Spirit Airlines has announced a partnership with Lynn University, enabling aspiring pilots to join its Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program. This is being offered in collaboration with the university’s Burton D. Morgan College of Aeronautics in Boca Raton, Florida.

The Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway offers a clearly defined pathway to students wishing to become a first officer with Spirit Airlines while completing their studies. At the same time it allows the carrier to build up its recruitment pipeline, avoiding pilot shortages like those experienced worldwide experienced last summer.

Spirit Airlines’ senior director of flight operations, Ryan Rodosta, said,

"As a Lynn graduate, it's especially rewarding to work with my alma mater and create valuable opportunities for the next generation of pilots. Lynn and Spirit both have a strong presence in South Florida, which makes for an exciting collaboration as the school develops highly skilled pilots for our growing airline."

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

How the program works

Students at the College of Aeronautics become eligible to apply for the Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway after completing their sophomore year or 500 hours of flight time, whichever comes first. They must also obtain a recommendation from one of the College’s faculty members.

As part of the application process, candidates will then be interviewed by Spirit Airlines, and if successful, given a conditional offer of employment. The offer is dependent on the student completing a Spirit Airlines-approved Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) course and 1,250 hours of flight training.

Students are mentored throughout their training and the rest of their studies, before being hired by Spirit Airlines as a first officer on one of the carrier’s Airbus A320 family aircraft.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The program was established last year, in partnership with CAE flight school in Phoenix, Arizona, and has now been extended to include students at Lynn University. The interim dean of Lynn University's Burton D. Morgan College of Aeronautics, Mike Petroski, celebrated the initiative, saying,

"The program allows Spirit access to our pool of talented aeronautic students, who in turn will receive mentorship, quality training, and the opportunity to progress to a rewarding career at a commercial airline."

Fast track to the flight deck

Successful candidates will be joining an airline that prides itself on its people. The airline was recognized last year by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, and has since been named as one of LinkedIn’s top 25 workplaces to develop a career in the travel industry.

With 120 Airbus A320neo family aircraft on order, Spirit Airlines will soon need more pilots to support its expansion. Nurturing future talent through the Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway is one way the carrier can help to strengthen its recruitment pipeline.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Spirit Airlines is not the only US low-cost carrier to team up with universities – just last month, Southwest Airlines announced its partnership with Auburn University.

What do you think of Spirit Airlines’ university-based pilot training scheme? Would you be interested in taking part? Let us know in the comments below.