Cape Air and seaport airlines

Just tossing some thoughts out there.

Cape will hire with less then 800 hours.

Was given a Job offer at Cape with ~650 hours on the resumé (Canadian hours vs FAA blah blah blah). Super straight forward interview process, and all my friends there love what they do there. Interviewed on Friday and was called on Monday with a class date, but I declined for personal reasons.

The technical questions they ask were;
1) How does a turbo-charger work?
2) What would you do if you encountered an engine failure after rotation?

One thing to keep in mind is that training could take a LONG time at Cape during summer months due to aircraft availability. Be ready to stay well hydrated by the beach... But seriously tho, it took them three months to get through training.

STAY AWAY FROM SEAPORT.

Interviewed at Seaport with ~800 on the resumé a months after Cape, and it was honestly the worst interview experience ever. Myself and another fellow member here on JC interviewed and never heard back. No phone calls, email or letter... It's been months. We both thought we did well, but I honestly don't think they were in need of FOs at the time.

Happily sitting in class with SKW now.
 
STAY AWAY FROM SEAPORT.

Interviewed at Seaport with ~800 on the resumé a months after Cape, and it was honestly the worst interview experience ever. Myself and another fellow member here on JC interviewed and never heard back. No phone calls, email or letter... It's been months. We both thought we did well, but I honestly don't think they were in need of FOs at the time.

Always love how people can formulate such a strong opinion from just a simple interview.

Do your research on a company before you even start applying. It will pay dividends down the road. Let's be honest... it has been no secret on any message board that SeaPort has been short staffed on Captains and fat on First Officers for quite some time now. In a situation like that, consider it a chance to really sell yourself as a future Captain for the company (don't go overboard with it though).

Sorry you two slipped through the cracks and didn't get any response whether it be positive or negative. That just doesn't sound like the SeaPort that I knew. Then again, with everything that has been going on with the fast paced growth they've experienced this past year... who knows?
 
No, you don't understand... they would do so happily. Coffee is something at which I have a particular level of skill, however...

-Fox
I can't stomach anything from that building in gst, the smell of the honey buckets is just too pervasive.
 
Always love how people can formulate such a strong opinion from just a simple interview.

Do your research on a company before you even start applying. It will pay dividends down the road. Let's be honest... it has been no secret on any message board that SeaPort has been short staffed on Captains and fat on First Officers for quite some time now. In a situation like that, consider it a chance to really sell yourself as a future Captain for the company (don't go overboard with it though).

Sorry you two slipped through the cracks and didn't get any response whether it be positive or negative. That just doesn't sound like the SeaPort that I knew. Then again, with everything that has been going on with the fast paced growth they've experienced this past year... who knows?

This^^

I walked into SeaPort as a private pilot with an instrument rating, showed true interest in their operation and received an interview for a ground position. I was offered the job, then a half year later I was given an interview as a pilot, studied hard for that and also sat in on as many training flights as possible. Not very long after passing my commercial check ride, SeaPort sent me off to ground school.

My point is, if you do your homework before hand, have a good attitude during the interview and network with anyone and everyone you can find while you are at that location, you should be fine. Especially 800+ hours in the logbook, that means you will be PIC within 5-6 months of flying. I have a feeling that a good amount of hiring will be needed for our projected growth, and also for attrition as the "hiring boom" starts spooling up, so if you do the three things I mentioned above and don't have any skeletons in the closet I say the odds are good with SeaPort.

I have seen many pilots go from SeaPort to both Horizon and Compass since I started working here in May. Another great opportunity to establish solid professional networking contacts for the next level, whenever that time arrives.
 
I dunno... Seaport does lots of flights per day out of Juneau, too! ;> (Though not so many this time of year...)

I wanted to help out up there for a few weeks as a ramper! Never been to Alaska before, definitely on the list of things to do.
 
Always love how people can formulate such a strong opinion from just a simple interview.

Do your research on a company before you even start applying. It will pay dividends down the road. Let's be honest... it has been no secret on any message board that SeaPort has been short staffed on Captains and fat on First Officers for quite some time now. In a situation like that, consider it a chance to really sell yourself as a future Captain for the company (don't go overboard with it though).

Sorry you two slipped through the cracks and didn't get any response whether it be positive or negative. That just doesn't sound like the SeaPort that I knew. Then again, with everything that has been going on with the fast paced growth they've experienced this past year... who knows?
They just hired a class of 10+ First Officers two months before our round of interviews in MEM and the was told that only one person from that FO class has started training. This was in August, so they may or may not be from the group hired in May.

We were just peeved that they had called us down to interview when they knew they wouldn't be hiring FOs. Many others traveled down to MEM on their own dime only to be left high and dry. They said that they'd have an answer for us in a week's time, and that's all I really wanted.

Never said anything negative about the company, if you re-read my message, I said it was the worst interview experience ever.

This^^

I walked into SeaPort as a private pilot with an instrument rating, showed true interest in their operation and received an interview for a ground position. I was offered the job, then a half year later I was given an interview as a pilot, studied hard for that and also sat in on as many training flights as possible. Not very long after passing my commercial check ride, SeaPort sent me off to ground school.

My point is, if you do your homework before hand, have a good attitude during the interview and network with anyone and everyone you can find while you are at that location, you should be fine. Especially 800+ hours in the logbook, that means you will be PIC within 5-6 months of flying. I have a feeling that a good amount of hiring will be needed for our projected growth, and also for attrition as the "hiring boom" starts spooling up, so if you do the three things I mentioned above and don't have any skeletons in the closet I say the odds are good with SeaPort.

I have seen many pilots go from SeaPort to both Horizon and Compass since I started working here in May. Another great opportunity to establish solid professional networking contacts for the next level, whenever that time arrives.

That's awesome bud! I wish I'd had an opportunity like that fresh out of my checkride!

I listed off 80% of their destinations, and all of their company philosophies. Rocked the sim and thought that I'd had at least passed the written. :oops:

Again, not moaning and whining about not being offered the job, just don't understand how they can not get back to their candidates. I'm just sharing my experience, take it for what it's worth.
 
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They just hired a class of 10+ First Officers two months before our round of interviews in MEM and the was told that only one person from that FO class has started training. This was in August, so they may or may not be from the group hired in May.

Just a bit of info... If memory serves, when that class of 10 FOs went through, SeaPort was staffed 'okay' on the Captain side of the house. SeaPort also tends/tended to hire with forecast projections in mind. Sort of like being hired into a pool, except you go through ground school and sit and wait on flight training until staffing dictates a need for more pilots. Those May interviews went through class in June... staffing was okay at the time... by the end of August, SeaPort had lost at least 5 if not more Captains to bigger and better things, thus putting a greater emphasis on upgrades and hiring new Captains. The hiring there is extremely dynamic and can change as quickly as the wind can shift directions. Just so happens that they have been in Captain/soon to be Captain hiring mode for some time now.

We were just peeved that they had called us down to interview when they knew they wouldn't be hiring FOs. Many others traveled down to MEM on their own dime only to be left high and dry.

Sucks that you had that happen to you. Then again, I know of people that have waited many months to get a thumbs up/thumbs down from a legacy...
 
Out of curiosity, FO's and Captain's actually leave SeaPort to go fly for regional carriers?????

Wow... Just wondering what are the reasons for hopping around like that?
 
Because no major will hire you with 0 multi.

Thanks, perfect answer. So my next question is, why should anyone leave a flight instructor job or Patrol/Survey pilot job @ 800hrs tt to fly for SeaPort as a FO or CAPT? Then leave for a regional FO job after that!?

All when regionals everywhere are picking up bodies @ 1500hrs or less, plus providing ATP course/training etc...

Why go to a SeaPort or CapeAir before regional airline when one can just Instruct, Patrol/Survey? Common sense tells me that there is no (0) incentive in detouring @ 800hrs tt, that its a waste of time if the goal is a regional. Further, as a CAPT for SeaPort or Cape, to leave for a regional.
 
Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but SeaPort—while not perfect—isn't only a place for everyone to build time and leave. It's got some good stuff going for it. It's also got its foibles, but there's some substance here, too.

I have trouble speaking for the lower 48 operation, which is most of the company, but I know that even down there we actually try to maintain a good company culture both internally and externally. I can't defend every aspect of the operation, but I'm not ashamed to work here, and I wouldn't be ashamed to work for the lower 48 part. I'm willing to give the place the benefit of the doubt much of the time, and I have no driving desire to get my hours and get out on either side of the operation.

Sometimes you go to work for a company because it's a good place to work.

*Shrug* Just a line pilot's opinion.

-Fox
 
Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but SeaPort—while not perfect—isn't only a place for everyone to build time and leave. It's got some good stuff going for it. It's also got its foibles, but there's some substance here, too.

I have trouble speaking for the lower 48 operation, which is most of the company, but I know that even down there we actually try to maintain a good company culture both internally and externally. I can't defend every aspect of the operation, but I'm not ashamed to work here, and I wouldn't be ashamed to work for the lower 48 part. I'm willing to give the place the benefit of the doubt much of the time, and I have no driving desire to get my hours and get out on either side of the operation.

Sometimes you go to work for a company because it's a good place to work.

*Shrug* Just a line pilot's opinion.

-Fox

Says the guy whose office view looks like this. ;)

img_3213-jpg.29788
 
Both you gentlemen bring up great points. I had some coworkers who were instructing and when they hit R-ATP mins they went right to the regionals. But there were also instructors who needed the 1500 and around 800 TT they were tired of instructing and decided to go to a 135 based in the area. I just began my instructing career and I can really see myself at a 135 when I get around 800 TT.

But, in the end you will loose out on senority and be taking a pay cut if you stay a couple years at the 135 then go to a regional. To each his own I guess, I just don't see myself instruction for 1000 hours... And I think a 135 can be fun and a great place to get some experience before you push the "heavier metal" up with the big dogs in the tall weeds.
 
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