Alaska Airlines launches pilot training school

In partnership with Oregon’s Hillsboro Aero Academy, Alaska Airlines is launching a pilot training program, offering low-interest school loans and covering students’ cost of a commercial pilot’s license. The Ascend Pilot Academy will help students qualify as pilots and give them provisional job offers with Alaska’s regional affiliate, Horizon Air. “Launching the Ascend Pilot Academy addresses a critical need to build a larger and more diverse talent pipeline and remove historical barriers to entry for aspiring pilots,” said Joe Sprague, Horizon Air president.