The expansion will add a new 4-story building with flight simulators, training classrooms, conference rooms and offices.
United Airlines will invest more than $100 million to expand its flight training center in Denver as it prepares to ramp up its pilot hiring over the coming years.
Built between 1966 and 1968 as part of the Stapleton Airport complex, United's Flight Training Center serves as the sole training facility for the airline's 12,000 active pilots and newly hired pilots. Every nine months, pilots must visit the training center to remain up-to-date on certifications. At any one time, there may be up to 600 pilots training at the facility.
The 23-acre campus, located in Denver's Central Park neighborhood, currently consists of seven buildings across 550,000 square feet of training space, which houses 39 full-motion flight simulators and 15 fixed training devices.
The expansion, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2023, will add a new four-story building that will house training classrooms, conference rooms, offices and 12 additional advanced flight simulators.
A United spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that the new simulators will train pilots on Airbus jetliners, the Boeing 737 Max and the 787 Dreamliner.
"The expansion of this world-class facility gives United even more resources to recruit and train the next generation of aviators," United Flight Training Center managing director Marc Champion said in a statement. "Our pilots are the best in the industry and flying remains one of the best, union careers in the world – great pay and benefits and the chance to captain the biggest planes to the most places around the world."
United captains can earn more than $350,000 annually, according to the company.
In addition, the airline touts that all of its employees earn more than the federal minimum wage and are eligible to receive company-sponsored medical coverage, participate in company-funded retirement programs and receive paid vacation and flight benefits to travel the world.
Over 1,000 of United's more than 7,000 Denver-based employees work at the flight training center in roles including instructors, evaluators, schedulers, human resources and flight standards.
United expects to add more than 2,000 new pilots in 2022 alone and is on track to hire 10,000 pilots by 2030.
The company has committed to training around 5,000 pilots by 2030 through its pilot training school, United Aviate Academy. At least half of the pilots trained through the academy will be women or people of color.
Meanwhile, the airline is planning to hire 50,000 people in the next five years companywide.
Source: FOX Business