Becoming Republic-Ready
Transitioning from commercial pilot training to working at an airline can be difficult — at least, it is for those whose school doesn’t prepare them for a specific airline. LIFT Academy is designed to make that transition smoother by offering a defined career pathway to Republic Airways and ensuring students are trained to be “Republic-ready.” What exactly does that entail, though? We sat down with Ed Bagden, Director of Flight Operations and Academic Programs at LIFT, to discuss how LIFT’s curriculum prepares our students for a career at Republic.
The Republic Way
LIFT Academy is one of the only flight training schools that prepares its students with a specific airline in mind. That allows us to provide our students with a highly tailored education, making them Republic-ready — and that’s by design. Ed, a former Republic Airways Pilot, served on a small, select team that helped launch LIFT Academy and shape its curriculum.
“After the success of LIFT Academy, it seems obvious, but creating a pipeline of Republic-ready pilots was a novel idea at the time,” said Ed. “We wanted it to feel the same as it is at Republic, with structured, standard operating procedures, safety measures and checklists.”
Becoming Republic-ready goes beyond standardization, however. To thrive in the commercial airline industry, students need to have the right mentality and approach to their work and studies.
“It’s about reporting for duty every day. Showing up prepared, doing the work and studying hard,” said Ed. “That’s the kind of drive they’ll need to be successful in their careers, and that’s what we teach and reinforce here at LIFT.”
The Right Tools at the Right Time
Before a student ever sets foot on a plane, they work on practical training. Our program takes a building block approach, honing students’ baseline skills before moving on to more technical aspects of training.
“The first two weeks at LIFT, you don’t touch a plane,” said Ed. “You sit down with an instructor in a simulator and show that you can do the flows for every single part of flight.”
That philosophy extends beyond the mechanics of flying a plane. For example, students train on software to learn how to speak like pilots before they hop on the plane’s actual radio. It may sound simple, but it’s one of the most crucial skills they’ll learn.
“Talking on the radio is challenging,” said Ed. “Hundreds of people can hear you, and what you say is important.”
LIFT uses tools like Plane English, an iPad app that creates scenarios that students have to respond to aloud. The software listens to and grades students on proper wording and order. Once students are ready, they practice on the actual radio.
The Aircraft
LIFT Academy’s fleet consists entirely of Diamond Aircraft. They were chosen specifically because they best prepare students for what they will actually fly at Republic.
“Their glass flight deck systems are similar to those found in Republic’s all-Embraer fleet,” said Ed. “That way, our students feel right at home once they transition to Republic.”
All Diamond Aircraft are equipped with flight director and autopilot, further preparing students for the technology they can expect to fly with at Republic.
“We want our students to master hand-flying first and foremost, but they also need to know when to use automation,” said Ed. “That’s why we expect our students to master both.”
The Pacing
Our accelerated training schedule trains students to handle the fast-paced and oftentimes intense nature of the aviation industry.
“Students need to be fully committed to the program, truly dedicated to what we’re doing here,” said Ed.
“Despite our commercial airline pilot training program being accelerated, we progress at a rate that ensures our students learn everything they need to become safe, effective and professional pilots,” said Ed. “Regular, frequent training is what helps students retain information.”
The Results
When students get here, we tell them that we’re preparing them for Republic Airways — but that’s not just a line we say or put on our website.
“I regularly talk with graduates who are now working as pilots,” said Ed. “They’re always surprised to see just how prepared they were after making the transition to Republic.”
Think you have what it takes to become Republic-ready?
