FAPA’s Future Pilot Forum In Newark This Weekend

The Future and Active Pilot Advisors (FAPA) and industry sponsors like Piedmont, Aerosim Flight Academy, Ameriflight, SkyWest and ExpressJet, will gather for the next jobs forum, this Saturday September 24, at the Hilton Newark Penn Station. The opening session begins at 1 p.m., with additional sessions ongoing until 6 p.m.

FAPA's forum, created to connect future airline pilots with the resources they need to successfully win their first, or their next, cockpit position, is open to anyone interested in meeting with airline or flight school representative. The free forum is also open to high school students, parents and school guidance counselors, who might be getting their first glimpse at the aviation industry.

Recent FAPA and industry statistics confirm the growing need for more pilots, right now and over the next 20 years. The most recent Boeing forecast, in fact, says nearly 620,000 pilots will be needed worldwide thru 2036. In the U.S., alone, the major airlines hired 338 pilots in July, yielding a year-to-date total of 2,460. The nine major carriers in the U.S. are on pace to hire more than 4,200 pilots this year alone, the greatest number since 2000, when the majors (then comprised of 16 airlines) hired 5,105 pilots. Succeeding year hiring in the U.S. is expected to continue at a brisk pace.

Because FAPA's forums were created to address industry concerns about the future supply of pilots, FAPA provides career and financial advice, including individual educational counseling and academic financing options such as loans, scholarships and grants, to students just beginning their careers. For experienced pilots already climbing the ladder, FAPA offers job placement and interview preparation, as well as the opportunity to meet one-on-one with representatives of many U.S. airlines.

Saturday's session will be held at the Hilton Newark Penn Station, 1048 Raymond Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102 - Phone (973) 622- 5000. Forum sessions will also be video taped and made available at a later date via FAPA.aero. While this weekend's session is offered free of charge, everyone attending must pre-register at FAPA.aero/FuturePilot. Media representatives are also welcome to attend and are encouraged to preregister.