Mesaba Airlines was founded in 1944 by Gordy Newstrom in Coleraine, Minnesota. It began operations in the same year under the name of Mesaba Aviation. Mesaba, which took its name from the American Indian word for Soaring Eagle, initially operated one airplane, a Piper Cub purchased for $1,300. Mesaba used the Cub to shuttle employees of the Blandin Paper Mill Company from Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Minneapolis.

Hands down, the best part of my job is helping fellow aviators achieve their career goals. I get a lot of testimonials from graduates of ATP's Regional Jet Standards Certification Program, and often there are nuggets like this one, from Airline Career Pilot Program graduate and former ATP instructor John Tatara:

Good Afternoon Paul,

It is John Tatara, and I just wanted to take a minute to thank you. I passed the PC (Proficiency Checkride) on the CRJ-900 with Mesaba and I'm just waiting for IOE (Initial Operating Experience). Adam also passed, and we both agree that the RJ Course helped a ton. I was able to concentrate on many other things since I already was very familiar with the RJ's systems and FMS. The profiles that were put together were very similar, and I would tell everyone to take the RJ Course to help their airline training go smoothly. Thanks again to you and everyone at ATP and Happy Holidays.

-John Tatara-

John and Adam(also an Airline Career Pilot Program graduate and former
instructor) both passed training at Mesaba, and recognize the edge that the Regional Jet Standards Certification Course gave them.

Hiring opportunities are still there, waiting for pilots to take advantage of.  John took our Regional Jet Standards Certification Course in September of 2008 when he was being told that there was no hiring going on in the airline industry. He was hired less than a month later in October, and you can read the results above.

Congratulations to John and Adam on their success at Mesaba.

View Recent News About Mesaba

Delta Airlines has reassigned 14 NextGen Regional Jets from Freedom to Mesaba Airlines which operates as Northwest Airlink for the new Uber Airline composed of Delta and the former Northwest Airlines. The move adds to the number of RJs taken from Freedom and reassigned to Northwest Airlink carriers reportedly due to Freedom's failure to meet contractual performance standards in an effort by Delta to improve service.

Welcome aboard Mesaba Airlines 

American Eagle, Pinnacle Airlines and Mesaba Airlines were in attendance recently at Job Fare in Chicago looking for recruits. They reported that:

American Eagle will begin interviewing and hiring pilots beginning in the first quarter of 2009.

Pinnacle Airlines will begin hiring again in early 2009.

Mesaba Airlines is hiring now and will continue to do so into 2009.

Over 30 graduates of ATP's Programs have been hired by the Regional airlines and Corporate Operaters over the last 60 days despite economic conditions in the US.

Hired by Regional Airlines!