Airline has hired more than 300 pilots to-date
this year and hired more than 2,300 pilots in 2023
New 150,000 square foot facility will have the
potential to train up to 240 more pilots per day
Investments in people, infrastructure and
technology continue to fuel United Next growth strategy
DENVER, Feb. 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United today opened a new,
150,000-square-foot building at its Flight Training Center in
Denver. Already the largest
facility of its kind in the world, the additional building gives
the airline the capability to add 12 more advanced full-motion
flight simulators to the facility, six of which have already been
delivered.
So far in 2024, the airline has hired more than 300 pilots after
hiring more than 2,300 pilots last year. The new building at the
campus adds even more training capacity for United's 16,000
pilots.
United's Flight Training Center now has eight total buildings,
more than 700,000 square feet of training space, and
46 state-of-the-art full-motion flight
simulators.
These investments in people, infrastructure and technology
continue to fuel the airline's United Next plan.
United CEO Scott Kirby was joined
by leaders from the Flight Training Center and Denver Mayor Mike
Johnston to celebrate the opening and show off the
facility.
"We're growing faster than any airline in the industry and our
investments in our pilots and their training are critical to
support the unprecedented number of new aircraft United will add to
our fleet in the decades ahead," said Kirby. "United pilots
are the best aviators in the world and the way we recruit, hire and
train directly supports that high standard of excellence."
New Capabilities
Located in the Central Park
neighborhood of Denver, the
facility spans 23-acres and is the sole training facility for the
airline's nearly 16,000 active pilots and all newly hired pilots.
All United pilots complete intensive simulator training with pilot
instructors and evaluators during the initial qualification process
and every nine months thereafter to maintain their certifications
at United's Flight Training Center in Denver.
- Currently, United's Flight Training Center has 46 full-motion
flight simulators, including six in the new building, and 21 fixed
training devices.
- In addition to the six already in the new building, it has
space to add six more full-motion flight simulators.
- The addition of the new building allows for a total of 52
full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices at the
Flight Training Center.
- The new building gives the Flight Training Center the ability
to conduct more than 32,000 training events annually and train up
to 860 pilots per day.
- The facility is in operation 24 hours a day for 362 days a
year.
Flight Training Center's Local Impact
United invested more than $145
million in the new building and it's expected to lead to
more than 370 new jobs. In total, more than 1,600 of United's
10,000+ Denver-based employees
work at United's Flight Training Center, representing 24 different
departments in roles that include flight instructing, flight
evaluating, scheduling, pilot hiring, human resources and flight
standards. In 2023, more than $44
million was spent on hotel room nights in Denver for pilots visiting the training
facility, with an expectation to spend more than $65 million in 2024.
United's Flight Training Center was originally constructed
between 1966-68 as part of the Stapleton Airport complex and has
served as United's main pilot training facility since then. Since
2016, United has invested $370
million in the Flight Training Center overall.
United in Denver
United continues to invest in Denver. In the summer of 2023, United
announced the purchase of two parcels of undeveloped land near
Denver International Airport
(DEN), part of which will be used to further expand its Flight
Training Center as the current Flight Training Center site does not
have capacity for additional growth. United is aiming to have
flight training capabilities at the Flight Training Center
expansion by 2028.
As home to its fastest-growing hub, the airline has funneled
nearly $1 billion in the past few
years alone to further improve the customer experience at DEN. This
includes new gates, state-of-the-art United clubs, including the
largest in the United network to-date, and a new check-in lobby.
United hired more than 2,500 people in Denver last year and plans to hire more than
1,000 people in 2024.
United operates the most flights and carries the most passengers
in the state compared to any other carrier. This summer, United
will offer more than 500 daily departures from DEN, including 40
new summer flights. The airline provides service to more than 175
destinations, including 10 countries, from the Mile High City.
Careers Take Flight
United is the career destination of choice for pilots, offering
the largest widebody fleet in North
America, and the most comprehensive global network and hubs
across the U.S. In 2023, United pilots, represented by the Air Line
Pilots Association, International, ratified a new four-year
contract.
United offers a broad range of paths to the flight deck to
ensure that the best pilots can find their opportunity at
United:
- First Officer hiring – For experienced pilots who meet United's
hiring requirements and are ready to fly for the airline now.
- Aviate® Program – United's pilot career development
program offering aspiring and established pilots the most direct
path to a United flight deck.
- United Aviate Academy – United's wholly owned flight school
designed for those with little to no flying experience.
- United Military Pilot Program – Launched in September 2023, an industry-leading program that
gives full-time, active-duty U.S. military pilots access to
conditional job offers as a First Officer.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers,
and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by
available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team,
please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the
company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the
parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq
under the symbol "UAL".
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SOURCE United Airlines