DENVER — As travelers and airlines deal with the impacts of aviation staffing shortages, companies are looking for ways to prepare for even more openings as current pilots head into retirement.
United Airlines and MSU Denver have teamed up to remove some of the barriers for aviation students and make sure there’s enough experienced candidates for the next generation of aviation.
“I’ve known since I was 4 years old that I wanted to wear this uniform and fly for United Airlines,” said United 737 Captain Monica Frain.
As students at MSU Denver will tell you, the love of aviation often runs in the family.
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“My dad’s an airline pilot, he’s a pilot for United,” said Morgan Katnik, a senior in MSU’s aviation department.
He started flight training as a teenager, which he said requires a lot of work and a lot of time to do it on your own.
“There’s a checklist for becoming a private pilot, then you do your instrument rating, then commercial,” said Katnik.
The pathway to becoming a commercial airline pilot just became more streamlined with the launch of the United partnership with MSU Denver through the Aviate program.
“Once they’re in the Aviate program, they stay within our ecosystem of partners, (and) build their flight time. Once they reach 1,200 hours with one of our experienced field partners, like a Part 135 or one of our 121 UAX carriers, then they transition directly to United as a First Officer,” explained Frain.
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To know that there’s a conditional job offer at the end of the program is a weight off of student’s shoulders.
“I don’t have to think about, ‘Will I have a job in two years? Three years? Five years? 10 years?’ I just really have to think about, ‘What do I have to do to get to my 1,400 hours of jet time,’” said Katnik.
It’s a forward thinking plan during a time where travelers and many airlines are feeling the impact of pilot shortages across the country.
“The pilot shortage has precipitated a reversal of doing: Paying for your own type rating — (that) went away — and [airlines] said ‘no, you don’t have to do that anymore.’ All these expenses and training started to the get taken over by the airline again, and their sole purpose is to look ahead,” said Kevin Kuhlmann, associate chair of Aviation and Aerospace Science Department at MSU Denver.
United said there’s also a strategy of working with younger aspiring students.
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“By grasping on to this talent early, we’re actually able to develop them even more so that we have a more successful, talented pipeline coming in as pilots,” said Frain.
In fall of 2022, 674 students enrolled in MSU’s Aviation & Aerospace program. Of those students, 370 are studying to be a pilot.
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Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II and Auburn quarterback Bo Nix were opponents in the 2019 and 2020 Iron Bowls. Now they’re teammates on the Denver Broncos.
Surtain has been a first-team All-Pro selection once and a Pro Bowl pick twice, and he currently leads the NFL in interception-return yards in his fourth season since Denver selected him at No. 9 in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Nix is a rookie, but he’s begun to attract accolades 11 starts after becoming the 12th pick in the NFL Draft on April 25. And Surtain foresees more recognition ahead for the Broncos quarterback.
“He’s him,” Surtain said. “I told him, ‘Man, you’re trying to win MVP. It’s not even looking like Offensive Rookie of the Year. It looks like MVP right now.’
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“But, man, it’s a testament to him. He puts the work in each and every week, and it shows with his preparation. He stays after hours to watch film, perfect his game. This is what you see from him. When you have games like this, it’s not a surprise because he puts the work in fundamentally each and every week.”
Surtain made the remark after the Broncos had beaten the Atlanta Falcons 38-6 on Sunday. Nix reached career highs in passing yards, touchdown passes, completion percentage and passing-efficiency rating as he completed 28-of-33 passes for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed 84.8 percent of his passes and posted a passer rating of 145.0.
In his NFL debut, Nix completed 26-of-42 passes for 138 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The former Pinson Valley High School star completed 61.9 percent of his passes and had a passer rating of 47.5 in a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8.
“Our league, you’re learning each week,” Denver coach Sean Payton said, “and then pretty soon, you’re like, ‘I belong here.’ And it’s clear he belongs here.”
Nix became the first rookie in NFL history with 300 passing yards, four TD passes, no interceptions and a completion percentage of more than .750 in the same game on Sunday.
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“It’s a lot of fun to be able to be a part of, a lot of fun to watch him go out there and have fun,” Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton said after Sunday’s game. “You can tell he’s like a kid, man. He’s just enjoying himself. And for your quarterback to be out there enjoying himself but not panic – there’s not one ounce of panic that goes upon him no matter what part of the game we’re in. It’s a lot of fun.”
Broncos safety P.J. Locke has his award projection for Nix set a little lower than Surtain, pitching the quarterback for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after Sunday’s game.
“If it’s not, we got to go talk to somebody,” Locke said. “But, no, let me scale back. We still got a whole bunch of games, so I don’t want to mess up nothing. Keep taking it week by week. But I hope so. …
“Bo is not your average rookie, I would say. You can just tell, like, his confidence is growing. His leadership is growing. And it’s rubbing off on a lot of people. He’s going out there executing, getting that offense going, and it’s a fun sight to see. I think everybody feeds off of it.”
At 6-5, Denver is in the AFC’s final playoff spot in the current standings.
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The Broncos play the Las Vegas Raiders at 3:05 p.m. CST Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Denver defeated the Raiders 34-18 on Oct. 6 as Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the “Ferris Bueller” game. Las Vegas has a 2-8 record after its 34-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
The Atlanta Falcons were painfully reminded of something that has been true for nearly 20 years. Sean Payton has partial ownership in the Atlanta Falcons. Maybe they hoped things changed since Payton was no longer leading the New Orleans Saints.
However, when the Falcons visited the Denver Broncos, Payton showed the new emblem on the hat doesn’t lessen his dominance over the Falcons. Payton improved his record to 22-9 against the Falcons with a dominating 38-6 victory.
Atlanta wasn’t the only team to get this reminder. Payton swept the NFC South this year and showed them why they all felt relieved by his temporary retirement. This included Payton’s first career victory over the Saints.
The games haven’t been too close either. The Carolina Panthers kept it the closest, and they lost by 14 points. At the end of that game, Payton flat out said Carolina isn’t a good team. Maybe that was the jolt Carolina needed because they haven’t lost a game since those comments.
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During his 16-year run with New Orleans, Payton had a winning record against every team in the division. As the coach of the Denver Broncos, he’s undefeated against his former division.
On the heels of a loss that could have been debilitating, the Denver Broncos bounced back with gusto, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 38-6. Instead of allowing that last-second loss in Kansas City hang with them, the Broncos showed in Sunday’s resounding victory that they’d moved on from it days ago.
Perhaps Bo Nix is Denver’s football priest most responsible for exorcising that particular demon. The rookie quarterback had a coming-out party against the Falcons, passing for 307 yards and four touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 145.0.
Although it seemed that Jayden Daniels may have had Offensive Rookie of the Year sewn up, Nix’s rapid rise has put him on a level with Washington’s No. 2 overall quarterback. Fittingly, veteran wideout Courtland Sutton broke the ice on Nix’s Broncos teammates campaigning for the NFL at large to start including Nix equally in those conversations.
“I made the comment, but the dude should be in conversations for rookie of the year,” Sutton said post-game. “There should be no hesitation.”
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It’s as if Nix woke up on Sunday morning with the perfect knowledge that today was going to belong to him and the Broncos. At least, that’s what he said when he was asked when he had the realization that it was going to be one of those days.
“When I woke up this morning,” Nix said from the podium post-game. “Sometimes you just wake up ready to roll.”
Nix is grateful for his opportunity, crediting the Broncos for believing in him and drafting him to be this team’s future franchise quarterback. Such business is never a sure thing, and yet, if Sunday’s romp revealed anything, it’s perhaps that the future is now.
“Each day you go out there on the field and get to play for a team and a franchise that believes in you and an organization that does so much for you,” Nix said. “It is a blessing to be in my spot and my shoes. Each day is a new opportunity and a new time to go out there and play in front of a home crowd that showed up today. It was a lot of fun.”
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Nix looked like he was having fun out there, notching the first 300-yard passing game of his career and joining Peyton Manning as the only NFL quarterbacks to pass for 200-plus yards and at least two touchdowns in four straight home games. Nix has already joined John Elway in the Broncos’ record books, and he can now add Manning to the distinguished milestones reached so early in his NFL career.
Nix’s veteran teammates took notice of these accolades and distinctions long ago. After all, he’s the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month and of the Week. Something tells me he’ll be the Rookie of Week 11, too.
“I think he’s incredible. Bo is my dog, and he leads his team,” left tackle Garett Bolles said. “He leads this offense. We go as far as his play… He’s a deadly quarterback in this league.”
At 6-5, the Broncos can feel something happening. With six games to go, this team seems to be just hitting its stride, so the key moving forward will be keeping their eye on the prize.
Nix revealed a message that Broncos safety P.J. Locke shared with the team in the locker room post-game. The Broncos aren’t satisfied with being close, or nearly handing the Kansas City Chiefs what would have been their first loss of the season. This team is ready to get over the hump.
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I think we are all excited. We know the opportunity we have,” Nix said. “We beat a good football team today. It just proves that we can belong on this stage against teams that we want to go out there and beat. We are going to have to continue playing like we did today. We know it is there. P.J. said it in the locker room. We are tired of being close. We do not want to be close anymore. We have to make steps to get over that line. I thought today was a good step.”
Indeed. Call it a quantum leap in the right direction. Broncos head coach Sean Payton called a phenomenal game against his former NFC South foes, and has to be pleased as punch with Nix’s ascendance.
He may be a rookie, but Nix keeps the Broncos on schedule, avoids the negative plays, and is absolutely stubborn about turning the ball over. That might hurt Tums’ stock, but it helps the digestion of coaches like Payton, and helps them sleep at night.
“I thought he played well. You feel like you’re in good hands,” Payton said of Nix. “He’s smart with the football. He makes plays with his feet. A lot of times you’re calling plays for certain looks [and] the looks aren’t there. He has that ability to create and all the while protect the football. I thought he played really well.”
The way Nix carries himself, the way he leads, and his comportment on the field belies his rookie standing. His teammates have to remind themselves that their 24-year-old quarterback is, in fact, a rookie.
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“We really didn’t feel like we had a rookie,” wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. said post-game. “He just feels like an experienced veteran, and he’s been on the field every play. With his elusiveness and being able to extend plays, he doesn’t quit on any plays. He’s Bo Nix. He wants to make the most of every play so it’s a lot of fun playing with him.”
For what it’s worth, Nix has the most touchdowns among NFL rookie quarterbacks — 14 passing, four rushing, and one receiving. Plus, he has a history of winning rookie accolades, as the SEC’s Rookie of the Year his freshman season at Auburn.
Past is prologue, so they say.
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