Originally Posted by
PilotCrusader
Had a relatively new reserve FO the other day that went through ATP Flight School. I shuddered when I heard his accounting of the experience. Among other things, he said he was sent to RAH shortly after his Commercial license was finished. Literally they flew him up to Indy and brain washed him. He said he felt like he needed to take a shower afterwards.
He said in his time there, he was pushed into interviews at several airlines he had no interest in. He didn't even realize they were voluntary. People just called him and/or emailed him and said "your going here for an interview on this day". He said it often interrupted his training.
That some serious spin!!
First, the last time I checked, a regional job ASAP is sort of the initial goal for a new pilot, unless you're thinking he should go straight to the majors. He's being offered multiple interviews at 121 carriers and real deal contingent offers of employment and he's just completed his commercial cert. He's sort of in the driver's seat. Whether we like the regionals or not, that's a pretty good deal from his position at that time.
Second, he still has to reach 1500 hours before he can actually convert that offer into an actual job at a regional. That's PLENTY of time (for a guy with wet commercial certs and only a few hundred hours) to scan the industry, fully inform himself and make an educated decision. To call one company's offer "brainwashing" is demeaning to your friend.
Depending on when many of us entered the regionals, I think plenty would have jumped at that sort of offer.