ATP Flight School Piper Archer with American Airlines Airplane

ATP Flight School and American Airlines Host 250 Aspiring Pilots at Charlotte Open House

Charlotte, NC — October 2, 2025

ATP Flight School and American Airlines welcomed nearly 250 students and aspiring airline pilots to Concord Regional Airport (JQF) on Wednesday, September 24, for an open house event celebrating their partnership through the American Airlines Cadet Academy.

Hosted at ATP's Charlotte training center, the event brought together current students, prospective cadets, alumni, and pilot recruiters for a day of informative sessions on becoming an airline pilot and the path to a career at American. Attendees had the opportunity to step aboard a PSA Airlines CRJ-900 regional jet and speak directly with representatives from American, American Airlines Federal Credit Union, and regional carriers: Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines.

ATP and American Airline Pilots
Interior of a Cessna 172

ATP Vice President of Training Support, Mike Wisniewski, and American’s Vice President of Flight Operations, Captain Alan Johnson, welcomed guests with remarks highlighting the demand for professional pilots and the impact of the ATP and American partnership. Additional speakers from ATP and American’s flight operations teams shared insights into training, hiring, and the regional-to-mainline pilot pathway.

During the event, a career expo was hosted for ATP students, with airline recruiters and program mentors from American's wholly owned regional airlines showcasing the real-world career outcomes available to ATP graduates. The event demonstrated ATP’s unmatched network of airline partnerships and its continued focus on helping graduates transition directly from flight training to the flight deck.

The strength of ATP’s airline hiring partnerships was on full display

Ashley Pillon

ATP Director of Airline and Corporate Partnerships

"The strength of ATP’s airline hiring partnerships was on full display," said Ashley Pillon, Director of Airline and Corporate Partnerships at ATP Flight School. " ATP excels in providing graduates with a structured career path backed by the major airlines. The American Airlines cadets are joining 2,700 students nationwide training in ATP’s Airline Career Pilot Program — all on the most efficient path toward a successful airline pilot career."

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About ATP Flight School Training Pilots Since 1984

ATP's Airline Career Pilot Program prepares pilots for airline careers from zero time to 1,500 hours, with CFI jobs and airline employment. Addressing the pilot shortage, airlines attract new pilots to the industry with ATP's Tuition Reimbursement Program, where airlines sponsor a portion of pilots' flight training loan repayment. ATP also provides type-rating and ATP CTP certification. ATP's 658 aircraft fly over 600,000 hours each year to provide over 13,700 FAA pilot certificates and ratings. As America's largest flight school, ATP is the leading supplier of professionally trained pilots to the nation's regional airlines.

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