Hi all,
I have an interview coming up with GLA. I was wondering if anyone has interviewed recently for the 135 F/O position. If so any information would be greatly appreciated, I have seen profiles from other websites but they are all a few years old.

On a side note I am aware of the QOL and this is not a thread to discuss that or try and talk people out of going to Lakes.

Thanks guys

 

Have pulse and required hours? Since better regionals have tried to hire me for having those two things, I can't really expect them to want much more than:

1-Have listed hours/tickets
2-Have Pulse
3-Have Medical
4-Pass drug test
5-Shower before coming.

 

SmilinJack, just curious as to your total time.

 

The Great Lakes pilot interview is a breeze because they have the next 8 weeks to dump anyone they do not want, and they not actually hire or pay anyone before that person successfully completes training. It's more or less an 8 week tryout at the pilot's expense.

 

6-Money to pay for housing, food, transportation during 8 weeks of trainging!!!

A shower? I doubt they care.
To the OP, Stay the hell away from Great Lakes. You will regret it. Just instruct to 1200 and fly cargo or 1500 and regionals. Better yet, apply to cape air. You will be payed better, especially after becoming captain and be treated like a human being. Not a slave who falls for Great Lakes only positive. turbine time. But PIC? Not gonn happen for a long time. 90% of the staff is captains. Think about that. I would rather work at a mcdonalds in detroit, than GLA and the management there.

 

I've worked at HaloBurger in Flint.

Is that close enough to McDonalds in Detroit to say I could prefer that to GLA.

I used to work with a bunch of Cape guys years ago before the Navy. It may have changed, but from what I can see, better money, and a much better company.

 

I'm just over the mins for total time at 320 ish and I'm at 120 multi.

And I'm thinking about lakes just because the whole cfi thing is taking a while to pickup. I only have a few students and fly 3-5 times a week if the weather is good (in Colorado so it typically isn't). Lakes seems like the right thing to do just because of the time you would get. I'm not sure where the 135 stuff will be based out of but if it is not in Denver I probably won't end up doing it, I'm going to try and finish college while I'm there and commuting probably won't let that happen.

 

3-5 flights week? Thats actually pretty good for a new CFI who has yet to develop your client base.
I dont know if you know the state of GLA right now, but you will only be able to fly the part 135 routes, and they likely wont be in buisness long enough for you to reach ATP mins, even if you flew 1,000 a year which you wont seeing as you can only sit right seat on a handful of flights a day. My advice, as well as probly everyone on here, STAY AWAY FROM GREAT LAKES. Unless you are willing to accept being paid less than a full time Mcdonalds employee, spending your own money for housing, food, travel to and from the interview, and likely not having a job in one year. Also, due to the new ATP rule, there isnt much movement going on. So dont expect a captain seat at ATP mins like the good ol days of GLA. But the fact that they pay less than min. wage, and you spend your own money for housing, food and transportation the 8 weeks or so training, its not worth it. It would take at least a months pay to pay back what you will spend during training.
Have you looked at aerial mapping? Plenty of places that are seasonal (early summer-fall) that likely will get you 400 or so hours. not bad if you ask me. Keystone surveys, Air Associates of kansas. many others. Also pipeline flying and other things.
If I were you, I would stick with flight instruction. Just like any client based job, it takes a little to get going but I promise, in a few months you will be flying your ass off with students. Just curious, do you do introductory flights or discovery flights? Thats how i got most my students. People who always wanted to fly, but never went through with it. So they wanted a quick lesson to see if its something they want to pursue. Sell it to them, make it fun and enjoyable. About 20% signed up almost that day for me. had 2-3 of those a week usually.
It happened to me. only had a few students a week the first 6 months, but about once a month I added a full time student and faster than I could blink I had 5-6 10 hour days a week, and was passing students off to other CFI's since I was booked full. typically 4-6 hours of flying a day. Also, you will learn so much from Instructing, it will set the course for others jobs in the future as well. (pilot examiner, check pilot, training captain etc etc.)

edit: the DEN base is likely very senior, PRC is not so much senior from what I hear. But the outstations are the ones that are for very junior guys. But since you'd be only on the part 135 routes, who knows what your base would be or how many hours you would get since there aren't very many.