Embry-Riddle and Atlantic Coast Airlines Sign Direct Hire Agreement

The comprehensive agreement establishes selection criteria, specific course requirements, minimum flight experience requirements, and preferred hiring status for qualified aeronautical science graduates at Embry-Riddle's residential campuses. Under the agreement, selected students will have the opportunity to gain employment with ACA immediately following graduation.

"This partnership establishes the first direct hire program for aeronautical science graduates at Embry Riddle; we are pleased to enter into this landmark agreement with ACA. This program shrinks the gap between degree completion and employment as a flight crew member and provides our graduates with an outstanding opportunity to achieve their career objectives," said Embry-Riddle President Dr. Steven M. Sliwa.

Embry-Riddle and ACA will jointly screen candidates for selection who have completed the sophomore year of the aeronautical science degree program. The students selected will be given a conditional offer of employment pending successful completion of the bridge program. Both parties will agree on specific course and program development and Embry-Riddle instructors will maintain a current knowledge of and instruct students on ACA procedures and standards.

ACA will recommend curriculum changes to Embry-Riddle, incorporating company-specific procedural requirements. Embry-Riddle will substitute its capstone flight training course with the ACA Jetstream first officer training program. ACA will make internship/co-op positions available to students selected for this program after the completion of the third year of the program and students will visit ACA's operations facility at Washington-Dulles International Airport. In addition, ACA has been invited to join Embry-Riddle's Aeronautical Science Industrial Advisory Board.

Type-specific training for first officer qualification on the J-41 will be included in the aeronautical science curriculum and will not require additional expenses for participating students. This will effectively eliminate the 'pay for training' issue facing so many of our graduates as they gain employment," commented Sliwa.

ACA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Thomas J. Moore stated, "ACA is committed to providing the best regional carrier service in the country; our relationship with Embry-Riddle ensures that our pilots will receive the most comprehensive training available. We look forward to a long and mutually rewarding partnership."

The agreement, which was signed last week, will go into effect immediately.

Atlantic Coast Airlines operates its hub at Washington-Dulles International Airport, where it offers more than 200 departures every business day as United Express. From Washington-Dulles, ACA serves 40 destinations in 17 states with nonstop service. Its route system spans the East Coast from Maine to South Carolina and as far west as Michigan. ACA operates a fleet of 60 British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft, including 31 Jetstream 41's, which accommodate 29 passengers, and 29 Jetstream 32's, which accommodate 19 passengers.

In January, ACA announced the acquisition of twelve 50-seat jet aircraft from Bombardier's Canadair unit, with an option for 36 additional jets. Two Canadair Regional Jets have been delivered, and a total of 12 are expected to be delivered by September 1998. Jet service is planned to begin in late 1997. The average age of ACA's fleet is less than five years.

The world's largest university specializing in aviation and aerospace, Embry-Riddle has campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and over 100 education centers in the US and Europe. Its curriculum covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, management, and marketing of modern aircraft and the systems that support them.