This newsletter provides updates on JetBlue's University Gateway Program, which helps aviation students transition into careers as commercial pilots. [1] The program has expanded to include additional university partners and regional airline ExpressJet. [2] The newsletter features success stories from graduates Dan Thurber and Shanti Merriman who have joined JetBlue through the program. [3] It also shares intern reports from Dan Dubois and Tim Wong who gained experience through the JetBlue internship program.
1. Newsletter Edition | Q1 2013
JetBlue University Gateway Program
Featured
University Gateway Update
Gateway Expansion:
AABI, Cape Air, & ExpressJet p1
Success Stories
Dan Thurber & Shanti Merriman
earn their stripes at JetBlue Airways p4
Intern Report
Dan Dubois and Tim Wong
share their ColleCrew Experience p7
2. University Gateway Update
Gateway Expansion
The Gateway Program is expand-
ing! JetBlue and Cape Air have always
aimed to recruit the best and the bright-
est for the University Gateway Pro-
gram, which is why we are excited to
announce we are teaming up with other
AABI Accredited aviation programs to
further broaden this opportunity to stu-
dents. In addition to the expansion at new Uni-
versities, the Gateway Program has ex-
Cape Air and JetBlue have expanded panded to add another regional partner
the Gateway Program to Jacksonville to the mix. We have recently formalized
University and Auburn University, al- an agreement with ExpressJet Airlines
lowing aviation students at both of the to allow students in the Gateway pro-
universities, the opportunity to become
apart of the program. of service as a Captain at Cape Air. This
agreement allows for students to have
Cape Air and JetBlue have attended
both campuses this spring to announce while staying on the gateway pathway.
the expansion and interview students for
the program We understand there are gateway pilots
-
We continue to look at other AABI ac- ferent airplane, and gain jet experience
credited Universities for future ex- at a larger regional, while some will pre-
pansion, and through the Advanced fer to remain at Cape Air until they reach
Gateway Program allow other AABI ac- the required hiring minimums at JetBlue.
credited program graduates a similar op- This agreement allows for students to
portunity have either option, while keeping intact
the original pathway.
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3. have an opportunity to join the original
program pilots currently in the pathway, gateway program during their Under-
would continue along the outlined path graduate studies.
graduating from their University and
becoming a Flight Instructor until they With this expansion, some of our Cape
- Air pilots who are AABI accredited pro-
tain. After a year of service as an ATP gram graduates and who meet the
Captain at Cape Air, gateway program same outlined gateway program criteria
participants would have the option to in- and recommendation from Cape Air, will
- have an opportunity to interview with
mum of two years, or the length of time JetBlue to be accepted into the “Ad-
vanced Gateway Program” pathway.
hiring minimums at JetBlue (currently Once accepted into this pathway, these
3000-4000hours).
Air, until they reach the required hours
to proceed through the jet transition
is not a requirement for the program. If
a gateway pilot remains on the original at JetBlue.
The requirements for the Advanced
Cape Air until they reach the competi- Gateway Program are the same as our
tive hiring minimums at JetBlue, cur- initial gateway program and include:
rently 3000-4000hrs. We are still in the
process of working out details for those
who would like to take advantage of this program – with a 3.0 GPA
option, and should have a more formal-
ized process set up soon. -
If you have any questions at all please
don’t hesitate to contact Krista Poppe at
This expansion allows opportunities for
graduates of other AABI accredited pro-
grams with whom we haven’t yet formal-
Advanced Gateway ized the gateway program. However,
the expanded gateway program will not
W -
affect those gateway program applicants
currently in the pathway, as our original
way program members, JetBlue has an-
Gateways will always maintain priority in
nounced they have expanded opportuni-
ties for those Cape Air pilots who did not the hiring process.
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4. University Gateway Pathways
Freshman Year Sophmore Year Junior Year Senior Year 800-1200 TT
AABI Acceptance/ University
Accredited Mentor Internship Degree/ CFI
Program Assignment Ratings
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Age 23
1500
Hrs.
Regional Partner – Jet
Cape Air Transition
2-3 year as a Captain Course
JetBlue
OR Final
Regional Partner – Interview
Regional Partner –
Cape Air ExpressJet
1 year as a Captain 2 Years Age 27
4000
Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Hrs.
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5. Success Stories
Dan Thurber &
Shanti Merriman
Join JetBlue
Dan Thurber Shares
-
I -
- sengers.
-
pealed to me and I began to look into
their internship program. Despite be-
ing a relatively low-time pilot (I only had
around 700 hours at the time) I was
accepted and began training in May of
intern on the Cessna 402, learning Part
135 operations from some of the most
knowledgeable and experienced cap-
tains in the industry.
I returned to Cape Air as a full-time First
- newly-opened Midwest region. In Sep-
structing for a year. I now had built my tember of 2011 I was promoted to Assis-
time to a little over 1000 hours. The fol- tant Chief Pilot for the Midwest region, a
lowing spring I met the Part 135 require- post I held until August of 2012 when I
ments for acting as a pilot-in-command left Cape Air for JetBlue.
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6. The transition to JetBlue has been
great. The training was challenging, but
the people in the training department
were all fantastic and made the process
as painless as possible. My training
all very knowledgeable and helpful.
There are still a few things I am getting
used to. Working in a true crew environ-
Scheduling and bidding is also com-
pletely different and, while it might just
be me, trying to wrap my head around
all the idiosyncrasies is still an ongoing
process.
extremely supportive. I couldn’t be more
grateful for my transition to JetBlue minimums to upgrade. I passed my ATP
through each of the stages of the Gate- checkride May of 2009 and was as-
way Program. signed St. Croix in the USVI as a base
Shanti Merriman’s From there I began the normal Cape
Insights my career based in the Caribbean and
love it down there. In December 2011
I was introduced to the gateway pro- I completed the jet transition course
at JBU and shortly after conducted a
gram through word of mouth from my
then roommate, Scott Johnson. I inter- training at JB end of August 2009 with
viewed with Cape Air and JetBlue in around 3700TT, and completed training
- 10/12/2012. Since then I have been a
cepted into the program I continued to -
instruct until I was called for a class date ing to BOS in May.
So far I really enjoy working for Jetblue.
They have a similar culture to Cape Air,
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7. they care for their employees
and their customers, and try
hard to do the right thing for
their people.
do a good job trying to help you
out with commuting. Addition-
ally, we have a long call which
allows you to stay at home and
commute in if they call you. I
am, however, looking forward
to being able to hold a line
which allows for 17 days off a
month! Most of the captains
easy to get along with and the sort of
people you would want to hang out with
at the hotel after the end of the day.
One word of advice to the Cape Air guys
and gals is to enjoy your time there! I Participate
can’t tell you how many captains ask
Take advantage of your
Cape Air, they immediately perk up and network as a candidate in
say “that must have been fun!”. The ex-
the Gateway Program and
is invaluable and will most likely include get involved! Get in touch
with your Gateway Mentor
that Cape Air has to offer. I can’t tell you or with a program coordi-
how glad I am that I spent so much time
nator and volunteer your
talents to help continually
it’s just a lot of automation management.
improve the Gateway Pro-
your stick and rudder skills will never be gram.
Cape Air.
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8. Intern Report
Dan Dubois & Tim Wong’s CollegeCrew Experience
Last summer, Dan Dubois -
bags, passenger, and fuel loads were all within limits and accurate when cross-
checked with the dispatch release. Dan was able to work with a current JetBlue
dispatcher to analyze and quantify the cost of the contingency fueling practice
-
rying extra fuel. He created information handouts for pilots, highlighting the kind
training facility in Orlando, FL. The amount of exposure and knowledge gained on
state-of-the-art programs, policies and practices, combined with the great working
relationships that were built with fellow dispatchers and interns, made for an excit-
ing and intense learning curve!
-
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9. adventures that furthered the lasting
CollegeCrew members in Dan’s
group.
Tim Wong primarily worked in the
-
ing the internship, he assisted pilots
and the chiefs with operational issues
Some of Tim’s major projects consist-
ed of implementing a birthday recogni-
tion system for the pilots and creating an electronic database for the chiefs to use
to keep track of the pilot concerns.
During the internship, Tim also had a lot of time to explore. He was constantly in
and out of the planes parked at T5 at JFK, and was almost always traveling to dif-
help of Capt. Gilley and Chris
Popp, Tim helped arrange a
visit to the Orlando Support
Center (JBU) for the interns to
Tim’s favorite aspect of the
experience at JetBlue was
getting to meet all of the crew-
members. His collegueas and
other crewmembers at JetBlue
Airways embodied the core
values which made going to
work a lot of fun on a daily
basis.
We look forward to seeing Tim Wong and Dan Dubois during the next step of the
gateway program as pilots at Cape Air!
10. Special Thanks to all of our gateway program pilots who have completed intern-
-
ing in large ways to make both our organizations better.
Feel free to Contact us if you need anything or have ideas to share!
Cape Air
JetBlue
Paul Hocking - paul.hocking@jetblue.com 617.512.4277
UND
Ken Polovitz - polovitz@aero.und.edu 701.777.3561
ERAU Prescott
ERAU Daytona
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