Spirit Airlines Launches Unique Partnership With College Using CBTA Method
Spirit Airlines and Wayman Aviation Academy partner to train pilots from CBTA. On August 11, 2023, Spirit partnered with Wayman Aviation Academy, a training college. It is located just 15 minutes away from the main headquarters of Trang College Spirit Air.
Summary:
Spirit Airlines is partnered with Wayman Aviation Academy. And it is the only college in America.
Graduates from Wayman Aviation will receive an R-ATPL, an associate degree, and 250-300 hours of flight time, with the restriction lifted at 1,000 hours.
American Airlines is launching a pilot pathway program to address the pilot shortage, in which domestic pilots are hired on a limited basis and guided by experienced pilots.
Wayman Aviation Academy is the only college in the United States that trains new pilots using the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) new flight training standard, Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA).
Partnership and pathway program
When students graduate. So they will be equipped with an Associates Degree in Airline Transport Aviation (R-ATPL) Pilot License and between 250 and 300 hours of flight time. The ban will be lifted once the license reaches 1,000 hours of total time.
Students graduating from the Airline Pathway Program are allowed to join the program. The program puts candidates on the fast track to a career in aviation, starting as a first officer in the cockpit of a Spirit Airlines flight.
Pilot shortage
Rapid growth in the world of aviation, and a large wave of retirees during Covid, and they are around 65 years old.
America’s airlines are experiencing a considerable impact. Because its industry is growing faster than other regions. Middle East and Asia prey on pilots by offering different packages.
New training standards
This program prefers a hands-on approach rather than a lecture. ICAO explains as follows:
- Application of knowledge
- Application of procedure and compliance with regulation
- Communication
- Ship Route Management: Automation
- Ship route management: manual control
- Teamwork and leadership
- Problem-Solving Decision Making
- Providing situational awareness and information
- Management
Almost 70% of all aviation accidents are caused by human error. CBTA aims to improve aviation safety by exposing students to cockpit situations using real-world and other resources.
