Airlines Tap Army Helicopter Pilots to Ease Shortage

Coast Flight Training president Bryan Simmons walks past some of his company's training aircraft used for instruction in San Diego, California, U.S., January 15, 2019. Picture taken January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake

CHICAGO–U.S. Army pilot Shaun Perez spent ten hours flying an Apache helicopter over Afghanistan, providing gun cover for Special Forces soldiers on the ground as they hunted for high-value targets, guns and weapons.

Returning to his base at dawn, he donned a fresh uniform before shutting himself into a small room to secure the next stage of his career—as a commercial airline pilot.