Published: January 30, 2008 - 1:42 pm

JetBlue Airways Corp. on Wednesday announced the launch of a pilot mentoring program that will work with aviation schools to recruit potential pilots during their sophomore and junior years of college.

Dubbed Aviation University Gateway, the program will be operated in conjunction with the aviation departments at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of North Dakota. JetBlue will also partner with Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Air to be the program’s regional airline partner, allowing participants to gain flying experience before interviewing with JetBlue.

“We identify the right candidates for us early on, interact with that person periodically throughout their academic and training career, and when they come to us for a final interview, they’re a known quantity,” said JetBlue spokesman Sebastian White.

Gateway is open to students at both universities with professor recommendations and a grade point average of at least 3.0. While in school, students will be able to intern with Cape Air and subsequently serve as an instructor at the school. After graduation, students will fly for at least two years before being eligible for a final interview with Forest Hills, N.Y.-based JetBlue.

Mr. White said that the program is a long-term effort, and doesn’t represent any shortage of pilots for the airline.

JetBlue is the first airline to approach recruiting through aviation school partnerships. Continental Airlines Inc. continues to recruit between 12 and 14 pilots each month from the military, regional airlines and corporate operators. The Houston, Texas-based airline trains pilots through an elaborate in-house program and simulation system also used by other airlines.

On Tuesday, JetBlue posted a fourth-quarter loss of $4 million, or 2 cents per share, compared with a profit of $17 million, or 10 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenues rose 16.6% to $739 million, beating analyst expectations of a loss of 5 cents per share on revenues of $731 million.

JetBlue's traffic increased by 7.1% in the fourth quarter, hitting 6.2 billion revenue passengers miles. Capacity increased 11.5%.


Okay you guys with 2000hrs in the jet. Get those apps in!
I know JB is 1500TT but I want you guys to be competitive. Now everyone in JFK march on over to Terminal 6.