Spirit Adds Tenth Pilot Pathway Partner

Virginia-based Liberty University has announced a new partnership with Spirit Airlines, becoming the tenth institution to join the ultra-low-cost carrier’s Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program. Aimed at growing Spirit’s professional pilot pipeline, the program accepts applications from faculty-recommended students pursuing an aviation degree. Applicants who pass Spirit's interview process receive a conditional offer of employment as a Spirit first officer along with mentorship through the completion of their degree and flight hours and a Spirit electronic flight bag.

“We put a lot of hard work into developing the Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program and assembling a great group of partners making it incredibly rewarding to reach this key milestone,” said Ryan Rodosta, Spirit senior director of flight operations and system chief pilot. “Liberty University offers a premier pilot training program designed to provide graduates with the skills to lead in the aviation field, and Spirit's growth creates opportunities for those graduates to achieve their dreams with us.”

Spirit noted that, before being offered employment, program pilots must complete the airline-approved airline transport pilot certification training program (ATP CTP) and jet transition course after reaching restricted airline transport pilot (R-ATP) minimum requirements. Other institutions that have joined the Spirit Wings program in the last year include Illinois’ Lewis University, Florida-based Lynn University and flight training company CAE. Spirit Airlines currently flies to locations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.