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Company Profile

Piedmont Airlines

Comprehensive interview intel — history, fleet, compensation, hiring, culture, and strategy. Know the company inside and out before you walk in.

Big-picture snapshot

Piedmont Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group operating as American Eagle, with a fleet of approximately 57 Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets across 3 domiciles. It is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, and employs approximately 791 active pilots represented by ALPA. Eric Morgan serves as President and CEO.

For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame Piedmont is this: it is one of American Airlines' two wholly owned regional carriers (alongside Envoy Air) and offers a contractual five-year no-interview flow-through to American Airlines mainline. Piedmont is the world's most reliable ERJ-145 operator — earning that title three years running (2022, 2023, 2024). And critically, Piedmont is about to undergo a major fleet transformation: starting in early 2028, the airline will receive the first of 45 new Embraer E175 aircraft, transitioning from a single-type ERJ-145 operation to a dual-fleet carrier. This fleet expansion signals American's long-term investment in Piedmont and creates significant career opportunities for pilots hired now.

Company history

  • 1961: Richard A. Henson founded Henson Aviation as a fixed-base operation in Hagerstown, Maryland
  • 1967: Henson Aviation began scheduled airline service as Allegheny Commuter
  • 1983: Piedmont Aviation (the original 1948-1989 carrier based in Winston-Salem, NC) acquired Henson Airlines; rebranded as "Henson, The Piedmont Regional Airline"
  • 1989: USAir acquired Piedmont Aviation, including Henson Airlines
  • 1993: USAir renamed Henson Airlines to Piedmont Airlines to preserve the Piedmont brand name
  • 2005: US Airways Group became parent company
  • 2013: American Airlines and US Airways merged; Piedmont became part of the American Airlines Group, flying as American Eagle
  • 2022-2024: Named world's most reliable ERJ-145 operator three consecutive years
  • 2025: 791 active pilots; continued American Eagle operations; E175 fleet transition announced
  • 2026: Preparing for E175 fleet expansion beginning early 2028 (45 new aircraft over 36 months)
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Sources listed at the end of each profile. Data compiled from public filings, airline newsrooms, AirlinePilotCentral, Glassdoor, FAA records, and industry publications.