Flight Attendant Schools and Training Programs
A career as a flight attendant began in 1930 when Ellen Church, a nurse turned pilot partnered with Steve Stimpson of Boeing Air Transport to fill a needed support role in the airline industry. Since then an unconventional schedule combined with exciting travel benefits continued to make this a competitive, highly desirable profession. Private flight attendant training is an option for those who plan to work on a company or individual's private jet and will result in an additional credential for those aiming for a commercial flight attendant career.
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Educational Prerequisites
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics you must have at least a high school diploma or GED certificate if you plan on a flight attendant career. Generally, airline recruiters will give you preference if you have a background in customer service or a bachelor's degree in a people-oriented area like travel and tourism, hospitality, communications or nursing. Fluency in two languages will be necessary if you plan to work for an international airline.
Commercial Flight Attendant Training
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Commercial airline carriers generally conduct their own training programs or contract with another airline company, such as Delta, that offers high-tech training facilities and programs that teach techniques and simulate an actual in-flight experience. A formal flight attendant training lasts between three and six weeks. Students learn safety procedures, general operating practices, emergency protocol, how to handle equipment and create reporting paperwork.
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FAA Certification
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Flight attendants who work on an aircraft with 20 or more seats are required to obtain a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Throughout the course of an FAA-approved airline-administered training program, candidates will be required to demonstrate their knowledge on evacuating an aircraft, administering first aid, water landing survival strategies, handling disruptive clients or threatening situations like a terrorist attack or hijacking. A certificate of proficiency is awarded upon successful completion of the program and its respective skills tests.
FAA Post-Licensure
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Aircraft types are divided into Group 1 and Group 2 by the FAA. Group 1 aircraft have an operating empty weight of 252,700 pounds and Group 2 aircraft have an operating empty weight from 247,000 to 4,700 pounds or more. A flight attendant receives an additional rating notation on the license when training is completed for Group 2 aircraft post-licensure. Periodic post-licensure training and safety tests are administered throughout a flight attendant's career to ensure continued competency.
Private Flight Attendant Training
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Corporate Flight Attendant Training is a three-day training offered at multiple times throughout the year in Long Beach, Calif., Atlanta, Ga., and Teterboro, N.J.
Corporate Flight Attendant Training
241 South 6th St., Suite 1806
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-625-4811
corporateflightattendanttraining.comFlight Attendant Express is a flight attendant training program promising recruitment opportunities from commercial airlines and a curriculum combining two weeks of home study with a four-day workshop held monthly in Orlando, Fla.
Flight Attendant Express
P.O. Box 4813
Winter Park, FL 32793
407-678-3710
airlineinflight.comThe Swan Heights Institute for Private Flight Attendants offers nine-day initial and advanced training courses for corporate and private flight attendants.
The Swan Heights Institute for Private Flight Attendants
P.O. Box 5155
2000 CD Haarlem
The Netherlands
+31 6-52318758
swanheights.com
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- Photo Credit airplanes image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
