Originally Posted by
FLY6584
I just found out my year group is eligible for the VSP and they are trying to reduce a total of 77 of us by 26 so considering I have not started my Masters and was very late to complete SOS in-correspondence I believe I will be a prime target for the RIF should they not find 26 of us that are interested in taking the VSP.
With that said I am trying to gauge my job prospects on the outside. I am a former FAIP so the majority of my time is TPIC, but I don't have a lot of total time yet. I am putting an application in at my hometown Reserve unit and if accepted then I will definitely put in for the VSP, but based on my numbers below how do I look for getting an airline job? I know I won't be competitive for Delta or Southwest, but I also would rather not take a 75% paycut to go fly for a regional either. How competitive will I be at companies like JetBlue? Thoughts...
Pre-Conversion Numbers and I also should be able to increase all of those numbers by about 200 or so before I get out:
Total Time: 1622
Total Turbine: 1415
Total Turbine PIC: 1210
1. Nobody really knows unless they're on a hiring board. Pretty sure nobody on these forums has any say at any major airline. Take what I and others say with a grain of salt.
2. Your numbers barely meet mins.
3. Not everybody does a mil conversion, and several majors do not count your UPT time (not sure if that's part of your hours math). The ones who have a conversion mostly add .3 per sortie which won't buy you much, JB multiplies by 1.3.
4. Guys with double your time, with IP/SEFE experience, as former DOs and chiefs of safety sometimes get calls, sometimes don't.
5. There is no pilot shortage. Delta and United have over 11,000 applications on file. United isn't even interviewing until April due to simulator shortages and Delta's hands are mostly tied due to flow agreements. USA/AA and SWA are hiring but not in significant enough quantities to put a dent into those 11k guys already looking for a job.
Based on these observations, barring you're married to a chief pilot or your dad is the CEO I don't think you have much of a chance at any major or legacy in the immediate future. Your hours do not meet any of the minimums for companies like Spirit, Virgin, and JB (unless you have a Blue Dart). You are highly qualified to be a regional pilot, and that's about it. A good friend was informed the day he took command of a 300+ person squadron he'd been RIF'd and would be out of work in 6 months after being assured the AF would never RIF an incoming commander. The difference in severance pay was significant. Sorry, can't offer advice on whether to take VSP or not since I haven't seen your record; however, you're really the only one who can make that decision since only you know what level of pain you can withstand and what your responsibilities are.
6. Before listening to anybody here, refer back to #1.
EDIT; btw, never post again since you have exactly 169 posts. Well done.