Throughout lengthy stretches at work, Buddy, an Alaska Airways First Officer, will deliver his acoustic guitar as his trusted journey companion. 

 “Music is a giant factor for me,” stated Buddy, who has performed the guitar for over 20 years. “I feel that everyone ought to have their very own soundtrack happening of their thoughts on a regular basis.” 

Little did the San Francisco-based pilot know his musical reward would deliver pleasure to visitors on his subsequent flight. 

Music to airport ears  

Earlier this month, whereas Buddy was flying from Austin to Seattle, the flight was delayed. Fortunately, Buddy and his instrument had been on the “proper place, proper time.” 

“I used to be standing near the gate and observed certainly one of our visitors with two babies,” stated Buddy. “The mom checked out me and stated, ‘So, are you going to serenade us whereas we’re ready?’” 

With out hesitation, he pulled out his guitar to play for the kiddos. 

“I obtained down on the bottom proper there with the little youngsters,” he stated. “I began taking part in for one of many boys at first as a result of he was far and wide and I used to be simply attempting to assist distract him for a bit of bit.” 

“We had been delayed, which wasn’t the best information for fogeys touring with a three-year-old and a one-year-old,” stated Seattle resident and KING5 Reporter Steve Soliz. It was his spouse who had jokingly requested Buddy whether or not “a serenade got here with the worth of a ticket.” 

Different dad and mom, whose youngsters had additionally grown stressed whereas ready on the gate, gratefully watched as their youngsters had been intrigued by the easy melody that all of the sudden crammed the air. At one level, a few half dozen youngsters surrounded Buddy. 

“Buddy even let my toddler contact his guitar,” he stated. “My three-year-old son and I walked up on the impromptu live performance. Buddy fortunately performed for my little ones and the others close to the gate, who additionally loved this musical second. To be trustworthy, this is without doubt one of the many causes we take pleasure in flying Alaska.” 

The pilot, who was involved about being too loud and bothering the visitors ready on the gate, had no thought the group of youngsters weren’t the one ones listening to him. 

Buyer Service Agent Elisa, who captured Buddy’s musical reward on cellular phone video, stated watching him serenade the group was such a touching second.  

I felt proud to work for an organization who has staff that care, and Buddy wants this recognition,” Elisa stated. “Buddy created a real connection that’s off-script to what our job calls for.” 

Buddy was stunned to study his small gesture had such a huge impact. 

“From time to time you are able to do one thing that simply appears so little to you that really turns into a giant deal to someone else,” stated Buddy. “If I can encourage anyone to do one thing, it will be — to be good to different individuals. I feel all of us have the power to do this.” 

Pilot pathways and profession improvement at Alaska Airways and Horizon Air 

This previous 12 months, we’ve established new applications to allow extra younger individuals to achieve aviation and different profession targets, working with native colleges and establishing our personal pilot academies.  

ASCEND PILOT ACADEMY 

As we plan for Alaska and Horizon’s future, we’re actively working to coach the subsequent technology of pilots by means of a wide range of applications. In March 2022, we launched the Ascend Pilot Academy in partnership with Hillsboro Aero Academy, a premier flight college within the Pacific Northwest. The Ascend Pilot Academy gives aspiring airline pilots with a streamlined, extra financially accessible path to turning into a business pilot at Horizon and finally Alaska. At launch, 180 potential pilots signed up for this system—greater than double our objective! 

For Horizon Air pilots looking for to turn out to be pilots for Alaska Airways, the Pilot Pathways Program gives probably the most direct route. Horizon Air and Alaska Airways share a objective of making a rewarding profession on the Air Group household of airways and making the transfer from regional to a significant airline, if desired, so simple as attainable.  

Every year, a minimal of 30% of Alaska new-hire pilots will come from the Alaska Pilot Pathways Program. In 2021, 32% (51 pilots complete) of our total pilot new hires at Alaska had been Horizon transfers by means of the Pathways program. 

TRUE NORTH PILOT PROGRAM 

Over the previous 12 months, a bunch of Black Alaska pilots obtained collectively to seek out inventive methods to make aviation careers extra attainable for aspiring pilots.  

Led by Ron Limes, an Alaska captain since 1999, the group labored in partnership with their colleagues, friends and leaders from throughout our firm to develop a program known as True North.  

This system will improve the variety of our business by straight funding college students’ flight instruction, offering internship and mentorship alternatives and finally transferring graduates to first officer positions at Horizon Air, with a confirmed path to Alaska.    

This system kicked off in 2021 with 4 college students from two Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities (HBCUs), Delaware State College and College of Maryland-Japanese Shore. Sooner or later, we plan to develop this system to different colleges in addition to broaden its scope of profession alternatives inside Alaska. 

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