Students who graduate from UND's aviation school will be required to stay for a period of time after they graduate for a commitment to the school before they can move on to one of United's regional partners, Capt. Mike McCasky, managing director of flight training at United Airlines, said Monday.
UND will be able to delay a student's career progression from UND instructor to regional FO. This is a manpower tool for the university to retain the instructors
Each participating United Express partner has its own CPP requirements that pilots would have to meet to be considered for job openings with United Airlines. CPP pilots who continue to meet program criteria at the regional level eventually would be placed in United Airlines' first available new hire class.
UAL and UND have announced an agreement subject to the whim (i.e. Manpower retention) of Express CPA carriers.
United Express, United's regional branch, partners include CommutAir, Mesa Air, Air Wisconsin and ExpressJet Airlines.
Whipsaw much?
Once a UND student is accepted into the program, no further structured interview is required with United. As long as the company is hiring pilots, UND students, who remain eligible, would be offered conditional employment with the airline.
This is significant as a conditional job offer is being made, subject to the above hoops, to an unqualified applicant. It appears that pilot hiring is being farmed out to the universities. Traditionally, a UAL captain (ALPA member), has been a part of the pilot hiring process, I wonder how this will change that dynamic.