Pilot Recruitment; Scenic Airlines (Las Vegas)

I know two people who have interviewed with this company. After traveling from Ohio to Las Vegas at their own expense.. they were not offered the job, nor ever turned down for it. Interesting how that worked out---I'd use caution if applying at this company!
 
Hi!

I noticed your message on the forum regarding you interview with Scenic a couple of weeks ago. Would you be able to detail the interview process for me? Thanks a lot! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Norcal
 
Senic was a little strange. The charter company I used to work for was going to send out their 402 to Senic to cover aircraft shortages and the pilots were given the option of going out there to fly the 402 for Senic for suposedly good pay. When we (the pilots) called Senic for the details we were told yeah great, we need you and the plane ASAP. When can you come and interview? Interview? They were the ones that wanted us and it was suposed to only be for a short time. So we stalled them on the interview time and asked about pay, benefits and housing. They told us someting like $17/hr and I forget the benefits. The day for the 402s went something like 1 AM flight from VGT to GCN sit then back to VGT for the same deal in the afternoon. Pretty much 4 hours of flying per day. Now for any Senic guys that see something wrong here. This is all I know since no one could seem to really answer any of our questions. Hence the reason I'm not in Vegas now. It was all pretty weird and disorganized, at least with us.
 
Well I'll gouge it. But before I get going for any airline interview I would recommend airline interviews website for info on the airlines. I didnt get the job just to let you know. I went in the first week of August with two other guys and a gal. Lots of paper work to fill out than the 30 ATP question test no sweat just study we all had questions that we had never saw on the gliem book though. Than the sim ride very basic If you dont have much sim time I suggest it. I think the sim was a ATC 820 I found that I over flew it. I studyied DME holds as the other gouges had in the interview but they gave me the most basics of basics and I fubared it caught my mistake and corrected for it. Than the chief pilot came in and talked about the company. He said they are'nt hiring and just filling or screening a pool of applicants which to me was a blow to the gut. I felt bad for the other folks from phoenix and tuscon who traveled and got a hotel room to be told that. He said that they didnt have a ground school date even scheduled and didnt know when " maybe tomorrow maybe next year who knows, thats just the business were in" then the pay $12.50 per flight hour and $6.25 per ground hour. Thats the first year FO twin otter. 12-15 hour days. Leave VGT fly to GCN sit for a couple of hours than fly to PGA sit than fly to monument valley sit you get the idea than back to VGT. 5 days on 2 off and if your lucky 4 on 3 off. Than he talked about the 1900 and a new route added in Oct. which was palmdale, CA. They also have two more 1900 on the way. He said they where expanding there scheduled airline service but wouldnt say where due to some reason. No definite upgrade time to the 1900 given I got the impression about 18 months if they like you. There is a $7000 training fee for the FO twin otter. How ever you dont pay if you work a year there. If you leave a month after being hired you pay it all if you leave six months you would pay about half so it goes down. There are jumpseat privliages given but no airline was mentioned. I couldnt figure it out the chief pilot really didnt seem to happy to be there and didnt sell the company to me at least, he made the comment of wanting to get us all out of here to make his lunch my noon. Than the oral I was very nervous and they picked up on it. I had never had an airline interview before. Read a TAF, finger fly a approach, why scenic, the captain wants to go below mins. I knew when I left that I didnt get it by the body language. I think my biggest fault was I was not an active teaching CFI. I havent been teaching for about 6 months. Im glad I did it. I learned alot. I dont think I still couldve taken it if I was offered it though. I was hoping I could commute, vegas is only a two hour drive for me and that they would work with my college schedule work on tue. thur. and weekends. I just cant move my family down there. Vegas is an expensive place to live. How ever If your single and dont mind crashing w/ other scenic pilots in an apartment and want to build turbine time this is the place. Im sure there are few things I missed its been a few weeks sorry about the spelling and grammer I was in a hurry any other ?'s just pm me or reply

thx,
Jayare
 
Well, sounds like a crumby operation anyway (PFT). That's all I needed to form my opinion. You have the right attitude and had your first interview experience. That's good. Believe me, in 5 years, you'll be glad you didn't get the job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
They are NOT PFT, Johnnyb. I know a pilot (my brothers first instructor) who felw for 'em for a few years and is now on with Air Wisconsin ... the crappiest month he had with them he cleared, after taxes, etc. 2,100 (which if he made that all 12 months would be about 25k) - not bad for turbine twin time.

They did just go through a pretty big hiring boom a few months back ...
 
Ok, whatever you say. If that's the case, fine. I don't really care, it just sounded that way from the post I was referencing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif

Still sounds like a crumby operation. So what would you call it 602, a pre-regional job? What' s up with that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif This guy you know is now at Air Whiskey? The turbine time didn't seem to help him much.........The regionals are supposed to be a "stepping stone". Make any sense?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I dunno ... it's a part 121 scenic operation. It's not the best job out there but very, very few of your first jobs are that great. I dunno Air Whiskey is a few cuts above Mesa and getting on with them isn't the worst place you could end up (goingthe regional route).

Scenic isn't the cat's meow by any definition but it beats a lot of other possibilities out there.

And, BTW, I didn't mean to sound like I was jumping your case it's just PFT is PFT and these guys (to my knowledge) don't offer "buy-able" right seats.
 
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And, BTW, I didn't mean to sound like I was jumping your case it's just PFT is PFT and these guys (to my knowledge) don't offer "buy-able" right seats.

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No sweat dude. I think I know your personality better than that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I appreciate the thought though. [/beginning to feel warm and fuzzy\]

I still disagree with you though. If one is going to take the "regional route", then he/she should instruct until mins are met, then obtain employment with Whiskey or SkyWest etc. IMHO, this process just flows better. Now, if the Regionals had mins like 2500-3000TT, with little or no turbine required, then I could see how one would possibly take this route or fly for Ameriflight first etc. But in todays market of 1000-1500TT needed to obtain regional employment, it's simply not necassary. It could even be a waste of time depending on how long you spend at these "intermediate" companies sitting in the right seat. Left seat (PIC) turbine, as we all know, is a different story. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
My husband flew for Scenic for about a year back in 1994/95. It certainly was no major airline, but he doesn't have a bad word to say about it. It (back then at least) was NOT PFT. He says the operation was organized, and the company was fine to work for. America West gave jumpseats to Scenic pilots, they brought him back and forth to ORD many times.

All in all he liked flying for Scenic, and he loved the change in atmosphere from instructing.

His experience was 10 years ago though, he can't speak for the way things currently are!
 
You have a very valid point ... but back when they were hiring a lot of guys their mins were 500-700TT (cant remember which). And working there in 121 ops making $25k/yr is hella better than racking up 172 time at $6-10k/yr.

But now they've slowed hiring (Vegas actually has/had a temporary "shortage" of instructors 'cuz they all got gobbled up by Scenic) it doesn't make much sense to go to them if you can meet regional mins. Although the pay is still better ... (at least for a year or two).
 
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And working there in 121 ops making $25k/yr is hella better than racking up 172 time at $6-10k/y

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Absolutely!! Can't argue that one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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Still sounds like a crumby operation. So what would you call it 602, a pre-regional job? What' s up with that.

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Sounds exactly like one of those non-PFT, non-CFI jobs out there. Ya know, like flying pipelines, traffic, etc. Anyone that goes into that job EXPECTING regional pay just b/c it's a turbine is setting themselves up for a let down.
 
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Sounds exactly like one of those non-PFT, non-CFI jobs out there. Ya know, like flying pipelines, traffic, etc.

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Not really Kell, because they pretty much have regional mins. Unlike pipelines and traffic etc. Know what I mean?
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Anyone that goes into that job EXPECTING regional pay just b/c it's a turbine is setting themselves up for a let down.

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Sad, but true. The pay is just pitiful. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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Not really Kell, because they pretty much have regional mins. Unlike pipelines and traffic etc. Know what I mean?

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According to their web site, their mins are 600 TT and 50 ME. Not even CLOSE to regionals, IMO. Thats only 100 more TT than most of the traffic jobs I've looked into.
 
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According to their web site, their mins are 600 TT and 50 ME

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If people are actually getting hired with those times, then I stand corrected. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Scenic

Scenic has been around forever...I tried to get on there in the mid-80's but didn't have the 50 multi. It's a great option for a guy with low multi and total time who can live on next to nothing. Scenic's F/O pay has always been low, but they aren't PFT or PFJ.

Scenic is a bottom feeder as far as regional airlines go but if you want to live in Vegas and fly the canyon...and build multi turbine...it's okay.

Jayaire....don't feel bad. They could lose 5 F/O's overnight and that's why they want to keep a pool of sorts. They never know when that's gonna happen so they periodically screen a few. Too bad guys had the impression they were hiring. I got hired at Air Nevada to fly 402's in the mid-80's. Sat through 135 ground school. Then found out they didn't need me and don't call us...we'll call you. Later, I found out they called my previous employer (another canyon operation) who was pissed off that I had left to work for the FAA.

In my view, that's just the crap you have to put up with at the early stages of your career. It get's better. Thank God for unions....
 
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