ATP Flight School and Frontier Airlines Create Flow-Through Program

Frontier Airlines and ATP Flight School said in a recent news release that they’ve formed the Frontier Direct Program, targeting ATP graduates and instructors for employment as first officers following graduation. The new partnership offers ATP graduates an accelerated path to a career with Frontier. The airline gains access to a high-quality pool of qualified pilot applicants. The new program requires that prior to hiring on with Frontier, ATP graduates complete the enhanced ATP-CTP training, which includes additional Airbus A320 full-motion flight simulator experience.

ATP said that after completing flight training in ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program, graduates continue to gain flight experience at the school as paid flight instructors. When they reach between 1,250 and 1,500 hours total flight time, instructors who are recommended interview with Frontier Airlines. After the candidate selection and interview process, those applicants receive a conditional offer of employment while they continue work at ATP Flight School towards the 1,500 hours of flight experience required to qualify for an ATP certificate, if needed. Once ready to transition to Frontier, pilots attend the enhanced ATP-CTP course.

Four ATP graduates have already completed the program in a proof of concept started last year. All four pilots have been flying the line with Frontier after successfully completing new-hire training and IOE (initial operating experience).