Is this actually real?

https://www.lufthansa-flight-trainin...ammfuerpiloten

"New Perspectives: United Airlines and Lufthansa establish a Career Path Program for Pilots"

 

Yes, it's true

 

So flight instruct to ATP mins and go directly to UA? Wow... So it's similar to JB's program. How do the UA pilots feel about this since JB pilots have been pretty vocal against their program?

 

How many flow through programs actually produce flow throughs?

 

Fine by me.

In a couple years we are gonna be hiring lower time pilots one way or the other. I'd rather have them coming up through LH's structured program compared to JB's homemade Cape Air deal or towing banners to check a box.

Besides, UAL seemed to do just fine hiring even LESS experienced pilots in the late sixties. The key was they were paired with very experienced pilots. Sure, there will be exeptions with some of the new hires.....but the same could also be said of some of our recent very "experienced" hires.

At the end of the day I'd rather have very capable and motivated young pilots being mentored by our pilot group than have them being "mentored" by a pilot with 200 more hours at a regional. Is a 737 or 320 really that different than a E170?

We were all young and low time at the start of our careers.

 

Those pilots hired in the 60's went to the panel and observed the system for an extended period of time. With everything else I agree.

 

I was one of those from the 60's. Commitment from UAL was I would be hired if I got my commercial in one year. Got it within three months or so.
UAL paid for instrument rating and I was "on the payroll", although the pay certainly wasn't much!
Started "on the line" in April 1967 as a DC-6 FE - 22 years old.
Retired as 777 Captain.
Lucky? Understatement of my life.

 

Good points and I definitely agree. Was curious to see how you guys perceived it as compared to the JB pilots.

 

Again, there's only about 15,000 regional pilots who'd all love the chance to fly for United...

Divide that by three, you still have 5000 applicants, and it'd take UAL close to a decade to retire that many people. This doesn't even consider up-and-coming students/CFI's or the many guys at LCC's/majors.

Point being, a program like this doesn't seem close to necessary yet. I hope it just means they're worried about their own pilot supply down the line and hire accordingly, but if and when CFI's start getting hired before guys with thousands of hours in a jet that says United Express on the side, well, that wouldn't be cool.

 

ATCA has been doing this for years with Lufthansa. When I was at ASU (Arizona State University), we had a flight program through them that you could eventually compete for an internship with United.