To hire both pilots and mechanics for Kalitta Air, Shawn Langdon’s Top Fuel dragster will be branded with “Kalitta Air Now Hiring” at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wash, July 21-23, 2023.
Kalitta Air Careers will be on the car for the remainder of the 2023 season except for the Nevada NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Oct. 27-29, 2023. FES Lighting will be the primary partner for Landgon’s Toyota team at that race.
“We couldn’t be happier to utilize the motorsports team and the assets we have in place to spread the word about our efforts to hire pilots, mechanics, and staff for the airline,” Kalitta Air owner Connie Kalitta said.
When the U.S. Army supported Team Schumacher as part of their government recruitment campaign, the Army recruitment campaign generated 99 enlistments over the course of a NHRA racing schedule.
Kalitta Air operates its own maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in Oscoda, Mich., allowing it to perform heavy checks and major overhauls or repairs. Maintenance personnel offer line maintenance assistance and quick-response assistance and are available for dispatch as needed. Kalitta Air has maintenance outstations in Los Angeles, New York, Cincinnati, Anchorage, Alaska, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Kalitta Air also offers a U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprentice program, which provides payment and employee benefits to participants as they learn alongside experienced mechanics. Apprentice candidates can be FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificated in approximately 30 months and expect to earn a minimum starting hourly wage of $24. Also, no prior aviation experience is required, but applicants must have a high school degree or GED (general education diploma) and be at least 18 years old.
For pilots the company utilizes five simulators in its Michigan training facility to both certify and provide on-the-job continuing education. With 12 Boeing 777 freighters being delivered to the airline in the coming months, Kalitta Air will increase its fuel efficiency and flight range while making the airline more environmentally friendly.
Pilots are based in their home cities with airline tickets to and from their trips provided by Kalitta Air along with industry-leading compensation, medical benefits, and retirement plans.
Despite the challenging conditions of recent years, Kalitta Air grew from the 23rd largest cargo carrier to the 13th largest. Kalitta Air is well positioned for continued growth and prosperity for many years to come.
The Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel dragster is only part of this multi-faceted effort. It will be accompanied by a multi-media employee-recruiting strategy on traditional, social, and digital media, plus an at-track component.
Chad Head, Kalitta Motorsports general manager said. “Kalitta Motorsports and Kalitta Air already work together a lot, so it makes perfect sense for us to use the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series platform and our NHRA on FOX broadcasts to tell the Kalitta Air story and help them recruit the people they need”.
Making its debut at 2023 NHRA Northwest Nationals the Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, qualified number 8, reached the semifinals for the second time in as many races. It was the second-consecutive race which all 3 Kalitta Motorsports teams reached the semifinals.