The new airline thread

[Royal]

AAL just had an indoc class of 70 pilots (second class of 70 for the year; still under-performing their goal). If you want to live in Charlotte, Dallas, or Miami, you should be able to get to one of those locations within 6 months. If you're not interested in those areas, probably best to go to another carrier.

[TheNewGazmo]

AAL just had an indoc class of 70 pilots (second class of 70 for the year; still under-performing their goal). If you want to live in Charlotte, Dallas, or Miami, you should be able to get to one of those locations within 6 months. If you're not interested in those areas, probably best to go to another carrier.

How about NJ/NY/PA, Boston, DC, Chicago, LAX and Phoenix as well? Phoenix may be the only base you'd have to wait a while to get to. Despite a lack-luster contract at the moment, I think AAL wins the best base locations award.

[VolFan]

PHX 320 went to new hires in the last drop. In fact the only one missing was CLT. 

[HuggyU2]

1 hour ago, TheNewGazmo said:

 I think AAL wins the best base locations award.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

[disgruntledemployee]

Most recent UAL vacancy had something like 1100+ unfilled FO and about 90 unfilled Capt spots (coasts).  Hiring is a booming.

So, don't sweat the hrs too much.  Make a one-pager with the hours and any caveats like 1.3 hrs/sortie (for those that ask for it).  And be able to explain it.  Something like, "The AF does a good job of keeping track of the hours and we do a review together every year.  Blah Blah Blah.  This one page history consolidates all those hours into an easy to read format."   

[Royal]

On 12/23/2021 at 6:37 AM, TheNewGazmo said:

How about NJ/NY/PA, Boston, DC, Chicago, LAX and Phoenix as well? Phoenix may be the only base you'd have to wait a while to get to. Despite a lack-luster contract at the moment, I think AAL wins the best base locations award.

I intentionally excluded those locations because I would not put money on them sticking around for the next 30 years. One of the greatest values of being in domicile means not having to move again and being able to fly any of the equipment the company owns from any seat (ie WB FO or NB CA - all fleets). NY is shrinking thanks to getting steamrolled on scope with Jetblue. Same with Boston and DC. Chicago isn't a very big base; neither is PHX. LAX will probably stick around, but it was a colossal error to let Jetblue move from LGB and codeshare with them. Now they occupy AA gates and are set up to expand. PHL, like LAX, will likely still be there in the future, but again, I would say it's far from a certainty.

The point here is that there are more variables involved than the *current* fact that Airline X has a base in City Y.

[tatertots]

Anybody smart on Houston based airlines. I know everything seniority-wise moves slower at SWA but IAH is very senior for United.  Any idea which one would offer faster movement?  

[Hugo Stiglitz]

1 hour ago, tatertots said:

Anybody smart on Houston based airlines. I know everything seniority-wise moves slower at SWA but IAH is very senior for United.  Any idea which one would offer faster movement?  

Probably depends what you mean about movement…if it’s relative seniority in seat then HOU isn’t terrible for a SWA FO. It’s currently #7/10 (virtually a tie for #8) in order of most to least senior FO bases. While I’m no Nostradamus, I’d guess you could be off of reserve by your 8th month and enjoy a pretty decent QOL as soon as you’re onto hard lines based on the ability to move trips around and also pickup since you’d live in base.

However if upgrade is what you mean by movement then Southwest is about as bad as it gets. The junior HOU CA is a May ‘14 hire and while I’d love to say all the projected hiring will bring those numbers down, I’m a pessimist at heart!

[Smokin]

It is pretty senior for United, but pretty senior is relative these days.  If you got hired today, I would think you could hold IAH as reserve 737 within a year.  I would also imagine considerable movement in IAH in 10 years as all the CAL guys start hitting 65.  For example, 50% of the current IAH 737 CAs hit 65 within 8 years.

Also, while it is advisable to live in domicile if possible, not a bad idea to move to the domicile you want to live in even if you can't hold it yet.  Lots of flights between the hubs, so commuting shouldn't be too difficult.  Most of the flights I've flown to/from IAH had the jumpseat open.

[Waingro]

45 minutes ago, Smokin said:

It is pretty senior for United, but pretty senior is relative these days.  If you got hired today, I would think you could hold IAH as reserve 737 within a year.  I would also imagine considerable movement in IAH in 10 years as all the CAL guys start hitting 65.  For example, 50% of the current IAH 737 CAs hit 65 within 8 years.

Also, while it is advisable to live in domicile if possible, not a bad idea to move to the domicile you want to live in even if you can't hold it yet.  Lots of flights between the hubs, so commuting shouldn't be too difficult.  Most of the flights I've flown to/from IAH had the jumpseat open.

IAH had double-digit unfilled vacancies during the last bid for narrowbody FO. So while they aren't being offered in indoc yet, 737, A320, and 756 are available to United new-hires, through the vacancy bidding process. 

Everything is fluid but looks like the junior CA award in IAH is presently a 2015 hire. 

[08Dawg]

Probably doesn’t apply to most on this forum, but as a humble navigator CFIing my ass off and eighteen months from ATP mins….

…..best regional in your collective opinions?   Looking mostly at SkyWest and Endeavor at this point. 

[xaarman]

57 minutes ago, 08Dawg said:

Probably doesn’t apply to most on this forum, but as a humble navigator CFIing my ass off and eighteen months from ATP mins….

…..best regional in your collective opinions?   Looking mostly at SkyWest and Endeavor at this point. 

Where do you want to live?

[HuggyU2]

Tatertots,

Your question is simply too vague WRT UAL IAH movement. 
Do you want to know how quick you can get off of reserve on a NB?

Or how quick you can get to 25% or better on a NB fleet?

Or how quick you can get to WB reserve?

Or how quick to get to NB Captain?

I know I'm not answering your question.  But it really depends on what you're trying to do. 

Also... based on my amazingly messed up airline career... whatever answers you get will likely change dramatically within the next 24 months. 

Good luck!!

[08Dawg]

19 hours ago, xaarman said:

Where do you want to live?

Probably stay in Omaha, which means a commute to probably MSP or DEN

[Waingro]

All United domiciles were available to new-hires in this morning's indoc class. Wait time to hold IAH, CLE, ORD, or DEN at United is presently zero minutes.

[jonlbs]

57 minutes ago, 08Dawg said:

Probably stay in Omaha, which means a commute to probably MSP or DEN

If that is the case, at Skywest you will get DEN or MSP right out of training or within 2 months. If you get ORD that works too, easy commute and we fly it.

 

Skywest QOL is good, training is the best out there. I'm new enough that I may be a little biased though. Can't go wrong with Endeavor, Envoy, or Republic either if you ask me. Other ones I might stay away from.

Edited January 4, 2022 by jonlbs

[xaarman]

5 hours ago, 08Dawg said:

Probably stay in Omaha, which means a commute to probably MSP or DEN

GTFO out of Omaha. We probably know each other. 

But if you have to commute to a regional, anywhere with a junior base of MSP, DEN or ORD. ORD has a ton of capacity because of AA and UAL hubs, Spirit and Frontier, a bunch of regionals, and to a lesser extent SWA to MDW. DEN has UAL and Frontier.  

Pinpointing the best regional to work for is extremely hard right now. They're all in the midst of doing everything possible to attract pilots. Air Wisconsin was considered one of the best 2 years ago, now they might not last beyond 2023 (hemorrhaging pilots and airlines getting rid of 50 seaters.) Republic was considered one of the worst because of pay, but is now one of the top choices. Haven't heard anything bad about SkyWest.

But I can't stress how much being able to drive to work adds to the airline QoL. From sitting RSV at home, to being able to choose start and end times that don't involve coming in a day early and leaving a day late, not dealing with a crash pad or paying for hotels, to weather that cancels everything and you have uncomfortable calls with the Chief Pilot, to short notice Premium (150-300% extra pay) trips, to trip trading flexibility...

Living in base is far superior. You are gone less, and make more money.

I moved to DCA after getting out, and then to DFW during my mini-furlough. DFW offers permanent princess parking if you have various military medals, I haven't seen an employee parking lot since I moved here. It saves 15-25 minutes on the front and back half of every trip.

Edited January 5, 2022 by xaarman

[Royal]

On 1/3/2022 at 6:04 PM, 08Dawg said:

Probably doesn’t apply to most on this forum, but as a humble navigator CFIing my ass off and eighteen months from ATP mins….

…..best regional in your collective opinions?   Looking mostly at SkyWest and Endeavor at this point. 

To add to Xaarman's advice: Look into who has flow agreements, find which bases have junior captains, and see who has the best bonus money. Do everything you can to live in domicile.

[Sua Sponte]

On 1/4/2022 at 4:19 PM, Waingro said:

All United domiciles were available to new-hires in this morning's indoc class. Wait time to hold IAH, CLE, ORD, or DEN at United is presently zero minutes.

Buddy of mine got SFO.

[HuggyU2]

SFO and EWR are givens as they are very junior, and are in every class drop. 
I've never heard of CLE going to a new hire. 
Next month will see the first 777 and 787 new hires. 
Unprecedented at UAL. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by HuggyU2

[Swizzle]

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/january/06/delta-drops-degree-requirement-for-pilot-applicants

 

Faster path to some cockpits now...

[Prozac]

2 hours ago, Swizzle said:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/january/06/delta-drops-degree-requirement-for-pilot-applicants

 

Faster path to some cockpits now...

I imagine the vast majority of DAL new hires will continue to possess a degree. My company doesn’t have a degree requirement & I can probably count on one hand the number hired without one in the last several years. Generally 20 something unicorns who have strong connections and check at least one “desirable candidate” box. That said, the fact that DAL has removed the requirement is telling & seems to indicate that airlines are beginning to realize that their highly qualified pool of candidates is likely to start drying up soon. 

[SocialD]

1 hour ago, Prozac said:

That said, the fact that DAL has removed the requirement is telling & seems to indicate that airlines are beginning to realize that their highly qualified pool of candidates is likely to start drying up soon. 

 

I believe FDX is the last airline to still have a degree as a requirement.  Anyway, I agree with you, I'm guessing every airline continues to hire a vast majority of pilots who hold some type of 4yr degree.  We have some dudes losing their shit over this, like it's going to be the end of times lol. 

Edited January 9, 2022 by SocialD

[tac airlifter]

Gents, I’m one year out from terminal/available date.  Been reading the various forums and building my SA.  Cargo seems like the best fit for my life circumstances, but appears  difficult to land.  Should I just blast applications to everyone ASAP or is it worth trying for my top picks first?  I don’t want to turn someone down while waiting for a call from a top pick, only to not be selected and have passed on my lower ranked choices.

[SurelySerious]

In my mind, apply anywhere you can envision working while waiting for that top job.