Mesa Pilot Development Program
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Testimonials

James Shaffer , CRJ First Officer

Currently as a First Officer on the EMB-145 based out of Orlando, Florida I look back on the career and opportunity I have had with Mesa Air Group thus far. In 2002 I started as a Flight Attendant based in Phoenix, AZ.

August 2004 was a pivotal change in my life. After much support and encouragement from pilots at the airline who had been graduates of Mesa Pilot Development I made the decision to leave for Farmington, NM and become a pilot.

I can honestly say my time in Farmington was always challenging and an adventure. In 15 months starting with zero flight time on the Beech Bonanza. I was hired in December 2005 as a First Officer at 263 hours of flight time into the EMB-145 Regional Jet in the Delta Connection system.

The training I got at MPD was in my opinion thorough and well organized. The jet transition training and ground school was invaluable. Even though I was trained for the CRJ at MPD the knowledge learned in the classes and the jet sim was invaluable with my move into the ERJ. The ground school at Mesa Air Group and jet sim training was virtually identical with regards to the profiles, call outs, checklists, and procedures in a multi crew environment.

Currently, I am at the 6 month mark and holding a line. I have just over 200 hours in the EMB-145. I recommend the program to anyone who wants a fast paced option to get a career started in the airlines. Mesa Pilot Development and the staff have definitely delivered what they have promised.

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Sam Parker, CRJ First Officer

Becoming an airline pilot has always been a life-long dream. If it wasn’t for the PACE program at San Juan, it is a dream I would not be realizing today. After receiving all my ratings through CFI in 2000, and thinking that I was just a short time away from a regional airline, I was activated with the military to support the War on Terrorism. Following a three year commitment with the Air Force, I figured that it was now too late for me to become an airline pilot without spending the next several years getting current and flight instructing again; several years I felt that I just didn’t have. So, I believed that my dream of becoming an airline pilot just wasn’t going to happen. That’s where I was wrong. Through a close friend who was in ground school with several San Juan graduates, I learned of the PACE program and called the MPD office immediately to check out what they had to offer. Of course, the program sounded too good to be true and it took several conversations with current students and staff to convince me that the program delivered what it boasted. I felt that leaving a good paying, full-time job to attend the San Juan program was going to be the biggest gamble of my life. Well, I can assure you that there is no gamble in attending the San Juan program. The program delivers what it offers! It was, most definitely, the best decision I have made regarding my flight training and subsequent career! Thanks MPD for helping me realize my dream.

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Marcin Kolodziejczyk, CRJ First Officer

I am currently a CRJ First Officer based in Phoenix, AZ.  Being around the airline industry for a number of years and working as a flight attendant for America West Airlines and now as a pilot for Mesa Air Group, I look back at the awesome opportunity I had from Mesa Pilot Development. 

It all started for me in 2002 when I was hired as a flight attendant; I always wanted to become a pilot but didn’t know how.   I had the opportunity to fly with a bunch of pilots at America West that were previous Mesa pilots and they all recommended MAPD.   There was also one other flight attendant that was in MAPD when we flew a trip together and I got a chance to ask him a lot of questions about the program.  The only way I knew of becoming an airline pilot was to get all your ratings and then spend a bunch of gruesome hours instructing; it sounded too good to be true.  I watched my friend complete the program, get hired with a few hundred hours and he was off flying the CRJ.  It was time for me to act!

I interviewed in August  2005 for the January 2006 class at MAPD.  I started my training with 9 hours in a Cessna 172 and the transition to the Beechcraft Bonanza was amazing.  I soloed in the BE36 and moved through getting private, instrument and commercial ratings fairly quickly.  Then I moved onto the Beechcraft Baron for my multi-engine rating.  After that was all done, the most challenging transition was upon me to the CRJ FTD.  Learning all the Mesa policies and procedures from actual line pilots was a great advantage. 

I completed my training at the end of April 2006 and started ground school at Mesa Air Group in July 2006 with 220 hours total time.

Currently, I have over 1200 hours total time -- most of which is in the CRJ.  Being able to fly the 200, 700, and 900 series CRJs is awesome.  Flying is one of those things you wake up and can’t wait to get into the air.  Even though there are some challenges to flying people around, in the end it’s still an awesome career.  Ever thing that MAPD promised, they delivered on. 

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