Applying to the "career destination" airlines

No, I've just been doing this website thing for too long and know a scary amount of people who are, in fact, the gatekeepers.

"Hey, that guy at American said…"

"Jamie? Ted? Johnny? That guy owes me money!" :)
While, not done via a website, I was a PM at FSI for a bit. Spent hours each day talking to Management at various 135/91 gigs. Received many offers, and eventually hit the point where outfits were calling me looking for candidates.

While I did place a few people, I wasn't willing to stick my neck out for somebody I didn't know. I was very selective in my next job, and it's paid off- but I still keep in touch with all the folks out there.

When I pulled the ripcord back in '12 (wanted a job with family time, was thinking of getting my masters as well - I pretty much decided 121 wasn't what I wanted.

You never know where or when you will run into important people though... 2008 I shared the back seat of a dash with the LGA CP for jet blue. Had no idea who he was until he handed me a card when deplaning. Go figure :)
 
You seem to have forgotten the point of this thread and the fact that I was responding to some pilots who made the same point I was making. The OP asked, some responded and I added my voice to what they wrote.

You bemoaned the fact that other pilots are getting the call before the FOs you fly with. TPIC isn't required. You have no clue what really is in these folks background.

I've been in this business a few years. I've seen some hired, some not hired. Last fall I flew with 5 FOs who were hired with no TPIC time while other seemingly identical pilots are still here. Them's the brakes. I feel for them.

You were quite clear that all the 8 year FOs you fly with should be hired by Delta because they already are flying for Delta as a subcontracter. You are jealous and bitching that other folks who had a quick upgrade at other airlines are moving on and were flabbergasted how they operated their jet. I am sure they operated it just fine BTW.

And once again you attack my professionalism though you don't know me from jack. Grow up man. It's pretty easy to hide behind the anonymity of a web board and call people unprofessional. Do it to my face. Please. Aviation is a very small world. Be careful who you piss off on the way up. You tend to piss off a great many people.

First, I am a grown ass man. Secondly, calling another pilot a 'kid' or bemoaning the fact that someone else has it better than the folks you fly with is unprofessional. There are folks on here who had quick jet upgrades. GOOD FOR THEM! Thirdly, your true colors continue to show by your passive aggressive threatening statement here about aviation being a very small world and pissing people off. Many folks know exactly who I am, have met me, hung out with me, have my phone number etc. You are the one posting in anonymity. I would have no problem saying what I say on here to anyone's face. Also, I will continue to help people get to their career goals instead of being unprofessional, bitching and moaning the fact that folks from another airline are moving on quicker than the folks you fly with. That goes back to the point that TPIC isn't required to move on. Besides, you have no clue what is really in these folks background or if they can have an 'elevator chat'.
 
But just remember there is a time and place for everything. Don't try an elevator pitch in the bathroom stall, next to a recruiter. Or follow someone into a bathroom, and start up a conversation with someone while their doing their business at a urinal.

9/10 of the times I give mine it's to a guy leaving the lav as I'm going into the lav. Works every time ;-)
 
Well, here's the kicker. XJT has a great training program, produce some top notch pilots and my shop happens to have a lot of success hiring their high time FO's because they're hungry, 'stuck it out' and didn't jump around airline to airline, laterally, chasing fast upgrades.

Don't shoot the messenger.
 
Well, here's the kicker. XJT has a great training program, produce some top notch pilots and my shop happens to have a lot of success hiring their high time FO's because they're hungry, 'stuck it out' and didn't jump around airline to airline, laterally, chasing fast upgrades.

Don't shoot the messenger.

I was told in my newhire training "you XJT guys can fly the **** out of an airplane."
 
You bemoaned the fact that other pilots are getting the call before the FOs you fly with. TPIC isn't required. You have no clue what really is in these folks background.



You were quite clear that all the 8 year FOs you fly with should be hired by Delta because they already are flying for Delta as a subcontracter. You are jealous and bitching that other folks who had a quick upgrade at other airlines are moving on and were flabbergasted how they operated their jet. I am sure they operated it just fine BTW.



First, I am a grown ass man. Secondly, calling another pilot a 'kid' or bemoaning the fact that someone else has it better than the folks you fly with is unprofessional. There are folks on here who had quick jet upgrades. GOOD FOR THEM! Thirdly, your true colors continue to show by your passive aggressive threatening statement here about aviation being a very small world and pissing people off. Many folks know exactly who I am, have met me, hung out with me, have my phone number etc. You are the one posting in anonymity. I would have no problem saying what I say on here to anyone's face. Also, I will continue to help people get to their career goals instead of being unprofessional, bitching and moaning the fact that folks from another airline are moving on quicker than the folks you fly with. That goes back to the point that TPIC isn't required to move on. Besides, you have no clue what is really in these folks background or if they can have an 'elevator chat'.

Remember bro, it's message plus delivery.

"Hey! Get out of the road!"

vs

"You big dummy, are you blind? there's a car coming!"
 
Big data company. Some companies like that product.

It really is a shame to see what has happened over there. Other than the huge stagnation it's a damn good group of people, great training, and was an awesome place to spend almost 8 years. I was happy to escape, but I still rep my hood with an ASA tag on the handle of my suitcase.
 
Remember bro, it's message plus delivery.

"Hey! Get out of the road!"

vs

"You big dummy, are you blind? there's a car coming!"

Yep! Taking a crap on others as they have a quicker upgrade highlights this!
 
Well, here's the kicker. XJT has a great training program, produce some top notch pilots and my shop happens to have a lot of success hiring their high time FO's because they're hungry, 'stuck it out' and didn't jump around airline to airline, laterally, chasing fast upgrades.

Don't shoot the messenger.

ExpressJet was a great airline, with great training and great people, but no business plan. And every time I hear someone talk about loyalty to ExpressJet, all I can think of is their loyalty to me when they furloughed 350 of us for 2.5 years.

Yup, ExpressJet did everything they could for us, including never developing a real business plan.

Amazing airline, amazing people; but losing money every quarter for almost a decade.
 
ExpressJet was a great airline, with great training and great people, but no business plan. And every time I hear someone talk about loyalty to ExpressJet, all I can think of is their loyalty to me when they furloughed 350 of us for 2.5 years.

Yup, ExpressJet did everything they could for us, including never developing a real business plan.

Amazing airline, amazing people; but losing money every quarter for almost a decade.

Was it a good thing for Skywest and ASA to come into the picture then? Seems like it was good for Delta to sell ASA. I am new to all of the airline struggles and have been reading Glory Lost and Found and learning a ton. Not sure how in depth it gets. Oh, and the contract you were asking about is ASA.
 
Was it a good thing for Skywest and ASA to come into the picture then? Seems like it was good for Delta to sell ASA. I am new to all of the airline struggles and have been reading Glory Lost and Found and learning a ton. Not sure how in depth it gets. Oh, and the contract you were asking about is ASA.

Who can say what might have happened, but I think if Skywest Inc. had a do over they would have not purchased XJT and things might have turned out much differently for all 3 airlines. Again, that's just my opinion and is pretty much useless at this point.
 
Was it a good thing for Skywest and ASA to come into the picture then? Seems like it was good for Delta to sell ASA. I am new to all of the airline struggles and have been reading Glory Lost and Found and learning a ton. Not sure how in depth it gets. Oh, and the contract you were asking about is ASA.

Depends on who you ask.

I was hired at XJT in 2007, and by the fall of 2008 they were kicking 350 of us to the curb and then as soon as we were gone, management came back and said that the remaining pilot group can vote in a 6% pay cut or they'll furlough another 350.

In the end, furloughing anybody was more of a negotiating tactic than anything else, and the airline ran out of control short staffed for years because they refused to bring back furloughed pilots.

I had my first chance to come back shortly before the acquisition by Skywest, which I deferred due to being in law school at the time, and my last chance to come back came a month later shortly after the acquisition. Skywest bought the company and brought everyone back and started hiring again.

So if you were junior to a July 2007 hire, it helped out in the short term, but in the long term Skywest announced that they'd park all the XJT ERJ's at a rate of 2 per month. In the next few years, I'll be surprised if anything exists of the ERJ side of XJT.
 
Depends on who you ask.

I was hired at XJT in 2007, and by the fall of 2008 they were kicking 350 of us to the curb and then as soon as we were gone, management came back and said that the remaining pilot group can vote in a 6% pay cut or they'll furlough another 350.

In the end, furloughing anybody was more of a negotiating tactic than anything else, and the airline ran out of control short staffed for years because they refused to bring back furloughed pilots.

I had my first chance to come back shortly before the acquisition by Skywest, which I deferred due to being in law school at the time, and my last chance to come back came a month later shortly after the acquisition. Skywest bought the company and brought everyone back and started hiring again.

So if you were junior to a July 2007 hire, it helped out in the short term, but in the long term Skywest announced that they'd park all the XJT ERJ's at a rate of 2 per month. In the next few years, I'll be surprised if anything exists of the ERJ side of XJT.

That would definitely make anyone nervous. That entire situation seems quite complicated and not entirely well planned out. Someone has to have an idea of what will be the future.

Who can say what might have happened, but I think if Skywest Inc. had a do over they would have not purchased XJT and things might have turned out much differently for all 3 airlines. Again, that's just my opinion and is pretty much useless at this point.

That seems to be the cause of most of the conflict within the group, so I can see where you are coming from. I know why they purchased ASA according to the Delta book, but not sure why XJT. Maybe they will have a blurb about it. I really need to finish this book, it is really starting to get interesting!
 
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