(Edmonton) Flair Airlines is launching a unique pilot training program that will see candidates placed in the cockpit of one of the company’s Boeing 737s within 18 months.

The Edmonton-based low-cost carrier says its program will dramatically speed up the time it takes in Canada for new pilots to land jobs flying large commercial jets.

According to Flair, the program will be similar to some in Europe that directly train entry-level pilots for co-pilot roles on large Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s.

It’s different from the Canadian model, where pilots have traditionally had to spend many years flying small planes and regional routes before the big carriers hired them to fly big jets.

The North American aviation industry is currently facing a shortage of pilots due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, an aging workforce and the rapid proliferation of new discount airlines that exert a pressure on labor supply.

Flair says its program will meet the highest industry safety standards and generate a series of highly skilled pilots for the airline.