How LIFT Academy Prepares Students for Cape Air

At LIFT Academy^®, our mission is to help students achieve their goal of becoming commercial airline pilots. Training here serves as the foundation for their future, and we set students up for success even after graduation by providing pathways for growth. One such pathway is to fly with Cape Air, a regional commuter airline with daily passenger flights throughout the Northeast, Montana and the Caribbean. There, LIFT^℠ graduates begin building flight time as First Officers, and eventually as Captains. To explain how LIFT Academy prepares students for a smooth transition to Cape Air, we talked with Christopher Phillips, a LIFT graduate and Captain at Cape Air.

Why Cape Air?

After completing your training at LIFT Academy, your focus will shift to building flight time. Cape Air is an ideal place to accumulate flight hours, get hands-on experience and further hone your skills.

“Having grown up in Cape Cod, I remember being fascinated by seeing the Cape Air planes,” said Christopher. “The more I learned about it, however, the more it seemed like the right choice for me.”

Not only do you get paid to build flight hours at Cape Air, but their schedule also ensures that you’re able to build flight time consistently.

“Time building is built into the schedules at Cape Air,” said Christopher. “They do a great job of making sure that you get flight time without overdoing it.”

With bases throughout New England and the Caribbean, as well as locations in Montana and New York, Cape Air helps pilots gain experience flying in different weather conditions and airspaces.

“I’m based out of Boston,” said Christopher. “Working this type of schedule, I was able to become a Captain in about 16 months.”

Now that you know a little about Cape Air, let’s see how LIFT Academy helps prepare you for it.

Getting You Ready for Cape Air

As an accelerated flight training program, the LIFT Academy program is fast-paced and demanding. You’ll find a similarly rigorous schedule at Cape Air.

“The work ethic that LIFT Academy instills in you certainly carries on to Cape Air,” said Christopher. “Sometimes you’re working 13-hour days and flying eight legs a day, which sounds like a lot, but it is manageable.”

While there are differences between the aircraft at LIFT Academy and Cape Air, you’ll find there’s a lot they have in common, and whatever is different is covered during training.

“The Cape Air training department is fantastic,” said Christopher. “They work with you to make sure you feel totally confident.”

At LIFT Academy, we place a great deal of importance on understanding procedures, as they’re critical to everyone’s safety. This type of training will extend not just to Cape Air but throughout your career.

“Understanding procedures is critical regardless of where you fly,” said Christopher. “At LIFT Academy and Cape Air, they really get instilled into you.”

One of the biggest benefits of training at LIFT Academy is our culture of support. Cape Air fosters the same kind of culture.

“There is a lot of camaraderie among pilots here at Cape Air,” said Christopher. “I’m actually friends with the people I work with, and that makes it fun to go to work every day.”

The Transition to Cape Air

Like when you first start at LIFT Academy, you’ll need to undergo some training to get comfortable with the exact aircraft and procedures at Cape Air. Luckily, much of the knowledge you gain at LIFT Academy extends to Cape Air.

“Going from a glass cockpit to a six-pack can feel daunting at first,” said Christopher. “But essentially everything you know still applies once you know where to look. You settle in quickly.”

For those interested in landing at Republic Airways, your time at Cape Air can help with that future transition, too.

“If you’re at a base that flies Tecnum Travelers, it’s pretty similar to what you will fly at Republic,” said Christopher. “I fly a 402, which is a solid aircraft, and honestly, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

After transitioning to Cape Air, you’ll have the opportunity to fly passengers and gain more experience hand-flying, as in manually controlling the aircraft without Autopilot.

“I get to hand-fly every day, which really keeps your skills sharp,” said Christopher. “As a Captain, I get to fly by myself a lot, which I feel like really gives me a competitive edge.

Advice From a Cape Air Captain

The best advice often comes from someone who has been through it themselves. Christopher had these words of wisdom for students considering training at LIFT Academy and eventually flying with Cape Air:

“Do your research. Get a hold of someone at Cape Air to get a sense of which route or base is best for you. And understand exactly what your goals are. That way you can figure out how and when you want to get there.”

He also had this to say to people without flight experience:

“You don’t need to come in with experience; you just need to come ready to put the work in. If this is your dream, LIFT Academy can help you achieve it. I was working as a ballet dancer, and in just a few years, I’ve totally changed my career’s trajectory.”

As for what’s next for him…

“I’m on track to become a Captain at Republic Airways, and I could not be more excited. I’m so grateful for this pathway that LIFT Academy and Cape Air have given me. It’s made such a huge difference in my career.”

Are you ready to start your path to a career in aviation?

Learn more or apply today at flywithlift.com/admissions/.