Alaska
Alaska is investing in pilot technology to attract and retain world-class pilots
At some point, our pilots are flying into distant communities above the Arctic Circle. The subsequent, they’re flying into among the busiest airports within the nation. Our pilots should be capable of deal with any subject which may come up in flight – from blizzard situations to congested air area – and we depend on rigorous pilot coaching requirements to soundly fly our company throughout our community.
As we’re hiring a whole lot of recent pilots at Alaska Airways and Horizon Air, we’re making certain everyone seems to be up for the duty and meets our excessive requirements. To assist with this, we’ve invested in new expertise to broaden our coaching division.
Coaching in digital actuality
Alaska has been on the forefront of pilot innovation for many years. It’s who we’re, and we’re consistently innovating to make sure our pilots obtain leading edge coaching.
Our newest innovation is a partnership with VRPilot, a Danish expertise firm. We’ve labored with them to just about reconstruct our 737 flight deck as a coaching support for pilots who’re new to the plane. One of many first issues pilots study is the structure of the flight deck and the aim of each swap and button. Providing new pilots a possibility to place themselves “inside” the flight deck the place they might must crane their neck or lean to succeed in a swap is a way more sensible instructing device than pictures in a e-book or video tutorials.
It’s like your alarm clock within the morning – you realize precisely the place the snooze button is,” stated Alaska First Officer Scott Wathey, a newly employed pilot. “This expertise helps the muscle reminiscence to know precisely the place that swap is.”
Digital actuality will increase present conventional coaching strategies the place we anticipate it’ll end in better-prepared pilots, greater success charges by way of coaching and extra time for advanced instructor-led coaching actions. With this expertise, pilots can familiarize themselves with the situation of switches earlier than they step right into a simulator. Horizon Air, Alaska’s wholly owned regional companion, can even quickly be utilizing the identical expertise with our regional pilots. This expertise additionally offers a possibility to make use of digital actuality in our different workgroups like upkeep and engineering, floor service and our flight attendants.
With so many pilots coming by way of coaching, we would have liked extra flight simulators. In our largest simulator order ever, we’ve ordered 2 new fixed-base simulators and three new full movement simulators. These coaching units are being put in all through 2023 and all might be operational by the top of 2024. This can deliver us to 18 fixed-base and full movement simulators. Horizon Air has ordered a further simulator to coach pilots on the now single fleet of Embraer E-175 plane. This can give Horizon two owned simulators and precedence entry to a 3rd in Seattle.
These important investments in simulators and rising digital actuality expertise will proceed our dedication to rigorous pilot coaching,” stated Capt. Jeff Severns, managing director of pilot coaching. “The coaching our pilots obtain is really world class, and we’re happy with the work of our instructors and college students each day.”
With important investments Alaska and Horizon pilot contracts, distinctive flying alternatives and cutting-edge expertise, there’s by no means been a greater time to on our crew.
Should you haven’t but began your pilot journey, take into account making use of for considered one of our pilot growth packages.
Largest simulator order to this point
A good time to fly for Alaska Airways and Horizon Air
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