DOT Launches Forces to Flyers Initiative

Today, the Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, announced a new initiative to support military veterans as they prepare for careers as airline pilots. Forces to Flyers is a three-year program aimed at helping our veterans receive the training they need to become certified as new commercial pilots, preserving and increasing air service to rural and small communities, and assisting veterans in finding employment.

The United States is facing a pilot shortage. This is not a problem that can be solved by simply hiring. Safety and training are of paramount importance. The Forces to Flyers Initiative leverages an experienced and trained workforce, our nation’s military veterans, to help them transition into careers as airline pilots. It provides a unique job training opportunity for our nation’s veterans and addresses our nation’s pilot shortage.

GBTA strongly supports this initiative to help address the pilot shortage and continue to facilitate air travel for business and leisure travelers alike. Air travel is vital to business travel as corporations send their travelers on more than 40 million trips a month – most of which include air travel. Keeping business travelers in the air is vital to the U.S. economy.