United Airlines has welcomed 26-year-old Jordan Wright as one of its youngest captains. Hailing from El Paso, Wright has nurtured a passion for aviation, amassing a range of industry experience despite his young age.

Early passion takes flight

The newly hired Wright has been introduced to the world of flying through family friends who were pilots, according to his interview with KFOX14. In his senior year at Coronado High School, he visited the Santa Teresa Airport, home to the Red Arrow Flight School, where he caught a flying bug.

United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Departing Zurich

Photo: Michael Derrer Fuchs | Shutterstock

After graduating from college, United’s new Captain began his aviation career piloting small planes at Red Arrow before transitioning to flying cargo planes for Sierra West Airlines. From there, he advanced to ATI Jet, an El Paso National-based company, and later took to the skies with low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines
.

After serving as a First Officer, Jordan earned a promotion to Captain in just two years. It is currently unknown which type of aircraft Jordan will operate or from which base he will fly.

United’s recruitment surge

United Airlines
has recently been on a pilot hiring spree. The Chicago-based airline aims to hire more than 10,000 pilots over the coming decade to keep up with increases in travel demand and replace those who are due to retire. Since 2021, the airline has hired more than 6,000 pilots. According to the carrier’s Corporate Responsibility Report, United had a total of 103,218 staff members in 2023, including 15,445 pilots.

United airlines pilots

Photo: United Airlines

The carrier’s Aviate program is designed to offer aspiring pilots the most secure pathway to a United Airlines flight deck. Upon successful completion of the program, pilots can be based at one of the airline’s eight hubs or three crew bases:

  • Denver International Airport (DEN)
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
  • Guam International Airport (GUM)
  • Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
  • Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  • Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) – crew base
  • Orlando International Airport (MCO) – crew base
  • Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – crew base.

The airline operates approximately 4,000 flights per day on average and serves 60 countries worldwide. According to ch-aviation data, the airline has a fleet of 984 aircraft. United is eager to expand as it awaits the delivery of 694 aircraft, which will require additional pilots and cabin crew.

The aviation sector has been facing a pilot shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a massive wave of layoffs, rapid growth in air travel demand, and high costs and significant barriers to becoming a pilot.

According to Boeing’s 2024 Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO), the industry will need nearly 2.4 million new commercial pilots, technicians, and cabin crew members. Of 2.4 million new professionals, it is estimated that 674,000 pilots will be required through 2043.

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