What is the definition of a top tier new hire candidate?

Look back to the hiring minimums during times when the ratio of pilots to jobs was inverse. It’s not perfect but for many regionals it served well to reflect the likelihood of not just passing training but doing it within the footprint. I’m not advocating for surplus pilots again - simply pointing out that when a company can set higher standards however they see fit to - that training success rates are better. So if we had a leading contract and a line out the door for interviews and class dates like some regionals - I am confident that pass rates would go up and training footprints would go down. And that would solve the underlining problem that is the topic of this thread.

Short staffed perhaps but I have yet to see it affect operations to a bleeding point.

You have completed 4 weeks of ground school so far at AWA per your post history if I’m correct. Can you honestly say that you have had the opportunity to see it affect the operation?

It has been near, at, or past the bleeding point on so many occasions over the past 4-5 years I couldn’t even count. And full disclosure I wasn’t here for the very start of the mass exodus of FOs when AA was not being extended but did experience enough of it to know that other than the flip flops of short FO or short CA or both - it’s ebbed and flowed continuously since with the only temporary relief coming when a/c were parked and or flights given away to other regionals. When you get on the line ask CAs how early in the year they have hit their 10 JMs or how many years they maxed out as both FOs and as CAs.


These people know what they’re doing in my opinion but to each his own. Is there room for improvement? Perhaps but that’s anywhere.

We agree to disagree. I do hold leadership responsible for planning and operational control.

Contract and pay, well sure we could use more pay and many would agree and also disagree with me.

I can’t imagine the list of those whom would “disagree” with you that a contract and pay is needed would be very long

Also people use the regionals as a transition to something else unless there are those who REALLY want to stay at a regional because of their own individual reasons.

Look I get that - I do - but I dislike it as an excuse to NOT make things better during our time here and to leave it better for those behind us. This pilot group is filled with great pilots who can’t get a call because of nothing more than their unfortunate timing on entering this industry. Many great pilots who intended ZW to be a transition to something else as you said. It could happen to any of us so be ever cognizant of that threat.

Don’t take any of this the wrong way. I just wanted to counter a few of your statements from the perspective of someone that has been out on the line for a bit albeit not as long as many here that I believe would agree with me.

If you still believe this all in one year, let me know and I’ll buy the first round!