Questions for Skywest Pilots

kailuaboy

Well-Known Member
I was wondering how you like your job? Do they treat you right? What are upgrade times? What are the Junior bases right now?

I am looking at this airline cause I see they are looking for 50-60 pilots per month and that they have bases on the west to mid west coast.

Thanks,
Ivan
 
I love it at SkyWest. ORD, DEN are the junior bases. SLC, COS, TUS, and FAT are pretty junior. You could get any of those within a few months. I just got transfered to SMF after 11 months. PSP, SBA and LAX take a bit longer. We just opened SFO up as a reserve domicile, which LAX is also. They have stopped hiring for the time being. I've heard that's because we don't know how effected we will be by delta's cuts. Upgrade had been running just under 2 years for the CRJ in ORD and the EMB in SLC. If hired on today, i'd speculate upgrade would be 3-4 years unless more dramatic growth happens.
 
Intersting.... a friend of mine who has a pretty good inside track just got a email back from their director of HR that said they weren't hiring at all for the next 3 to 4 months.
 
kailuaboy said:
I wonder if thats because its close to the end of the year (holiday season). That makes sense to me.
They ran a bunch of classes over the holidays last year.
 
I dont think that being the end of the year plays any factor in hiring. Airlines dont care about holidays. If they have to staff planes, they are going to run classes. I have heard they dont plan on starting any classes until after the first of they year. Where did you hear about 50-60 a month? If its on the website, then they probably just havent updated it yet.

what happened to Island Air? They are still running classes. They finally offered me a class date, but I had to turn it down. good luck...
 
BobDDuck speakum truth. SkyWest has cancelled classes for the next few months because Delta and United are both cutting back their flight schedules, leaving SkyWest "adequately staffed" near-term.
 
Yep. We are indeed slowing down for the next couple of months. I am finishing up systems this week (last class for the year) so we will be junior for a little while. Not to worry though, for our class or you prospective new hires out there...hiring will likely start again as soon as Delta (more so than United) gets some things sorted out. Apparently the same thing happened last time when United first filed ch. 11, then all of a sudden United gave us a ton of new flying and SkyWest was once again behind the curve with hiring. I will probably sit reserve for awhile and then not be able to get a minute off!

So hopefully I won't be junior for too long! I highly recommend coming aboard and joining us. I have been very impressed since day one, and although no company is perfect, SkyWest does seem to have their stuff together! And yes, ORD is certainly a junior base right now. Several of us are heading there and a few others got FAT and SLC as a base...hopefully Denver will come around for me soon!
 
10 planes

I heard classess were halted because Delta wanted to fly more out of their own planes in SLC, and this has cut back on Skywest growth out there, plus a combination of schedule changes by united.
 
difete said:
I heard classess were halted because Delta wanted to fly more out of their own planes in SLC, and this has cut back on Skywest growth out there, plus a combination of schedule changes by united.

News to me!
 
viper548 said:
I heard DL is taking back SLC-PHX and some other routes that are always full.

Thats true cause booked a flight in Feb from PHX-CVG. On the return side I'm going CVG-SLC-PHX.
SLC-PHX is being done in a MD-90. So Doug this means that you might get some PHX overnights soon!

-Matthew
 
Nothing appealing like having a 'lay over' when I don't have to worry about signing off 50% of my 401k and losing my house. ;) TMI, I know!
 
That's good news =/ I've had my app in there since September. Guess I'll be waiting til 2006 for any info from them.
 
From the horse's mouth:
Date: Oct 11 2005 7:30 AM
From: Brad Holt - 000264
Subject: Update
To: xxxxxxxxxx

I have received several phone calls regarding the cancellation of classes for the next few months and just wanted to update you on what I know so far. Delta and United have both indicated that they will be reducing their schedules for January 2006. Delta will be reducing their flying by approximately 20% and United has indicated that they will reduce our EMB flying (amount of reduction to be determined). We are currently waiting for final schedules. When we receive the schedules we will get a new training schedule out to you and give you a better idea of how we think the reductions will affect us. For now though, we have plenty of coverage for the holidays in all position with the exception of EMB Captain and I anticipate that the reductions in our EMB schedule for November and December will help that situation. Hopefully many of you that have had trouble getting time off over the holidays in years past will have better luck this year. That's our plan anyway. I'll get information out to you as soon as I can. On another note, SAPA is conducting a survey on the recent pay package that was voted down. When the results of that survey are available I will be meeting with them again to discuss the issues. Thanks for all you do to keep our airline running. Your dedication and professionalism continues to make our airline the number 1 airline the industry.

If you have questions or concerns, please give me a call or send me an email. Best regards,

Brad Holt

Holt is OO's VP of Flight Ops
 
Viper and the others pretty much summed up what I have heard too. Wait and see what Delta and United do. Until then, few or no new hire classes or transitions.

That being said, I am nearly to my one year mark and I don't have any major complaints. I was on reserve for maybe 4 months and since I have been able to hold average to good lines on the Brasilla. The more recent new hires may be on reserve longer because of the current aforementioned lack of movement. Senority and timing.
 
I appreciate you guys letting me know whats going on. I just got a new student yesturday, he's gonna be a hand full.

I have to get his Private Multi, Instrument and Commercial Multi all done in 5 weeks. I think its possible. So, that will keep me busy while I await a call from someone. :)
 
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