Pilot X-quoting you because of the doctor comment, but aimed at entire thread, not you. I know you were addressing the less than flattering post from the other poster.

I've flown with a few guys with law degrees that couldn't fly all that well and would have been better in an office.

I'm one of those guys without a 4 year degree. Many of my friends here are in the same boat. I was on my way to one when I made the decision to quit and fly for a regional because Piedmont didn't require a 4 year degree at the time. Flying for Piedmont was my dream and I figured that they could not continue to grow and hire at that rate they were in the early '80's. I was correct. At times I wondered if it was the right decision, but looks like it worked out. Now there are a few areas of study that interest me-maybe after retirement, if I can pull the writing off. Not my strong suit.

All that said, my current position has allowed me to work with many new hires this last year. Most, whether from the military or flow(I haven't worked with the few non-military, non-flows we've hired) have been great. The flow guys usually have an easier time because they have the airline stuff down, but every military hire has worked their rear off to catch up.

There will be some bad apples from all barrels. Painting a picture that our flow pilots are losers that could not get hired elsewhere is false and unfair. Many have decided that, like it or not, AA has gone down the flow road and that if they want to fly here then that's the choice.

I've had two flow guys with attitudes and we had to have a chat. Thing is, I don't think the attitude was a product of the flow, it was their personality and it would have been there no matter what their background.

The last year has shown me that we have an amazingly talented pilot group. Often personalities get mistaken for being a poor pilot and we need to separate the two.

Very well said! Agree 100%

No, more like this: " we're not caving into terrible LTD language like the American boys did before us, and the profit sharing. No deal"
Doug Parker was wetting his pants for the last merger, a fact lost on the APA.
At least the regional flows all pretty much had better scheduling rules than the Native AA. The rescheduling at this airline is out of control.
I believe just the opposite will happen. The regional flows will start to steer the contracts away from the Legacy AA mindset. The mindset that voted profitsharing away, when the economy was set to take off. That was an unbelievably stupid move.

Just walk in there, look the manager in the eyes and shake his hand firmly. That's how I got my job and if you can't do it you're a lazy millennial

Completely disagree. Those of us that have been here since the 80's did our initial service as 727 F/Es, or right seat of F-28's, 737's, -9's 80's etc. Now flow guys do those years in regional jets, in both seats. That gives them a different perspective and they have seen good and bad of those seats(many have had better scheduling that we do). Most are willing to fight for a good contract.

Contract wise they are not the group of new hires you need to worry about.

I’m sure you don’t mean this the way it appears. Certainly at your time here you’ve flown with great folks - LCA even - that...are still here... I’m pretty sure a little soul searching isn’t their way out.



Could say you’re the perfect candidate for the flow. Could also say you’re the perfect candidate for an ULCC - someone that won’t get another type and then get the call from a legacy a short time later.


I’m very happy that you’re out of the clown show - no schadenfreude here friend - but “anywhere but here” just doesn’t work for some people.

This is ridiculous.

I personally didn’t apply at any ULCC. I much preferred my seniority and schedule at my regional to anything those companies offered. I suspect many at Piedmont, PSA, and Envoy feel the same way. Why go to Allegiant (or spirit or Jetblue) when you flow to American Airlines? To fly an Airbus? Big whoop.

I know two, one barely made it out of OE and the other didn’t finish ground school before AA and UAL picked them up. Who’s to say there isn’t another bucket from which they pull names being those employed by another Major?

And that’s the gamble. Are you confident you’ll get hired off the street from a LCC to AA-DL-UA before you would’ve flowed to AA? Is RJ pic better than airbus SIC, or vice versa? The pay at the LCC is certainly better. Hard choice to make for some.

Edit: also, this is a dumb thread, and we are all dumber for reading OPs post and the ensuing arguments, mine included.

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼