What is Ab Initio Flight Training

We recently received a number of listener questions asking “what is Ab Initio flight training?” Ab Initio is normally used by carriers outside the United States, but with the current shortage of qualified pilots some airlines are considering their own flight training programs. This is why we are beginning to hear more about Ab Initio and other type of training programs.

Ab Initio is a Latin term meaning “from the beginning”, but what does it mean in aviation? Listen to this episode to discover the many meanings of Ab Initio.

Image Credit : Lufthansa Flight Training

At times the terms we use in the flight training industry can be confusing especially when discussing new programs. To help me explain Ab Initio Flight Training is Eric Crump, Aerospace Director at Polk State College, and Tom Wachowski, Corporate Pilot and the host of The Private Jet Podcast. Both have extensive aviation experience and knowledge of the training environment.

News and Announcements

Congratulations to Eric on his new program with ExpressJet Airlines.

Tom did a great job on the last episode of Private Jet Podcast How To Mitigate Operational Mistakes w/ Dan Dominguez from OpenSafety.

What is Ab Initio Flight Training:

Ab Initio
Career Coaching
Cathay Pacific Cadet Program and Lufthansa as examples of Ab Initio
Listener Mail

Scholarship Of The Week:

AOPA Breitling Flight Training Scholarship $5,000 (10)

The AerospaceScholarshipsGuide is available as a downloadable pdf file or on the Amazon Kindle.

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Matt October 27, 2015 at 12:18 pm: I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and found it fascinating to learn how foreign carriers handle their pilot training process. Thanks for putting it together! I would like to point out, though, that the ab-initio program with Cathay requires you to hold a Hong Kong permanent ID card, which eliminates most Americans listening and looking to apply for this type of program. For we Americans looking for alternative routes to the dream of working in the flight deck of an airliner, I am not aware of any alternatives other than pursuing a career with the USAF; which with the advent of drones, those remaining flight slots are highly competitive. It will be interesting to see if any US carriers start similar programs in the years ahead, and looking forward to your future shows on this topic! Thanks!