Pretty sure just about every captain at ZW could get hired by a major if they wanted. Most airlines have FOs with less than 500 hours in a jet getting offers at multiple major airlines within a few weeks of applying. The longer people wait, the more pilots they have in front of them on the list when they decide to make the jump.

 

it isn’t so cut and dry. CA here, no failures / etc. crickets

 

Captain supply is like the multi engine performance problem. “Why do you lose 95% of your climb rate when losing half your thrust?”

lose 20% of your captains and you lose 120% of your excess capacity

 

I think there’s plenty of CAs and FOs that would leave if they could, but I don’t think the opportunities are as plentiful as you’re describing.

Air Wisconsin isn’t in a great place, but the one thing I can see is CRJ-700 availability for conversation to -550s. American loves the CRJ-700 because it can replace AA’s 50 seat feed and SkyWest is adding -700s to their American flying. So GoJet is competing with AA’s appetite for -700s, and there’s only a finite amount of -700s built and still in good condition.

If GJ can’t find any more airplanes, UA can’t replace Air Wisconsin’s -200s (among others).

 

Air Wisconsin is like other regionals. They have good people working there and with the exception of a few lifers, everyone has had their apps in for a long time. For some the phone rings, for some it doesn’t. It’s not like you reach x-hours and suddenly have to decide between offers at American, Delta, United, FedEx, and UPS.

 

spirit, frontier, allegiant are also great options that pay SIGNIFICANTLY more with real retirement plans too. If you’ve got a mostly clean record and can’t get out right now during this hiring extravaganza, you aren’t trying hard enough. Get your apps reviewed, resume built professionally, make sure they’re all submitted and updated weekly, and start hitting every possible job fair.

 

They are good options, but there isn’t a trick to get the phone to ring. One of the guys I flew with this month was an Air Force O-6, C-17 guy, instructor pilot, academy grad, masters degree…. He really wanted FedEx and extensively networked at every legacy, LCC, and freight. Multiple letters of recommendation, friends dropping resumes off with chief pilots, etc. He got an interview, but crickets from everyone else. He kept trying at FedEx for 2 years, but has now settled in where he is. Employers are playing catch up right now. The odds are better than they’ve been in a long time, but there are still no guarantees.

You are right about the prep. Get your apps reviewed to find possible issues that a computer may not like, get interview prep, and pound the pavement until you are where you want to be.

 

I know of several senior captains at Awac that haven’t even updated their log books in years , absolutely refuse to use a prep service like Cage Marshall or something similar, don’t even have their app on Airline Apps and have done absolutely nothing but fly a200 for the last 10-15 years . They get comfortable with the 5 weeks vacation and trip touching and having weekends and holidays off and don’t want to leave . However,a second year FO at any legacy and some ULLCs will make more than a15-20 year Captain here .In addition, some of these guys refuse to accept the possibility that this run for Awac may be drawing to an end . They put too much faith in this management to pull another rabbit out of their hats . Not saying it won’t happen, but with the state of this company now , pilot morale at an absolute all time low , UA and everyone else drastically reducing 50 seat planes, planes falling apart, just over a year left on the cpa, FAs being forced to take time off without pay, and no word from company management on anything, I would say start lining up some other options.

 

There is no magic and no guarantees. That is true.

But hiring fall 2021 is qualitatively different than it has been in years and qualitatively different than it was months ago. A captain who applies everywhere NOW is likely to get a call even if they had been doing everything right for 2018 and 2019 and got zip

 

Yea.... not quite how it's happening right now.