What They’re Saying About the Forces to Flyers Research Initiative

A4A Applauds Volpe National Transportation Systems Center’s Veteran Pilot Initiative 

WASHINGTON, November 16, 2017 – Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today applauded the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center’s announcement of an initiative to help non-pilot veterans become commercial pilots.

“Today’s announcement is a tremendous step in helping our nation’s veterans gain high-paying, high-quality jobs as commercial pilots. As the U.S. airlines continue to grow, demand for pilots is on the rise and this program will prove to be pivotal in filling those positions,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “We look forward to welcoming those from the program into our network of passionate employees who operate the 27,000 flights each day that carry more than 2 million passengers and 50,000 tons of cargo.”

ABOUT A4A

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive $1.5 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. Airlines for America (A4A) vigorously advocates on behalf of the American airline industry as a model of safety, customer service and environmental responsibility and as the indispensable network that drives our nation's economy and global competitiveness.

America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the integral role the nation's airlines play in connecting people and goods globally, spur the nation's economic growth and create more high-paying jobs. A4A works collaboratively with the airlines, labor groups, Congress and the Administration to improve air travel for everyone.

For more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org and our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog.
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Delta Airlines Statement on Forces to Flyers

“The Department of Transportation’s ‘Forces to Flyers’ initiative is a great way to help military veterans bridge to careers as commercial pilots. Delta is firmly committed to supporting and recruiting from the military – nearly 15 percent of Delta's 80,000 employees, and more than half of our pilots, are veterans or on active military duty. We look forward to partnering with the DOT on this effort.” – Captain Steve Dickson, S.V.P.-Flight Operations, Delta Air Lines

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Regional Airline Association Supports DOT’s “Forces to Flyers” Initiative

WASHINGTON – (Nov. 16) - Today’s announcement on the Department of Transportation’s “Forces to Flyers” initiative, an innovative research program aimed at supporting the country’s military veterans with airline pilot career preparation and training, marks an important milestone and establishes the DOT as a true partner for smaller communities hit by today’s growing pilot shortage.

Regional airlines are the only remaining source of scheduled, commercial air service at nearly two-thirds of the nation’s airports. Although regional airlines are working hard to attract and support the next generation of aviators, career path barriers and the high cost of training have placed this rewarding career out of reach for many Americans. As a result, too few commercial airline pilots are available to fly all of today’s routes, let alone meet the demands of tomorrow’s air travelers.

As the regional airline industry contracted under the growing pilot shortage between 2013 and 2016, 156 airports lost at least 20 percent of their departures; 52 airports lost at least half; 29 airports lost at least 75 percent and 18 airports lost all of their commercial air service. The smallest communities have been hardest hit, in turn, contributing to the concerning urbanization of GDP in the United States as the already marked disparity between rural and urban access to air service grows worse. Without intervention, these impacts will deepen further as U.S. major airlines prepare to hire the equivalent of the entire regional airline pilot workforce within the next three years.

DOT’s “Forces to Flyers” initiative is particularly apt as both the commercial airline and Defense sectors cope with problematic pilot shortages. As all stakeholders continue to pursue a range of complementary policies aimed at safely resolving the pilot shortage, innovative programs like “Forces to Flyers” can begin to pave a path toward recovery.

“We applaud Secretary Chao for this initiative and stand ready to support the DOT with its ‘Forces to Flyers’ initiative, a critical first step toward helping a new generation of airline pilots take flight,” said Faye Malarkey Black, RAA president. “As we pursue a range of complementary policy solutions, initiatives like this can help support future pilots and ensure Americans from communities large and small retain access to the safe and reliable commercial air service that links them to the global economy.”

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