Originally Posted by
MARX
I wouldn't call it discrimination. Statistically speaking, training failures actually start to increase with total flight time in excess of 7000 hours. There are currently airlines who begin to subtract points for every thousand hours past 6000 tt.
Academic history is quickly becoming a bigger part of the screening rubric. I think a lot of pilots fall into the trap of thinking that the more time they have, the better, when in fact anything past 3000 hours doesn't really make anyone more hirable.
Another previously ignored metric is community involvement. Volunteerism is highly desired. I'm willing to bet that a lot of you squawking about age discrimination have absolutely no community involvement in their background.
It's not just flight time – airlines screen off of so much more. Look at your apps, what is it that makes you stand out in a positive way? There are literally thousands of pilots who meet the minimum qualifications for the job you're applying for – why do you deserve the job over them?
There is ONE airline, that really isn't hiring right now, that has pretty much come out and said the above. It was stated at a hub meeting where the CP and other management people had just done a rundown of what their new process looks for in apps. As well as what detracts from an app points system.
However, you can take this FWIW, but currently at UAL, the average (I say AGAIN, AVERAGE) civilian only background new hire at UAL has over 9k TT. AGAIN, that's the average. NOT an intern on a fast track, NOT a son/daughter on a fast track, NOT a golfing budding that's gone to EVERY job fair on a fast track, whatever anybody wants to counter with. That's the guys coming from regionals, ACMI's, LCC's, and/or a combination of all three.
I know TWO recent civilian DAL interviewees that ALSO had over 9K TT.