Your age when you got hired...?

OCflyguy88

OCflyguy88

New Member
Hi all. I was just curious how old/young (however you want to look at it) you were when you were hired at your first airline, major airline, etc etc.

I'm just curious, because I'll be 22 when I get out of the Navy and it looks like 2, although more likely 3 years of college (full-time) after that, so it's looking like 25 y/o should be about the time I could get hired at a regional. I was wondering where this weighs in the average new-hire at a regional airline.

Thanks!

ps. Doug, (or any other major/LCC pilot) whats the average age of guys/gals getting hired at the majors these days?
 
Captain_Bob said:
34 years young... Regional.

Bob
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I see. If I may ask, were you a career-changer? How about the guys in your new-hire class, or folks you know who have been hired?

The reason for me asking is that I've had the mentality for a long time that it's just a race to get to the airlines. The younger the better (albeit I'm still going to instruct :)) but in reality it doesn't even matter. I just hope over the years I truly understand that.
 
When I got hired at CoEx I was the 3rd youngest out of 10 and I was 22 at the time... most were mid to upper 20's and a couple lower 30's...no old guys there.

When I got hired at Delta I was the baby in the class at age 26. 3 numbers senior to me out of the 20 in my class was 32 and the oldest was 48.

The whole point of getting on by the time you were 30 at a major is kinda a thing of the past now. Before you wanted to get hired young so you could both fully vest in the defined benifit retirement plan and get some seniority to boot. But now that most DB plans have been terminated and the pay gap between fleet types isn't that big I'd venture to say it's not so important to get on young anymore... as long as you can give someone 15-20 years you'll get senior enough to have a decent schedule...you're just on your own for retirement but at least you know that from the start.
 
I am 22 and was just hired in July. There were about 4 of us 22 years old and younger. Most were in their mid 20s, one was 36. You should be just fine when you get out of the navy.
 
OCflyguy88 said:
I see. If I may ask, were you a career-changer? How about the guys in your new-hire class, or folks you know who have been hired?

The reason for me asking is that I've had the mentality for a long time that it's just a race to get to the airlines. The younger the better (albeit I'm still going to instruct :)) but in reality it doesn't even matter. I just hope over the years I truly understand that.
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Yes... Indeed I was was a career changer.

My new hire class consisted of age ranges from 21-44. I was the 5th most senior. I've seen a LOT of 40 year old+ new hires and lots of sub 25 year olds too... it's a healthy mix here.

On the whole... age isn't really that much of an issue at the regionals. You don't have to be a young buck to get on... in fact... many regionals actually like hiring older folks because they figure that many of them may not be going on to the majors and thus they get a better ROI on these guys since they may be sticking around until retirement.

It seems you are on a good path right now... military.. then college... then the airlines. That will make you relatively marketable at the Major Airline interview table.

As we all know... the industry is cyclical though. They may not be hiring "en masse" as they are right now... then again... they may be on the upturn again when you are ready. :)

Bob
 
Private at 18
C-5 Loadmaster at 19
CFII/MEI at 21
CE-500/CE-525 Type ratings at 22
Graduate College at 23
Hired at SkyWest at 24
Upgrade to CA at 26
 
I drank a lot of beer and spent 5 years in college, graduated. Went the military route, didn't dig on the marines. Got out, went to flight school. Got hired at 26, hopefully I'll upgrade at 27.
 
hired at 25 nearly 26 for regional and from what I have been hearing I will be one of the youngest in class
 
USMC-SGT said:
hired at 25 nearly 26 for regional and from what I have been hearing I will be one of the youngest in class
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I was 26 when I got hired at Colgan and I was the absolute middle of my class. Most were right around my age with a few statistical outliers thrown in.
 
Turboprop regional - 18 y/o
Jet regional - 19 y/o
Captain upgrade - 23 y/o
Major - 24 y/o

Average age at AirTran for newhires is about 35. Very few guys hired in their 20s, but it does happen.
 
Captain_Bob said:
On the whole... age isn't really that much of an issue at the regionals. You don't have to be a young buck to get on... in fact... many regionals actually like hiring older folks because they figure that many of them may not be going on to the majors and thus they get a better ROI on these guys since they may be sticking around until retirement.


Bob
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Do the majors look poorly upon older pilots do you think?
If I am 40, been at the regionals for 7 years, and want to go to a major, say in this day and time, would they snag the young guy first? I am guessing they would but who knows.
 
Looking at the CAL seniority list, 25 is about the youngest that people have been hired at. Early thirties seems to be the middle road. There have been a few hired in their fifties.

Mid-twenties seems to be the middle of the road for regional new hires.

Me, I was 19 when I was hired by a regional. Left that at 21 for the corporate flying world. Now unemployed at 22.

As a ramper.;) Sad thing is, I made more than some of the FOs that flew the planes.
 
Regional - 26
Major - 29

Average age then was mid 30's, and I think it's close to that again this time through the hiring cycle.
 
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