Zapphod Beblebrox
Inventor of the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
Just got this email yesterday. I will have to paraphrase because it is on the company network and that has the standard email security message:
NOTICE: This email and any attachments are for the exclusive and confidential use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient, please do not read, distribute, or take action in reliance upon this message. If you have received this in error, please notify me immediately by return email and promptly delete this message and its attachments from your computer.
The message is from a new Flight Management position, Director of Pilot Development and Recruitment. The mission of this position is ensuring that American Airlines has a long term and continual supply of quality pilots.
The letter sates "for decades we have never had to truly recruit pilots." Our hiring activity was really just pilot selection from a large applicant database.
The message states that upon opening the hiring window in 2013 American Airlines had over 19000 qualified applicants and that now number of active applications that have been updated in the last 90 days is about 5000. The letter states that they believe this to be an accurate assessment of the available pilot pool.
Initiatives from this office will include:
1) Increase the pilot pool by developing new career resources for aspiring aviators and providing greater opportunities.
2) Actively engage in pilot recruiting. Long-term success calls for a recruiting presence in places such as high schools, colleges and civilian flight schools.
3) Design and administer professional pilot development (mentoring) for all stages of the pilot pipeline to....
4) Continue with the current mainline pilot selection process, adding enhancements along with way.....
The most important thing to note is that the company is spending money on this. That is previously unheard of, and these are the first numbers I have seen that show a declining selection pool. Keep those applications updated! There is nothing in the email about changing current standards or even what they are looking for. I do know that they might be more prone to give on flight time rather than education. Unless you are inside the selection machine, you don't have much idea of what is going on.
NOTICE: This email and any attachments are for the exclusive and confidential use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient, please do not read, distribute, or take action in reliance upon this message. If you have received this in error, please notify me immediately by return email and promptly delete this message and its attachments from your computer.
The message is from a new Flight Management position, Director of Pilot Development and Recruitment. The mission of this position is ensuring that American Airlines has a long term and continual supply of quality pilots.
The letter sates "for decades we have never had to truly recruit pilots." Our hiring activity was really just pilot selection from a large applicant database.
The message states that upon opening the hiring window in 2013 American Airlines had over 19000 qualified applicants and that now number of active applications that have been updated in the last 90 days is about 5000. The letter states that they believe this to be an accurate assessment of the available pilot pool.
Initiatives from this office will include:
1) Increase the pilot pool by developing new career resources for aspiring aviators and providing greater opportunities.
2) Actively engage in pilot recruiting. Long-term success calls for a recruiting presence in places such as high schools, colleges and civilian flight schools.
3) Design and administer professional pilot development (mentoring) for all stages of the pilot pipeline to....
4) Continue with the current mainline pilot selection process, adding enhancements along with way.....
The most important thing to note is that the company is spending money on this. That is previously unheard of, and these are the first numbers I have seen that show a declining selection pool. Keep those applications updated! There is nothing in the email about changing current standards or even what they are looking for. I do know that they might be more prone to give on flight time rather than education. Unless you are inside the selection machine, you don't have much idea of what is going on.
