Originally Posted by Chris
Does Colgan have preferential hiring for military or "pilot factory" guys that you know of? I've in the middle of my training at a local FBO.
Thanks!
Don't know about "pilot factory" preference, but almost any airline will have some preference for military, since they are all educated, have in-depth technical training far beyond what civilian pilots get in the US and really good stick and rudder skills. Civilian flight schools will always work with a problem student, and try to get him (or her) through training $$$$. The military will give you two maybe three scewups and then you're gone. Having to repeat a flight lesson is a screwup. Did you master power-on stalls on the FIRST lesson? How about short-field landings?
Remember airlines aren't interested in just hiring people who can get through 121 training, they want to hire people who can get through training with the MINIMUM amount of sim time. Sims cost big $$$ (almost as much as a real airplane!), so they don't want to spend any more than the FAA mandated minimum time. My airline does 40 hours, and if you need more than two, maybe possibly four extra hours you're gone...Did you get your PPL in 40 hours?
Military guys have already proven that they can get through a similar program. Known quantity.
The good news for you is that there are no military pilots competing for your CFI job and not too many competing for your regional job. When you apply to a major is when the military competion comes in.