given by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It began in 2003 to recognize pilots who have practiced safe flight operations continuously for 50 or more years during the course of their aviation careers. To date approximately 8,000 awards have been bestowed on pilots with exceptionally safe flying records.
About Las Vegas Flight Academy (LVFA)
Las Vegas Flight Academy provides wet and dry safety training for professional pilots in Boeing B737-300 and B737-800 Level D full flight simulators, and holds a 142 flight center certificate. LVFA maintenance staff are highly experienced, trained, and motivated to ensure you quality training in Full Flight Simulators. LVFA instructors are former airline and military pilots and instructors with average total time exceeding 20,000 hours. LVFA offers an ATP-CPT course, initial Type ratings in the Boeing 737-800, and recurrency Boeing 737 training courses too.
Source: Las Vegas Flight Academy
Florida, United States of America headquartered flight and aircraft maintenance training group Epic Flight Academy announces that in February 2024 it achieved the following milestones:
Source: Epic Flight Academy
Photo Credit: Epic Flight Academy
Ronald Kelly, owner of the Las Vegas Flight Academy in Henderson, marked the opening of his pilot training organisation by revealing plans to establish the Minority Pilots Advancement Foundation.
The foundation will aim to encourage young girls and minority teens to explore careers in aviation and foster generational change within their families. In collaboration with Flight Ventures Aviation Academy in Temecula, California, owned by Kelly and Chris and Danni Haug, the foundation will provide training opportunities for youth, offering a pathway into the aviation industry.
The goal of the Minority Pilots Advancement Foundation is to bring 600 minority and women pilots a year into the aviation industry.
Mr. Kelly also plans to build a hotel near the pilot training organisation, ensuring convenient lodging for trainees during their stay in Las Vegas for training.
LVFA currently operates:
Source: Las Vegas Flight Academy
Photo Credit: Las Vegas Flight Academy
Aviator College, specializing in aviation degree programs is pleased to announce that Aviator College is now expanding its existing partnership with JetBlue, joining the airline’s Gateway University pilot development program, and opening future career opportunities to Aviator College graduates.
Aviator College joins a prestigious list of four-year colleges and universities JetBlue has partnered with to offer aviation students a clear path to first officer positions through Gateway University. Aviator College already has the proud distinction of being JetBlue’s school of choice for its Gateway Direct programs, established to encourage and develop non-pilot JetBlue crew members into JetBlue pilots or aviation maintenance technicians. As a JetBlue University partner, all eligible Aviator College pilot students will now have an opportunity to apply for a conditional job offer as a first officer at JetBlue. Accepted students receive additional mentorship and support as they complete their education and training at Aviator College. JetBlue mentors continue to guide participants following graduation as they build time and experience before joining JetBlue as a first officer.
“We are very excited to able to make these two significant announcements at a time when our industry needs pilots so badly,” said Director of Education of Aviator College.
“We are very proud and flattered to be included in JetBlue’s Gateway University program and look forward to providing a path to JetBlue for our graduates,” said Paul Woessner Director of Business Development Aviator College.
“The most fundamental part of any flight plan is knowing your destination and charting a clear path to that goal,” said Nancy Hocking, director of Gateway programs, JetBlue, “With Gateway University, we’re honored to offer our expertise and support to developing aviation professionals at Aviator College helping them stay on course to a rewarding career in commercial aviation.”
New At Aviator
Aviator College has always been committed to providing quality education and pathways to becoming a commercial airline pilot. These new opportunities for Aviator College students at JetBlue come as the college continues to strengthen its flight programs with more opportunities and accreditations.
Following recent FAA approval, Aviator college is now also authorized to certify graduates of our new Bachelor of Science degree to later earn an ATP with restricted privileges. This means Aviator College graduates of the BS degree will now only need 1,000 hrs. of flight time to apply for airline pilot jobs. This approval continues to drive us forward and benefit our graduates.
As we look to the future of Aviator College’s aviation degree and flight programs, the college plans to continue growing its non-degree aviation maintenance technician program and look for additional opportunities to offer value and opportunity to our students.
About Aviator College
Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technology is an accredited, co-educational, degree-granting, institution of higher learning. It provides individuals with quality flight training that will prepare students with entry-level skills necessary for employment in the field of aviation.
Source: Aviator College
