Spirit

Latest hiring info:
  • Planned fleet size is somewhere around 150 airframes....currently just under 50
  • Planned to triple pilot group size.....currently around 750, planned 2100-2200
  • Hiring planned at 18/ month, more or less indefinitely (standard slowdowns during summer and holiday season)
  • Upgrades planned at 9/month with a similar timeframe as above
Obviously, all this could change for better.....or worse....depending on any number of factors. But as it stands right now, Spirit seems to be moving in a positive direction.
 
FlyByWire22 said:
As in ground instruct for two years, then guaranteed FO spot? If so, do you have any sources?
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Yes and yes.

This was posted at the last job fair that Spirit had (Vegas location?)

Spirit Airlines Ground Instructor Program

Spirit Airlines is also recruiting for its ground instructor program. Ground instructors join Spirit’s Flight Operations training department and transition to a First Officer position within 2 years. Earn an A320 type rating, then provide pilot training, develop training manuals and courseware, and perform jumpseat observations. Interact with management daily and gain a thorough understanding of airline operations before transitioning to line pilot duties.

Ground instructors must possess the following minimum qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and professional manner

• Experience with adult learning principles and advanced curriculum development

• Four year college degree

• CFI certificate and Commercial Pilot certificate with multi-engine rating

• Restricted ATP minimums:

o 1,000 TT, 325 XC, 100 Night

o 250 PIC (including 100 PIC XC and 25 PIC Night), 50 ME Airplane, 75 Instrument

Preferred qualifications for ground instructors:

• Two (2) years’ experience as a flight instructor, ground instructor, or pilot evaluator/examiner at an accredited university flight training program or a 14 CFR Part 121 airline

• A degree in education, science, or engineering
 
IMO, I think it's an excellent deal for a CFI with 1000TT and those restricted ATP qualifications. Get a A320 type, teach ground school/systems for 2 years, and then Airbus FO.
 
I think it's terrible. Why does an airline want to use a 1000 hour pilot with a big jet type rating in the training dept? Who wants training from a guy with no operational experience or background with the airline? If a guy is going to "teach" me I think it's fair enough that the person be highly experienced at the airline and on the airframe.
 
DE727UPS said:
I think it's terrible. Why does an airline want to use a 1000 hour pilot with a big jet type rating in the training dept? Who wants training from a guy with no operational experience or background with the airline? If a guy is going to "teach" me I think it's fair enough that the person be highly experienced at the airline and on the airframe.
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How about Amflight's offline training captain program?
 
Best Indoc and Systems instructor I ever had, had zero experience flying. He was a a ex-maintenance instructor in the military I believe but he was awesome.
 
DE727UPS said:
I think it's terrible. Why does an airline want to use a 1000 hour pilot with a big jet type rating in the training dept? Who wants training from a guy with no operational experience or background with the airline? If a guy is going to "teach" me I think it's fair enough that the person be highly experienced at the airline and on the airframe.
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In my past regional, I had instructors for indoc and systems who didn't even have a private pilot certificate. I think Spirit's new program is certainly an upgrade. Remember, for a while before the economy tanked in late 2007, Spirit hired 250 hr ERAU graduates to go straight into the Airbus. They were furloughed when NK laid off for the recession. I heard a few quit and others stuck around. That program stopped, and now it's this one that requires a restricted ATP. It doesn't just have to be a CFI. A current regional pilot can also apply to this program, and he could have 2-3000+ hrs. Spirit just published the minimums, which is the restricted ATP.

Btw, I was reading in Flying mag's March edition about CAE's DFW facility. They have a Right Seat Program, in which if you are selected you attend a 3 day training and CRM course. You then sit for seat support for 80 sim sessions, unpaid. At the end, your reward is a free Citation CJ2 type rating. Apparently there's a long waiting list. This program requires Comm/Inst/ME and 300 hours total, according to the article.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Btw, I was reading in Flying mag's March edition about CAE's DFW facility. They have a Right Seat Program, in which if you are selected you attend a 3 day training and CRM course. You then sit for seat support for 80 sim sessions, unpaid. At the end, your reward is a free Citation CJ2 type rating. Apparently there's a long waiting list. This program requires Comm/Inst/ME and 300 hours total, according to the article.
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just to clarify... its called the CAE simuflight supporting crewmember position.

All that info above is correct except the CJ2 type, you get the type in whatever you are assisting in. (I have buddies, one that is one here, that have gotten LR-JET, C650, G-III types for free after 80 sim session)s (80x4 hours=240 hrs) it can take a while, and the networking is worth more then anything. Many get job offers pending the type rating!

This has been going on for YEARS! and none of them them solely do this volunteering, they do it when they are bored on sunday mornings or after a trip. You just seat fill for whoever needs to use the simulator assisting in recurrent/intial/checkrides.

This is a very popular program and unless you know someone on the inside...very hard to get on the list. Most dont have bare mins, mostly 1000+ to 5000+ hrs with multiple types.

Completely different then that Spirit program...which I disagree with
 
CFIT99 said:
just to clarify... its called the CAE simuflight supporting crewmember position.

All that info above is correct except the CJ2 type, you get the type in whatever you are assisting in. (I have buddies, one that is one here, that have gotten LR-JET, C650, G-III types for free after 80 sim session)s (80x4 hours=240 hrs) it can take a while, and the networking is worth more then anything. Many get job offers pending the type rating!

This has been going on for YEARS! and none of them them solely do this volunteering, they do it when they are bored on sunday mornings or after a trip. You just seat fill for whoever needs to use the simulator assisting in recurrent/intial/checkrides.

This is a very popular program and unless you know someone on the inside...very hard to get on the list. Most dont have bare mins, mostly 1000+ to 5000+ hrs with multiple types.

Completely different then that Spirit program...which I disagree with
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I'm just going by what the article said, a right seat program. It talked about the pilot who was supporting him in the King Air sim, and that after she does 80 sims, she gets a CJ2 type rating. I agree that you could make lots of good contacts. 80 sims means potentially 80 different corporate pilots, chief pilots, or pilot owners, all of whom could hook you up with a potential job.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
I'm just going by what the article said, a right seat program. It talked about the pilot who was supporting him in the King Air sim, and that after she does 80 sims, she gets a CJ2 type rating. I agree that you could make lots of good contacts. 80 sims means potentially 80 different corporate pilots, chief pilots, or pilot owners, all of whom could hook you up with a potential job.
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exactly ,that's the main reason why it's so popular.
 
Getburned said:
Best Indoc and Systems instructor I ever had, had zero experience flying. He was a a ex-maintenance instructor in the military I believe but he was awesome.
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I've had a couple really good non-flying ground instructors, but I really prefer to take systems from someone who's flown the jet, and can tell you things you might be able to expect in line flying, along with what's actually important (no need to build the jet). JMO.
 
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