As Americans place a heavy demand on the travel industry during a national shortage of airline pilots, the Palm Springs Air Museum (PSAM) has launched a new scholarship program to train future pilots.
A collaboration between PSAM and the SoCal Pilot Center, the program seeks aspiring pilots ages 12 through 17 with parental consent. Not only will accepted applicants gain safety training, they will receive flying experience in a Cessna 182, according to a news release from PSAM.
All of this is happening at a time when 2023 is anticipated to set record passenger volumes on flights nationwide, a CNN article said.
"We expect the summer travel season to be off the charts when it comes to demand," U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman told CNN. "That's great for the travel industry but there's no doubt that – as a country – we have underinvested in the aviation system for far too long. This type of demand will be an incredible stress test for it."
An in-depth look at the airline industry predicts that a personnel shortage that will last through the current year or even expand, the news release said. The biggest demand, as per the release, is anticipated for commercial airline pilots and aviation mechanics, according to Oliver Wyman's Global Fleet & Maintenance-Repair-Overhaul Market Forecast for 2022-23.
PSAM's new flight program is a two-step process designed to give 50 prospective airline career candidates flight and safety training experience, according to the news release. Helping to make this training possible are the Palm Springs Chapter of Air & Space Forces Association, the H.N. Frances C. Berger Foundation and the SoCal Pilot Center.
To mark their experience, trainees will receive a commemorative T-shirt, logbook and a certificate of completion. Since space is limited, students with parental permission should contact david.mindel@icloud.com.
The second step for students aspiring toward an aviation career is to top off their first flight experience with "FLY COACHELLA VALLEY" in which accepted applicants join a Federal Aviation Administration Part 141 accredited program at the SoCal Pilot Center in Thermal. The outcome for successful completion of this program is a Commercial Pilot Certificate, a step that ultimately could culminate in an aviation career.