American Airlines Awards $350,000 in Flight Education Grants to High Schools
FORT WORTH, Texas — The American Airlines Pilot Recruiting and Development team is awarding Flight Education Grants to high schools across the country in an effort to increase and diversify the pilot population.
Grants and other initiatives aim to help increase and diversify the pilot population
FORT WORTH, Texas — The American Airlines Pilot Recruiting and Development team is awarding Flight Education Grants to high schools across the country in an effort to increase and diversify the pilot population.
More than 100 high schools applied, and 16 schools across the country, as well as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), will receive a total of $350,000 to help enhance aviation programs. Schools exclusively associated with AOPA’s You Can Fly program were eligible to apply for a grant. The organization’s ultimate goal is to help make aviation curriculum accessible and free to high school students across the nation.
“These Flight Education Grants help prepare our youth for future pilot careers,” said Brad Morrison, Manager of Pilot Career Recruiting at American. “The schools that were selected have the most innovative ideas of how to advance their aviation programs, and providing grants of up to $25,000 to each school will give their students access to valuable curriculum to help them develop into some of the best pilots in the industry. This will ultimately help fill the void in the not-so-distant future, as nearly half of the pilot population in the industry prepares to retire within the next 15 years.”
Last year, high schools submitted proposals detailing how they plan to use the funds to further the mission of growing and diversifying the pilot pool. The schools that were chosen had the most effective and forward-thinking strategies. For example, Corona High School in Corona, California, presented plans to use the funds to create a mobile virtual reality simulator lab that will travel to the school district’s elementary and middle schools. The goal is to provide a fun, interactive aviation experience for younger students to get them excited about careers in aviation and potentially interested in enrolling in the flight program at Corona High School.
Within the next couple of months, American will visit all of the recipients to present a check for up to $25,000, including:
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
Winter Haven High School — Winter Haven, Florida
Southwest ISD — San Antonio, Texas
San Jacinto Valley Academy — San Jacinto, California
Provine High School — Jackson, Mississippi
McGavock High School — Nashville, Tennessee
Lyons Township High School — Western Springs, Illinois
Karnes City High School — Karnes City, Texas
Hollenstein Career Tech Center — Fort Worth, Texas
Greenville Tech Charter High School — Greenville, South Carolina
Flabob Airport Prep Academy — Temecula, California
Countryside Academy — Benton Harbor, Michigan
Corona High School — Corona, California
Cascadia Tech — Vancouver, Washington
Assumption High School — Louisville, Kentucky
Aspen High School — Aspen, Colorado
Anderson Prep Academy — Anderson, Indiana
To date, American has awarded more than $1 million in Flight Education Grants.
As the demand for pilots continues to grow, American remains committed to addressing that demand by participating in various initiatives that help inspire and encourage youth of all backgrounds to explore a career in the flight deck. In addition to the Flight Education Grants awarded to high schools, American also launched its Cadet Academy in 2018. The Cadet Academy provides an opportunity for future pilots to become first officers at one of American’s three wholly owned regional carriers, with a flow-through path to American to continue their career.
American is also involved in programs that focus on introducing aviation and STEM to young girls. Girls Rock Wings, a program developed by Sisters of the Skies, Inc., helps empower African American girls to think big and consider a career as a pilot or other aviation fields.
These and other initiatives are helping to develop the next generation of aviators, providing opportunities to youth who may not have considered, or had the opportunity to explore a career in aviation otherwise.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines offers customers 6,800 daily flights to more than 365 destinations in 61 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. With a shared purpose of caring for people on life’s journey, American’s 130,000 global team members serve more than 200 million customers annually. Since 2013, American has invested more than $28 billion in its product and people and now flies the youngest fleet among U.S. network carriers, equipped with industry-leading high-speed Wi-Fi, lie-flat seats, and more inflight entertainment and access to power. American also has enhanced food and beverage options in the air and on the ground in its world-class Admirals Club and Flagship lounges. American was recently named a Five Star Global Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and Airline of the Year by Air Transport World. American is a founding member of oneworld®, whose members serve 1,100 destinations in 180 countries and territories. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.