The expansion includes additional heavy check maintenance work at the airline’s bases in Charlotte, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The additional headcount includes over 385 aviation maintenance technician (AMT) roles, the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said.

This announcement builds on American’s ongoing commitment to growing its aviation maintenance workforce. In 2023, the company added over 300 jobs to its Tulsa maintenance base with the help of a grant from the state of Oklahoma.

“American is excited to grow our talented Technical Operations workforce with more high-paying, skilled aviation maintenance positions,” said Greg Emerson, American’s vice president of base maintenance and facilities, in a press release. “It’s an opportunity to grow our maintenance capacity and capabilities in the near-term and preserve them over the long run by continuing to build our pipeline of future maintenance team members—which is important work American has been doing for some time.”

Job Openings Now Available

The new aviation maintenance positions are available for immediate application on the American Airlines careers website. The breakdown by location is as follows:

• Charlotte: 133 openings, including 122 AMTs
• Pittsburgh: 44 total openings, including 40 AMTs
• Tulsa: 321 total openings, including 227 AMTs

The airline’s mechanics are jointly represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) unions. In 2020, the airline and its mechanics signed a new $4.2 billion contract that will become amendable in March 2025.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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In a recent briefing to pilots viewed by AirlineGeeks, company vice president of flight operations Russ Moore said that American plans to hire 1,300 pilots this year. In 2023, the airline hired around 2,300.

Moore cited “delivery delays from Boeing” among the reasons for the reduction but noted that 2024 is still poised to be the airline’s third-highest year for pilot hiring on record. In addition, he said the company plans to pause new hire classes in June, July, August, and potentially in December.

“In fact, we hired and trained more pilots in 2023 than we have in the history of this airline, and we did it efficiently enough that we were actually a bit ahead of where we needed to be for the summer of 2024,” Moore said during the briefing. “This allowed us to transition from a ‘hire and train as many as you can’ approach to a more traditional approach, which in and of itself reduced our hiring targets for 2024.”

During the company’s investor day event in early March, CEO Robert Isom also noted the airline’s plans to pull back on pilot hiring.

“So [hiring is] slowing down a little bit, but we have a considerable number of retirements,” Isom said. “And so we will be hiring for the foreseeable future at levels like that.”

Despite the slowdown, Moore added that hiring could pick up again as up to 850 of the airline’s pilots retire annually over the next five years.

“So I expect we will be back to the 2023 tempo in hiring in pretty short order,” Moore said.

American joins a slew of other major airlines reducing their 2024 hiring, including both Delta and United. Earlier this year, Delta said it would also cut its 2024 pilot hiring plans in half.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA)—which represents more than 16,000 American pilots—recently noted that the pilot shortage was “over.”

“The perceived pilot shortage is over, eliminating any further need for policymakers to consider changing the retirement age,” said APA president Captain Ed Sicher in a March statement.

American did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the hiring slowdown.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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The 15-year-old aircraft—registered as N991AN—initially landed safely on runway 17L but came to a stop beyond the threshold area. There were no injuries reported among the 104 passengers and crew onboard.

“The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority and we are fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation of American Airlines flight 1632,” a spokesperson from the airline said in a statement.

Initial findings indicate that the aircraft touched down at a normal ground speed of 150 knots before departing the end of the runway at 30 knots. The agency’s preliminary report highlights potential problems with recent maintenance performed on the aircraft’s brakes.

The airline had just completed a project replacing the airplane’s steel brakes with carbon brakes four days earlier on Feb. 6, 2024. During this maintenance project, the NTSB believes that hydraulic lines connected to the brakes may have been incorrectly reattached.

According to Flightradar24 tracking data, N991AN had been at the airline’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, maintenance facility from February 1 to February 7. After returning to revenue service, the aircraft completed 17 flights between February 7 and February 10. The aircraft returned to revenue service again over a week later on February 19 following the incident.

During the landing phase, the automatic braking system malfunctioned shortly after touchdown, forcing the pilots to rely on manual braking and thrust reversers to slow the aircraft. Despite their efforts, the aircraft continued at a higher speed than expected as it neared the end of the runway.

The captain—who had initially been the pilot monitoring—then deployed maximum reverse thrust and notified air traffic control. “American 1632, total brake failure, we are departing the end of runway 17L, roll crash fire rescue,” the captain told the tower in a radio transmission.

The aircraft eventually came to a stop past the 8,500-foot runway’s end but within the paved overrun area. The NTSB says its investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Faulty Brake Install Blamed for Boeing 737 Overrun appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Under the companies’ agreement, Embraer will deliver the E175s with 76 seats in American’s standard two-class configuration. Embraer said the E175 is among the most popular regional aircraft, and the company has sold 837 of them since 2013. The latest firm order for 90 will be added to the Brazilian aerospace company’s first-quarter 2024 backlog and represents the airline’s largest single order of E175s.

• READ MORE: Embraer Says Deliveries, Backlog Rose in 2023 but Supply Chain Woes Slowed Results Overall

“Over the past decade, we have invested heavily to modernize and simplify our fleet, which is the largest and youngest among U.S. network carriers,” said American Airlines Group CEO Robert Isom. “These orders will continue to fuel our fleet with newer, more efficient aircraft so we can continue to deliver the best network and record-setting operational reliability for our customers.”

American said its strategy includes transitioning its fleet of regional aircraft to larger, dual-class models in place of its older 50-seat, single-class aircraft, which the company expects to retire by the end of the decade. The airline said it will continue to serve small and medium-size markets with larger regional jets.

• READ MORE: Embraer Says It Will Join United Airlines Ventures’ Sustainable Flight Fund

“The E175 is truly the backbone of the U.S. aviation network, connecting all corners of the country,” said Arjan Meijer, president and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “One of the world’s most successful aircraft programs, the E175 was upgraded with a series of modifications that improved fuel burn by 6.5 percent. This modern, comfortable, reliable, and efficient aircraft continues to deliver the connectivity the U.S. depends on day after day.”

The post American Airlines Closes $7 Billion Embraer Jet Order appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Capt. David E. Harris, a trailblazer in aviation who became the first Black commercial airline pilot when he was hired by American Airlines in 1964. [Captain] Harris opened the doors and inspired countless Black pilots to pursue their dreams to fly,” said American CEO Robert Isom in a statement. “We will honor his legacy by ensuring we continue to create access and opportunities for careers in aviation for those who otherwise might not know it’s possible.”

Prior to joining the airline industry, Harris served in the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant where he flew the B-47 Stratojet and B-52s. While a student at Ohio State University, he was rejected from the Air Force’s advanced ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) program twice on racial grounds, according to NBC DFW.

After leaving the military in 1964, Harris joined American’s ranks after being denied by several other airlines. He flew the Boeing 747, Boeing 727, Boeing 767, Airbus A300, Douglas DC-6, BAC One-Eleven, and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 during his tenure at the airline.

Harris flew for 30 years at American before his retirement in 1994 as a captain.

Harris also achieved the distinction of becoming the first African American captain for a major U.S. commercial airline. No cause of death has been made public.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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Joined by his wife Gwen—a former American flight attendant—along with Dana Donati, who previously led United’s Aviate Academy, the trio is debuting a new charity called Breaking Down Barriers. At its core, they say the new charity’s goal is to foster interest, mentorship, and career development for individuals who are otherwise underrepresented in the aviation sector, including minorities and women. The charity’s initial roll-out will focus on pilots, according to Parker.

“At least from my perspective, the two biggest barriers were one, this financial requirement and the other is awareness just because of the history in the industry. I just think there are a lot of people out there that have the full ability to do this but don’t know it exists,” Parker said during an interview with AirlineGeeks at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas.

In the U.S., 93.7 percent of professional aviators are Caucasian and 92.5 percent are men as of 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

“But those people exist in underrepresented communities as well. So what we really want is just to go find those people who have the same skills that the airlines are looking for…and identify them ourselves,” Parker continued.

Help Through the Training Process

Amid an ongoing pilot shortage, Parker and team are hopeful that their new non-profit can also aid in mentoring prospective aviators through the often tedious flight training process. Despite record issuances of airline transport pilot (ATP) certificates, consultancy firm Oliver Wyman expects North America to be short nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032.

No prior certificates are required to receive a scholarship from Breaking Down Barriers, not even the entry-level private pilot certificate. “So, we’re providing the scholarships to do the training, but it’s also about the coaching and the mentoring,” said Donati during the interview. “I currently have my CFI, so I’ll be on these students, making sure that they’re studying.”

• READ MORE: Former American CEO Starting Nonprofit to Promote Aviation Careers

Parker, who started his airline industry career in 1986 within American’s finance department, became chairman, president, and CEO of America West Airlines in 2001. Having taken the helm of the Phoenix-based airline 10 days before the September 11 terrorist attacks, he led the airline through some choppy waters.

In 2005, Parker orchestrated the merger of US Airways and America West. Seven years later, he joined US Airways and American together, forming the world’s largest airline. He served as CEO of American until March 2021.

“We just know because that demand [for pilots] exists, it’s a real [chance] to make sure that we don’t miss this opportunity to open it up to the best of the best,” Parker added. “Those that have barriers in front of them, we want to help pull those barriers down so they can succeed to their full potential.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com. An in-depth version of this story will be available in an upcoming print edition of FLYING magazine.

The post Former American CEO’s New Charity Looks to Break Down Barriers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Christmas epaulets,” they’re called, because they replace the regular colored-stripe epaulets worn by airline pilots with alternating red and green.

The holiday drive raises funds for the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Snowball Express program and the Chetek-Weyerhauser Scholarship Foundation and honors former Northwest Airlines captain and U.S. Army veteran John Knutson. 

Knutson was a graduate of Chetek-Weyerhauser High School in northwest Wisconsin. He died from stomach cancer in 1997 at the age of 56, and his widow, Mary, launched the idea of creating the festive epaulets in his memory. 

Though at first all of the proceeds from the sale of the epaulets went to the Chetek fund, it was determined a couple of years ago that in honor of Knutson’s military service, the proceeds would be split  50-50 with the Snowball Express program. 

The Snowball Express is dedicated to aiding the surviving spouse or guardian and children (ages 5 to 13) of deceased military veterans through its 501(c)3 organization. Though the name ties its charitable efforts to the winter holiday season, its programming now runs year-round. But each December the foundation hosts a special event for roughly 1,750 children and spouses/guardians at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. American Airlines sponsors the event as well, providing a lift to those who need to travel by air to make the five-day experience.

How to Buy

Pilots (or those who wish to gift them to pilots) can purchase the epaulets through the Christmas Epaulets website. They come in traditional and Velcro-style attachments and in three- or four-stripe versions. There is also a flight attendant/flight engineer version with two stripes.

The epaulets cost $20 a pair, plus $5.50 shipping and handling for one to four pairs, $7 for five to 12 pairs, and free shipping for orders over 12. To ship internationally costs $15.

All told, more than $130,000 have been donated to date through the program. To keep up with demand, Mary Knutson no longer does all of the crafting of the epaulets but is joined by local Chetek friends Lois and Bob Hartman and the extended Knutson family.

For more information, email Tim Knutson at: info@christmasepaulets.com.

The post Christmas Epaulets Raise Funds for the Snowball Express, Other Charities appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A rocket landed close to the airport Monday, according to media reports.

תיעוד: נפילת רקטה ליד נתב"ג במטח למרכז, אין נפגעים • בשדרות – נפילה בחצר בית, אין נפגעים בגוף@Doron_Kadosh @ShaniRami pic.twitter.com/1jZPaA5LQm

— גלצ (@GLZRadio) October 9, 2023

Travel disruptions are among the many latest developments for the country left reeling after a multifront surprise attack Saturday by more than 1,000 Hamas fighters that left an estimated more than 1,100 dead and thousands more wounded.

The airport has an average of 236 flight departures daily, according to FlightAware data. On Sunday, about 27 percent of flights into Israel had been canceled and about half were delayed.

About 37,000 air passengers travel to Israel daily, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company.

By Monday, major carriers United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines all suspended service to Israel, The Associated Press reported Monday.

• READ MORE: US Moves Fighters into Mediterranean in Response to Attack on Israel 

Not all carriers cut service, however. Israel airline El Al ramped up flights in order to bring Israeli reservists back to the country amid its unprecedented call-up of 300,000 reserve troops, Reuters reported. The airline had not canceled any flights, and many of its flights in and out of Israel were full, an El Al spokesperson told Reuters.

‘Exercise Caution’

In a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, published Monday, the FAA advised all air carriers and commercial air operators planning to fly into or out of Tel Aviv to “exercise caution.”

“Due to the ongoing conflict situation in the region, between Israel and Gaza-based extremist militants, operators are advised to review current security, threat information and NOTAMs,” the FAA said. “Delays are expected, [so] operators should calculate fuel accordingly.”

• READ MORE: Israel’s El Al Poised to Maintain Vital Air Link

Passengers traveling through the Tel Aviv airport were advised to be on alert to take shelter. 

“In light of the security situation in the state of Israel, Ben Gurion Airport is prepared in accordance with the orders of the Home Front Command,” airport management said in a notice to travelers. “Given the need to evacuate the terminal when there is an alarm at the airport, the following instructions must be followed: When an alarm sounds, passengers are asked to obey the instructions of security personnel in order to reach the protected areas.”

The post Carriers Scuttle Flights to Israel as FAA Tells Pilots to ‘Exercise Caution’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Parker’s organization will be named Breaking Down Barriers (BDB).

Parker’s post says that he hopes to create additional opportunities for underrepresented individuals across the aviation sector. “We believe BDB can create an enormous opportunity to transform the lives of underrepresented groups and their communities. That is work worth doing,” the post adds.

The former airline leader has appointed Dana Donati as the CEO of BDB. A former Assistant Chief Pilot for Republic Airways, Donati has wide-ranging experiences across the pilot recruitment and training sectors. Most recently, she served as CEO of United’s Aviate Academy.

• READ MORE: United Graduates First Class from Aviate Pilot Academy

“Dana is one of the most highly regarded women in commercial aviation, a talented pilot that most recently was CEO of United Aviate Academy. We are beyond fortunate to have Dana to lead this important cause,” Parker said in his Linkedin post.

Managing the Pilot Shortage

With U.S. airlines on track to hire a record number of pilots in 2023, Parker’s announcement adds to a growing list of creative solutions to attract talent in the aviation industry. All three major U.S. airlines have different pathways to becoming a pilot, sometimes starting from the most basic Private Pilots License (PPL).

While not out of the woods yet, the pilot shortage has begun easing a bit, according to AVweb. Consultancy firm Oliver Wyman said the North American airline industry is short 14,300 pilots, which is down from 16,900 last year. However, part of this change is due to a slew of regional aircraft being parked. The firm states that regional flights have dropped 36% since 2019 and restoring to that level would require 6,000 more pilots.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Former American CEO Starting Nonprofit to Promote Aviation Careers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

While the industry has seen significant peaks and lulls over the years, the current state shows pilot hiring climbing to previously unseen levels, with 2023 forecasted to surpass the hiring that occurred in 2022.

Aircraft manufacturing giant, Boeing, anticipates a global demand of 649,000 new pilots over the next 20 years. The Arlington, Va.-based manufacturer believes the commercial North American sector will need 129,000 pilots, while China and Eurasia will necessitate even more. 

Future and Active Pilot Advisors (FAPA) has tracked pilot hiring with the major carriers since the 1990s. The organization anticipates the hiring trend to continue this year, marking yet another record in the number of pilots hired by major carriers in a year. FAPA categorizes the major carriers as Alaska, Allegiant, American, Atlas, Delta, FedEx, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, United, and UPS. Regional carriers and corporate operators are not included in the data detailed below.

Regional carriers will need to continue hiring pilots who meet the Airline Transport Pilot certificate (ATP) requirements or the Restricted Airline Transport Pilot certificate (R-ATP) requirements. Corporate operators have different requirements set forth to hire pilots, however, many hire at the same requirements that regional carriers do. 

Record Hiring

In 2021, major carriers hired 5,426 pilots according to FAPA, with United Airlines hiring the most at 1,280 pilots. At the time, this was the largest number of pilots hired in a single year. 2022 on the other hand brought unfathomable numbers.

Last year, 13,128 pilots were hired by the majors. This represented an increase of 142% in one year. So far in 2023, the major carriers are on track to break that record as well, with FAPA anticipating over 13,000 pilots set to be hired. Through August, 8,920 pilots have been hired, leaving four more months in the year for additional growth. 

Freight Operators Buck the Trend

It is not all positive news though. Cargo giants FedEx and UPS are currently seeing a post-COVID decline in operations. According to ch-aviation, FedEx has accelerated the retirement of the carrier’s MD-11 aircraft with a fleet retirement year of 2028. Trans-Pacific flying is being cut by 30% for the Memphis, Tenn.-based carrier, and overall flight hours are being reduced transforming the company’s operation to have more presence on the ground. FedEx hired two pilots in January of 2023 and zero since. UPS started the year with nine hires, four in February and none since. 

On the flip side, passenger carriers are hiring at rates never before seen. Year-to-date totals for the big three include American Airlines bringing aboard 1545 pilots so far this year, Delta Air Lines with 1790, and United Airlines hiring 1813 pilots. American had the largest class month out of all the carriers, bringing aboard 284 pilots in May alone per FAPA. 

Hiring droughts in the past have correlated with major world events involving a decline in air travel. Immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, carriers furloughed pilots for years without recall. Hiring then resumed after those who had been furloughed had returned, however, some carriers waited longer than others. American Airlines, for instance, hired zero pilots from 2002 to 2012, a period of 10 years.

Many of the carrier’s pilots spent years furloughed awaiting the call to return to the job they had worked years to earn. This was a similar story for those at other carriers during the time period as well. Delta and United did not hire pilots again until 2007, lasting only two years before another year of zero pilots added to the ranks. The post-2007-2008 financial crisis showed 30 pilots being hired across the major carriers in 2009, all of which were by JetBlue.

Looking Ahead

The past two and half years show a very different picture compared to the ones painted just a decade ago. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics believes that between 2022 and 2032, there will be around 16,800 openings for airline and commercial pilots each year over the course of the decade. This number accounts for retirements and attrition across the industry and other workforces. United Airlines alone is expecting to add 10,000 pilots over the course of the decade. 

Major carriers are also addressing one of the largest barriers to entry into the industry: cost. The big three carriers are making strides to bring those without experience in the field into the workforce. Delta Air Lines has partnered with a Florida-based flight school to create the Propel Flight Academy. The carrier is offering financial assistance as well to help students get into the cockpit at an accelerated pace. United Airlines also has its own in-house flight school in Arizona. American has the American Cadet Academy, partnering with CAE to give those without experience a path into an American Airlines cockpit. 

United also just announced a new way for military aviators to transition into the civilian sector. Applicants need not have an ATP certificate, just the minimum requirements to possess one. Scott Kirby, United’s CEO stated “Launching this program is a win-win: our airline gets direct access to some of the best, most talented aviators in the world, and military pilots – and their families – get the time they need to plan their civilian career while still serving.”

While there is no magic ball to query for what the future will hold, the aviation industry needs pilots. 

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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