Mesa Airlines, ATP Launch Tuition Reimbursement Program

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Mesa Airlines and ATP Flight School are starting a new program that offers tuition reimbursement for pilots who commit to fly for the airline. The program is starting with ATP’s current instructor group of 200 pilots at its Florida site. Phoenix-based Mesa, which operates as American Eagle, US Airways Express and United Express, said the program will assist future airline pilots with their training loans while helping the company grow. Mesa is the first airline to partner with ATP for the program and views it as a long-term strategy. “We recognize the huge regulatory and financial burdens for pilots entering the industry today, and want to invest in training the next generation of aviators at Mesa Airlines,” said Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa chairman and CEO.

Under the program, ATP students who commit to Mesa for a year will begin receiving $5 per flight hour starting at 500 hours total time, which is when loan repayments begin, according to ATP. When the pilots begin working for the airline, Mesa will make a fixed monthly payment of $500 for 12 months, and each airline can decide whether it wants to continue reimbursements beyond a year. ATP said loan payments are typically $700 per month, so instructors building time at 70 hours per month and earning $5 per hour in reimbursement will have $350 of the monthly payments covered in the first year as a CFI. “This is the first program that truly promotes the pilot career. It provides a solution to the pilot’s loan repayment responsibility and will help them make a decision to enter into one of the most rewarding careers with tremendous long-term earning potential,” said Derrick Dennis, ATP’s president.

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