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.

FMI: www.captprogram.org