Young Airline Pilots

[kh15]

I know there are some 19 year old and 20 year old regional airline pilots out there. I know it isn't the same for the majors, but what are the ages of some of the youngest pilots flying for the majors out there??

 

[SeanD]

I know there is a fairly young Southernjets 767/757 FO on these boards.

 

[L-16B]

Hell in Newark there is a 29 year old female CAL 737 Captain. She was a CAL intern, then flew for Mesaba, and here she is 29 years old as a captain.... must be nice!

 

[fly8slep]

Most of these kids have an in such as parents though, it's not like they struggled for it. It sucks though because rest of the world flying a narrowbody airplane at a 20-30 age is the norm. sigh...

 

[SeanD]

Most of these kids have an in such as parents though, it's not like they struggled for it. It sucks though because rest of the world flying a narrowbody airplane at a 20-30 age is the norm. sigh...

Yah never know.
There's Nothing wrong with utilizing a little nepotism some of which occurs through networking.

 

[KLB]

I know a couple of guys my age that are FO's at Continental. With a little luck, I could make the jump. I don't plan on going anywhere until I get 1000hrs TPIC though. It's just too risky.

 

[JPilot9]

We have several FOs in the 26-30 year old bracket here at Southwest. Kirby Chambliss, the Red Bull pilot, was hired here at 25, and I know of another guy hired here at 25. Southwest is a little different though from what I hear with regard to hiring minimums. Once you meet minimums, you meet minimums. 5000 hours PIC of Air Force One going overseas is just as good as 1000 hours PIC at Airnet.

 

[ljg]

5000 hours PIC of Air Force One going overseas is just as good as 1000 hours PIC at Airnet.

Got alot of Air Force One Captains applying for jobs at Southwest do ya?

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I was 21 when I got my first airline job (Jetstream copilot). I was 24 when I was hired by US Airways.

Then, on the way back down <laugh> I was hired by PSA at 27, Comair at 29, and my current employer at 31.

It's been quite a roller coaster.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I was on a Great Lakes flight from Denver, and the captain looked to be about my age (25) or less.

 

[Snuggle]

I know a 24 yr old 737 FO at Continental. I flew with him when he was a Captain on the 1900 at Colgan, he got hired with Continental at age 23. From what he told me, he made his connections by going to 3 career fairs a year for 3 yrs while at Colgan.

 

[germb747]

It's all about timing

 

[ZapBrannigan]

It's all about timing

Don't forget that good AND bad timing are not exclusive and may be found in the same cycle.

 

[jtrain609]

Don't forget that good AND bad timing are not exclusive and may be found in the same cycle.

True dat! The chances of hitting the very top of a hiring cycle wave and riding it all the way through your career without a furlough is incredibly small.

 

[Kingairer]

I feel so old! But really dont get in a rush to set any records out there. Trust me no one will give a ####, and you're only going to get older, so the cool factor will last about 1 year till you're just like everyone else.

 

[Clocks]

True dat! The chances of hitting the very top of a hiring cycle wave and riding it all the way through your career without a furlough is incredibly small.

w/e. You dont know what you're talking about. I'll never get furloughed.

 

[Trip7]

True dat! The chances of hitting the very top of a hiring cycle wave and riding it all the way through your career without a furlough is incredibly small.

Not really, I'd say most airline pilots have never been furloughed

 

[BobDDuck]

Not really, I'd say most airline pilots have never been furloughed

I don't have the figure in front of me, but that's really not true.

 

[surreal1221]

I'll be surprised if when I retire at Age 65 if the company I started my 121 journey with is still around.

I'll honestly be extremely shocked.

(Now, that's not a testiment to the management skills of company X, but more to say that most of the companies who were around 35 years ago - are no where to be seen right now)

 

[NJA_Capt]

Got alot of Air Force One Captains applying for jobs at Southwest do ya?

No.

They are flying for NetJets.

Not really, I'd say most airline pilots have never been furloughed

I hope you forgot the tag.

If not, you have lead a very sheltered life. Historically (pre 9/11) airline pilots average 2 furloughs in their career. With the current state of the industry I would move that to 4+. I am flying with guys at NJA that have been furloughed 8 or 9 times. When you factor in that a furlough may last 10 years (like USAir) even 2 doesn't sound that good.

VERY FEW airline pilots make an entire career with no furloughs. That's why some of us laugh when people talk about getting a seniority number as soon as possible. All it guarantees you is a better chance of more furloughs before hanging up the hat.