Delta Offers Employee Airline Pilot Pathway

Vero Beach, Florida,-based Skyborne Airline Academy is partnering with Delta Airlines to provide training through the airline's Propel Pilot Career Path Program (PPCP). To qualify for the program, applicants need to be a three-year Delta employee, possess at least a Private Pilot certificate, go through an interview process and more. But those who are accepted get a terrific deal, with applicants getting a conditional offer from the airline and then, upon completion of the ATP program at Skyborne, getting a gig at a Delta regional partner and then with the major carrier itself. Skyborne says the training typically takes just under a year. While it sounds like a great pathway, it isn't free. The trainee pays full fare, and in a market where pilots are at a premium, the deal would presumably lock the would be airline pilot into a deal with Delta, even if they want to fly for another carrier. Moreover, the trainee doesn't keep getting their Delta wages while they're training, though they would probably get a gig with Skyborne as part of their journey toward the 1500-hour total time ATP threshold that all U.S. airline pilots need to hit before they get that airline gig.  Skyborne has partnered with other airlines as well, including United with its Aviate program geared toward providing opportunity to people underrepresented in aviation.