Interesting first post. Sending up a trial balloon under another username?

When I first read your post, I didn't think you were going to charge money. After reading Check6Viper's opinion (which I share), I re-read your post and now see the promises of potential QOL improvements and monetary benefit in exchange for your knowledge. So, maybe you are planning to charge. I really hope I'm wrong.

No, it's really not. Interview prep courses are generic to some extent and can be tailored to address various airline interview specifics when appropriate. They introduce and/or hone skill sets that are necessary for success in the interview process present at most airlines today. What is taught can be used at multiple companies and isn't airline specific. In fact, while most of their clients are probably prospective airline pilots, the methods they teach are applicable to anyone seeking to better present themselves to a potential employer. Not everyone is capable of assembling the knowledge, team and resources necessary to effectively teach those methods. On the other hand, any one of the 4000+ pilots at FedEx who weren’t hired in the last year can probably do a reasonably good job of explaining many of the subjects you mention. The more complex issues can be handled by the people and resources at ALPA for which our pilots already pay their dues.

Viewing our new hires as a potential income stream leaves a bad taste in my mouth. These pilots have made it and they are now our co-workers, crew members and potentially new friends. I and most pilots I work with here would give the information you’re talking about offering them in your “course” free of charge over a beer.

so…..you’re going to teach former military pilots that the contract is important? How many slides will that take?

…um, what?

I’d love to see the slides on this part of the course. No potential audience minefields there at all.


There always is….order in the next 20 minutes and receive an added bonus copy of “How to abuse the Out and Back lot like a management pro”.

Seriously, I agree that there are many areas of our work life and contract that require detailed explanations to navigate properly. Most of us either read the contract and figured it out on our own, posted here on APC or asked someone else who’d already cracked that nut. No one I asked for help with vacation, bidding or anything else charged me money for their advice.

I think your assessment of a need to educate our new pilots is valid. I would suggest you approach ALPA and see if the union has some guidance for you. Creating a one-stop source of “how-to” knowledge sounds like a great idea. I just don’t think our pilot’s need to be paying for it on top of the dues they already pay ALPA.