I'm not a pilot but my grandson is just finishing up his PPL at a local college and I'm trying to help keep him focused and on track. His plans are to get his instrument, commercial, multi and CFI over the next year. The college offers a modest sum to graduates to instruct once they graduate. Grinding the hours is clearly in his future.

I came across the new Piedmont Cadet program and it seems almost too good to be true.

Apply at 400 hrs
Sign at 500 hrs ($7,500 signing bonus)
Build to ATP/R-ATP minimums where and how you choose(receive up to $5,000 of your new hire pilot bonus paid out for every 100 hrs earned)
Upon achieving minimum ATP/R-ATP hours Piedmont pays for cost of ATP course as well as travel to and lodging at training facility up to $5,000.
After one year at Piedmont receive a $8,000 anniversary award
Upgrade to CA in about 18-24 months
Transition to American (place in line starts when pilot first becomes a Piedmont FO).

The bonus payments alone seem significant. The guarantee to flow to American is an added incentive.
Is there an
angle here I'm not seeing? Is Piedmont so short that they need to offer such a sweetheart deal? Is there a problem with this airline that is causing it?

Thanks from an old retired Grandpop trying to do right by his Kid.