On June 11, 2024, Skymark Airlines announced that it promoted in-house trained first officers to captains for the first time.
Skymark Airlines started its pilot training program in 2013. However, the first group of cadets, which entered the company in 2014, had its training interrupted when the company faced financial difficulties in 2015. The training resumed in 2016 and the four cadets became first officers in 2018. Three of those were promoted to captains with more expected to follow.
The cadets first spent approximately a year training overseas before returning to Japan and continuing training on small propellor aircraft for another ten months. Then they continued their training to gain type certification for the Boeing 737-800, the sole aircraft type Skymark Airlines currently operates.
Skymark Airlines expects to be hiring cadets in FY2025 (year starting on March 31, 2025) too. The group will be its eighth.