First Airline Interview (Great lakes). Tips?

JFlighttt said:
Because at 19, I'd be getting turbine time...

I'd rather have 1000 hours of turbine time than 1000 hours of C172 time by the time I'm 21.
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But why rush to get turbine time by the time you're 21? You're still young and have all the time in the world to accrue turbine time. Plus, there are C172 jobs that pay better than GLA...from CFI gigs to aerial survey, pipeline and so forth.
 
PLEASE MAN, I'm 19 as well. I'm a cfi, I'm fairly sure you are as well. We're all tempted by those turbine engines, but be a kid. I can't imagine giving up my college life, just instruct part time around classes, fly skydivers occasionally. I do both of those. Again, I cannot imagine sacrificing my chance to do crazy, stupid things and enjoy the women that I'm friends with. Those big airplanes can wait. Flying skydivers is actually a blast. Just get your degree above all.
 
Mike Wise said:
I didn't know they paid for anything..
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We all like to hate on GL, and I would have to think very hard about telling someone to go fly there under normal circumstances...but you have to admire a 19 year old kid who is already on the verge of breaking into the industry. GL is what it is, but I'd still give him a lot more respect than another kid about his age who would rather be an illusionist posting pictures pretending to be a jet blue pilot and ragging on others for furthering their career, than learn how to properly screw on a cessna oil cap
 
Adler said:
We all like to hate on GL, and I would have to think very hard about telling someone to go fly there under normal circumstances...but you have to admire a 19 year old kid who is already on the verge of breaking into the industry. GL is what it is, but I'd still give him a lot more respect than another kid about his age who would rather be an illusionist posting pictures pretending to be a jet blue pilot and ragging on others for furthering their career, than learn how to properly screw on a cessna oil cap
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Woah way to get personal, are you feeling ok?
 
@Adler I'm not just trying to pretend to be ANY jetblue pilot, I try my hardest to pretend to be a multiple -typed Jetblue Airline Captain mind you, and leaving the oil cap off was for dramatic suspense. Get your facts straight! Maybe I should post another thread? "A season as an airline pilot at B6" :)
 
Cloud Surfer said:
...guess I'm feeling generous tonight. Plus it is Thirsty Thursday. :D Seriously though, why Great Lakes? Just curious....
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Because he has less than 1,000 hours and is 21. Good kid though , great stick. Used to be a dumbass (I can totally say that!) but has really made something of himself. Works as a flight instructor, but the school just isn't taking care of him. I know if I had been as smart as him at that age I'd be posting the same thread. In fact, I sorta did. Except mine was about Silver and many people told me I was stupid to go there. Now I have a bad ass job with another user here. If anyone has information about what's going on with Lake's 135 op, I'd ask that you help him out. Granted, they wouldn't be my first choice, this kid doesn't really have much else... I would NOT be one to say ' go fly for TransPac because I know 100% that that is not economically feasible.


In all honesty though, I have told him to look into somewhere like Air America. @JordanD, can you shed some light on thee operations there?
 
Be soft guys! Some of us low time guys can't find much else. At least the OP has a cfi...so perhaps it's better to just instruct. But I'm seriously considering going to the Great Lakes interview. If nothing else it is an experience. Same with pacific wings.

But 3yr contract? They can't be serious right??
 
I'm 19. Instruct in Cessna's and stuff like that. Make decent money. Would much rather stick it out instructing, than go to great lakes. Just seems like a shady operation..
 
JFlighttt said:
Because at 19, I'd be getting turbine time...

I'd rather have 1000 hours of turbine time than 1000 hours of C172 time by the time I'm 21.
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Let me put this into perspective for you. One aspect many people overlook when looking for a job is that it is not who you know, but who knows you. So while you're chasing that "coveted turbine time" another guy is taking a different route, perhaps the route that exposes him to many people who can positively affect his career. When it comes down to it (which is why JetCareers is such a lovely place) more often than not it is the resume that is walked into the recruiter who gets the job over the nameless resume with turbine time.

My company hires people in my position with zero, let me repeat - 0 - turbine time because of who walked in their resume.

Hopefully this knowledge helps you assess your way to your goals. Also, good luck on the interview.
 
JustinS said:
I think @Cloud Surfer said it best. There are some good piston single gigs out there to get started out.
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Well... I think we're all in agreement that college is a better bet. A CFI in a college town could probably make out well and leave a state school with zero debt. Win for the OP, though: it seems like he's driven and doesn't have helicopter parents telling him what to do.
 
Wow. At your age, this one is a toss up. Sure, you'll get turbine time. But at what cost. If you're hell bent on doing the interview, study any airplane you have ever flown, be up on current regs, and show up clean cut, clean shaven. Fresh air cut, neatly put together, etc.
 
I'll reiterate the college suggestion. I've flown with a few guys who got to the airlines young and they're honestly already burned out and regret missing out on college and just being young with no obligations.

Even if you're not interested in college, flight instruct and enjoy being young. That time will pass and you'll still have plenty of years at the airlines.

My "college years" were one of the funnest times of my life. A lot more enjoyable than waking up in a hotel room day after day. Why rush it?

Jtsastre
 
I'd reiterate the college thing. I know several guys that have amazing resumes but passed on college so now they can't make that next step to jobs they really want. To make matters worse now life has gotten more compicated (wife, house, kids, dog, full time job, etc) and the ability to go back to school and get a degree is almost non-existant. Sounds like you have a lot going for you, no need to rush. Lakes or someone just like them will still be around in a few years.
 
There are many option for college. Online degrees are becoming far more reputable then they used to be. And a decent layover in a hotel allows for adequate time to do homework. I'm not saying skip college. But lets be realistic...it's not impossible to finish your degree while flying. Just trying to give the OP both sides. Plus, think of it like this. Isn't it smart to get the ugly job out of the way early? Regionals hire with no college degree. So what's wrong with staying with lakes for a year or so then going to say...skywest? When get off reserve after a year or so. So by the age of say..22, he's holding a line with skywest. It's much easier to settle down and have a family at that point.
 
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