Originally Posted by fosters
.....I helped an AirTran guy brush up in a twin 2 years ago because he was getting placed in a ground school there. 1200TT, 200 multi, all piston from CFI'ing and renting. He worked as a ramp manager at AirTran and they gave him a shot at the 717. Again, no trust fund, a white dude, didn't know anyone in flight ops, etc. etc.
That's a load of sh!t, and I'll stop short of calling you/him a liar. I have FIVE GOOD friends at AirTran (all captains with at least 5 years seniority) and ALL have walked a signed copy of my resume to the lady that is in charge of the hiring. She said she wanted to help out, but couldn't because of the 500 hr 121 PIC requirement (I lack that but have a large amount of total and jet time). They stand HARD and FAST to that MINIMUM requirement.
So I don't know how this "guy" you "helped" got that opportunity. Unless he was ex-military with 1000 hrs of jet jockey time or was just pulling your leg.
There have been low time people hired at airlines in the distant past, but it was a different time then, when the industry wasn't saturated with QUALIFIED pilots and the ones that usually got the call tended to be of the "protected" status of employment. I believe they call that "making the quota".