ATR multiplies initiatives to combat the pilot shortage

On Wednesday July 4^th, 20 trainee pilots from the Airways College in Agen came to our facilities. This visit, the first of its kind, was organised by the ATR Training Center in order to promote the ATR aircraft and careers as an ATR pilot among the young students.

After attending a morning presentation of our company and its market, the students saw our assembly line in the afternoon, before visiting our training center. The day was rounded off by a simulator session, followed by practical work on flight operations, giving them concrete experience of a flight and an idea of the diversity of an ATR’s missions, as well as the prospects offered by a career as a pilot on our aircraft.

This type of event will be held again in the future and ATR is already examining possible partnerships with other institutions in France and around the world. The aim is to have ATR Type Qualification included in the training curriculum of the partner schools and more broadly to promote regional aviation among the younger generations. Building on this close relationship, ATR aims to provide teaching tools and ATR instructors who will provide some input into theory classes in the school and monitor the progress of candidates who show the greatest potential.

Given that regional air traffic should be growing by 4.5% per year over the coming 20 years, our success as an aircraft manufacturer also depends on our ability to offer training solutions tailored to the needs of our customers and operators. To offset the pilot drain from the ATR to other types of aircraft, the supply of ATR pilots must be constantly renewed. By targeting the younger generations, ATR is orienting its training policy towards the long-term and it is multiplying its initiatives to promote the attractiveness of a career as an ATR pilot.