Frontier Airlines Cadet Pilot Program

I currently hold a PPL (Not through ATP) and recently applied for the Frontier Airlines Cadet Program and have completed the first phase of the process (Application, online assessment, and online recorded interview). The next phase is to obtain First Class Medical (Done), secure financing for ATP (Not an issue), and complete an Intro flight with ATP (Done). The ATP Admissions Coordinator told me the next phase will include a Compass Assessment and then an in-person interview with Frontier. I am hoping for some insight on what the Compass Assessment and interview look like at the Cadet level, where no aviation experience is required. Thank you in advance.

4 Likes

Nick,

Thank you for documenting your experience and good luck on your assessment and interview!

Tory

Nick,

Very cool opportunity! I’m presuming this is new for Frontier (F9)? I will be honest, I don’t think I’ve seen anything of this until now.

Best of luck in your interview and assessment!

Brady

Nick,

As Brady said, this is a relatively new program so I’m not sure anyone has any answers to your questions.

That said I’d imagine it’s somewhat similar to many Regional airline interviews, in a far as none of us who did, ever had any airline experience as well. We therefore were expected to be VERY fluent in the knowledge on our resumes. I was CFI for ATP and was asked about the aircraft in my logbook. I was also asked details about my other jobs prior to flying.

The point all interviews usually have similar goals. To find out a little about you, your life your character and your work ethic and if it’s for a technical position like flying, how seriously you take that. If you’ve only got your PPL that’s fine, but I’d be VERY prepared to answer PPL type questions as well as being familiar with the airplanes in your logbook.

Adam

I have applied as well and am waiting for a little more information before I decide if I want to pursue it. For those who have gone through training at ATP and then decided on accepting an offer for tuition reimbursement, did you apply to several cadet academies and then decide which to partner with? It is not clear if this new program from Frontier provides support before completing the coursework, but the early information makes it appear so based on what I am reading, and therefore you commit earlier. Any insight would be appreciated.

What step are you at in the process?

Nick- I have completed the video questions and am waiting to hear back.

I am very interested in their cadet program and have looked into it. I’m currently an ATP student with a private pilot license and currently in the middle of my instrument phase with my checkride probably going to be in the middle of October. I think I might wait to apply once I am done with CFI.

-Kyle

I just did the video interview, does anyone know how many days is the training? Just wanting to figure out how I can survive during training, I have a job that I can keep during training but I am just curious about how many hours is the training a week. Also how long after VI did you hear back from them? When they say they would help with the loan how would they help? My credit is not the strongest but if I have to sell my kidney for this opportunity, I am 100% down. I don’t want to let this chance go away

For anyone who has applied, do you know the service commitment time after joining Frontier as an FO? Their cadet program FAQs only state “Cadets will be asked to sign an agreement with Frontier prior to starting in the program, which will spell out rights and responsibilities of both Frontier and our cadets”. Something like 2 or 3 years is a big difference compared to 5, 6, 7 years.

Ben

Additionally,

Do you have to apply to the cadet program prior to starting training, or can it be at any point during/post-training? The cadet program website is a little unclear on this. It seems to only recommend applying prior to starting training but others in this thread mentioned applying later in the process.

Ben

I have not heard any of those details yet.

Ben,

Typically cadet program contracts consist of what benefits you receive in exchange for your commitment to come to X airline at the completion of your hours. Also, what happens if you don’t fulfill your end if the bargain and go somewhere else… I have yet to see one with a time commitment once at the airline.

Hannah

I did the recorded video interview as well. Where did you get the information about the next steps? Did Frontier contact you directly? I haven’t heard anything after my recorded interview which was last week.

Hannah,

Really? Curious what’s stopping you from just leaving once you get to the airline (not saying I’d do that, of course).

Ben

Ben,

Yes, indeed. I feel as though there’s been a miscommunication, I thought there would be a time commitment requirement in return for the $500/month stipend during training.

Ben

@bcsolom that may be the case at Frontier, I can’t speak for their specific program. I’m just saying generally speaking cadet programs commitment is tied to you committing to coming to the airline at the completion of your hours. Any further commitment could be tied to extended benefits while at the airline.

1 Like

Ben,

I think this varies airline to airline, but as Hannah mentioned, generally cadet programs have you sign a contract that says after reaching X amount of hours you will be there for a period of time. Every airline differs from one another, lawyers representing the company write the text and it’s black-and-white, you should thoroughly read a contract before signing to avoid having problems later in the career. I just read from Adam’s one thread posting of a pilot at his airline transferring before his agreement and now having to pay back thousands of dollars. The reason of cadet program is for pilot retention while in return you pay off your investment to build a career.

Brady

1 Like

Same here I have not heard of anything yet