United Airlines is taking a pro-active approach to the looming commercial pilot shortage.
It is buying its own flight school.
It signed an agreement to buy Phoenix, AZ based Westwind School of Aeronautics.
United says it becomes the only major US carrier to own a flight training academy.
It will be renamed United Aviate Academy.
"Launching our own academy provides us with the unique opportunity to not only ensure we maintain the ideal number of quality candidates within our pilot pipeline, but also play a significant role in recruiting, developing and welcoming those with diverse backgrounds to the United family," said Aviate managing director Bebe O’Neil.
United expects to hire more than 10,000 pilots over the next decade and is targeting 300 pilot graduates from the academy within its first full year of operation.
United expects the academy to be up and running as an in-house operation by the fall of 2020.
