The average Skywest new hire

berge7f9

berge7f9

Well-Known Member
I was wondering how much time it takes for someone to be hired by SkyWest. I understand their minimums are 1000/100 almost like everyone else, but how much time does it actually take to be hired. For example, one pilot I knew at my university waited 3.5 years and had accumulated probably at least 3000+ total time and through estimation, close to 800 to 1000 multi. Just how hard is it to be hired by SkyWest. What jobs and where did people hold before getting hired with the airline. Any notes about the interview process from people who went through it. Hell, any advice would be appreciated from someone who has just finished most of my flight training and AeroSci degree.



P.S. To DOUG TAYLOR,

I have tried sending you 2 messages. Have you received them as of yet?
 
I got on with 1400/195 and 101 instrument. I also had 12 internal letters of recommendation. My classmates varied. We had instructors with similar time, cargo pilots, lots of Mesa pilots, a couple Lakes pilots. Just finishing your flight training? Don't even sweat this yet. Just find a job and enjoy the ride.
 
I receive an insane amount of email daily, but I don't remember anything from berge7f9 on any of the accounts.
 
jdflight said:
I got on with 1400/195 and 101 instrument.
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Was that 101 hours of "actual" instrument or did that include hood time as well? I have read a few times where people say that instrument time weighs heavily in the hiring decision at some airlines. I was curious, are they taking hood time into account in their decion making process, or just actual? Or does it just vary from airline to airline?
 
Barlow said:
I have read a few times where people say that instrument time weighs heavily in the hiring decision at some airlines.
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Source?
 
this is a weird question because it all varies. it might take some 1 year and it might take another person 10. I interviewed with them last month and was put into their pool. I start flight training in April 2003. So i guess it took me 2.5 years. I instructed for about a year and a half. and I am currently with another 121 regional. good luck, just enjoy instructing, I dont want to say take the first regional job that comes your way, but take the first regional job that you wouldnt mind working for. If its Lakes or Colgan you can get on possibly before 1000 hours. and then once you hit a grand, you can apply to skywest. From what i hear and my own personal experience its rather difficult to get on with skywest w/o prior turbine or 121 experience, especially if you dont know anyone on the inside.





Barlow said:
I believe I read it here on these message boards. Continental ExpressJet?
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as far as XJT goes, i think they just have a minimum requirement for actual. and as long as you have that you are good to go. I cant imagine it being treated too much differently than the TT requirement.
 
SkyWChris would be the most reliable source on JC for this info, maybe he'll chime in.

Otherwise, what I've seen from my admittedly limited vantage point--and setting aside the fact that SkyWest isn't hiring at the moment--the average newhire over the last year or so has either 1700+ TT/250+ ME, or is well-connected. The better your connections, the less experience required to land the interview (though their basic mins are firm). Once you get the interview, however, the job seems pretty much yours to lose.

The other pattern has been that those with turbine experience have gone into the CRJ, while those without have gone into the Brasilia. These haven't been hard-and-fast rules, but the majority of people I know hired in the last 18 mos. have fallen into this pattern.
 
I had ~1700 total time and 106 multi time. Time doesn't matter as long as it meets the minimums. What matters is getting noticed for the offer to interview.
 
I'd have had my interview sooner, most likely, save for the minimum instrument requirement. Most of mine was hood. You try to get actual flying around the central California valley!
 
I was hired with 1013TT and 100.4 multi, right at mins. I had several inside recommendations though.

I think the key to the whole deal is being ready when they are. There is no secret to getting hired. But the first and most important ingredient is that they are hiring. If they are it REALLY helps to know someone on the inside.
 
Like Aloft said, no hiring/classes until further notice. (Waiting for Delta.)

It is hard to say, but from my own perspective when hiring started around 1 1/2 to 2 years back the average was much higher than the basic mins. Over time as we needed more pilots, the average time seemed to go down. I was hired a year back with approx 1900TT/300mult /110 Inst. My EMB120 class average was also around that amount. Many guys I know were hired after me with less than that. (Of course some were hired with less, before me too.)

I've seen guys with turbine time stay in the EMB and ones without it go to the CRJ. Not sure how they decide what equipment. As mentioned earlier, some guys were CFI's (Myself) and others had 135 time or 121 time.

Having a person walk your stuff in will help, especially if you just have the mins. I personally think that sending in updates, maybe once a month, can really help too. (As long as you have enough new time to update your file.)
 
like others have said, if you're connected you can get in at the mins. As far as figuring out which plane they put you in, I think it has a lot to do with how far out the classes are they are trying to fill and how much turbine time you have. If you've got some turbine time you have a better chance at getting the RJ, but if they don't have a class filled they'll put someone in it with no turbine time.
 
I was hired at 1100TT and 150ME. However, I was a employee (ramper) and I had a big internal recommendation(interview captain). One thing though, no matter whos batting for you, once your at the interview, its yours to sell. They can only take you to the doorstep, its your job to open the door. I think we're gonna start hiring in a couple of months. Rumor only though.
 
berge7f9 said:
P.S. To DOUG TAYLOR,

I have tried sending you 2 messages. Have you received them as of yet?
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I suppose I've got to guess what your two messages were relating to? ;)
 
I was hired with somewhere around 1800TT, 230 multi and right near the minimum for instrument time. (75 is the min i think). Thankfully about half of that was actual and I had some good CRM training that helped count some too I think. I was one of the anomalies that went from instructing in pistons straight to the jet. Talk about one hell of a learning curve! So far things are going great, I am done with IOE and start reserve on Thursday. If you can squeeze a few hours of glass cockpit time here and there, that will certainly help too!

It also didn't hurt that I had 3 internal letters and a few other folks dropping emails to Camielle. If you don't think your competitive yet, I would say its definitely a company to be patient for! It was well worth the wait for me!
 
Wow I can't beleive the latest round of upgrades went so junior. Some guy has been with Skywest for only 6 months and is going to the left seat of the Bro! That's pretty dang fast.
 
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