Considering those are the mid level qualifications a DAL new hire has, yes, the degree ups the game.

Alas, the qualifications I mentioned are not mine at this time, they are those of a friend.

Now I will poses similar qualifications around that age, but I have no desire to fly for a Major (or any sort of airline) in the ConUS. I just wanted to gauge what the general perception was of a highly competent and skilled pilot as well as a highly personable and genuine individual. The funny thing is that pilots with those qualifications can command higher pay and respect overseas is amusing to me (and others). And the only phrase that adequately describes the attitudes I've seen in this discussion is "high maka maka".

If you don't have 20 years good time(good time is where your main job is controlling air traffic not working in an office 8 hours a day) it's by choice. However, they have been giving waivers to work past age 56 on a case by case basis.

I think he was referring to someone who enlisted for a hitch in the service, then got their flying certificates at either the base flying club or off base before applying to the airlines. Agreed there are things more important than a BA in Physical Education, but the requirement it isn't arbitrary. It's a filter and a good one. As acl65pilot pilot said, they lose some good people doing it this way. OTOH, it's a cheap and effective way to screen applicants and the results are often satisfactory with HR. It's not a just system, but not much is in the world.

I've known some darn good Captains who've logged over 10,000 hours in the left seat and whom I've learned a lot, but they couldn't be hired by some airlines because they lacked a four-year degree. Most were family men who married young and could never make the financial sacrifice to gain a degree while providing for their family. Their choice, but in many cases I think it is our industry's loss.

The difference in CONUS is that there are more pilots than jobs. Quite different in other parts of the world.

I agree that someone with half the qualifications can get a equal or better paying job overseas. The supply side has allowed the bar to be raised for the majors and lowered overall. Kind of an interesting dynamic we have here.

Beagle65, you're making a similar point to what I am... which is asking the question of why "College Degree" is overriding thousands of hours of valid experience.

acl65, I understand that, however let me throw this out for you to consider...

If the HR people are checking a box which says "College Experience" and only printing those resumes for further consideration... how much more difficult is it to check a box that says "Boeing Experience and PIC Type Rating" or "Extensive Experience in Related Field"?

It's the standard corporate cost benefit analysis model. College degree Y/N is one block. How many blocks to cover Boeing, Airbus, MD and every other manufacturer out there? What about the pilot who has 10,000 Citation time? What if he didn't work as a professional pilot, but it was his daddy's? The point is, while I agree with you the system isn't fair nor all encompassing, the reason they do it that way is because it's cheaper to do it that way rather than how you and I think it should be done.

And Beagle, let me be clear, I'm not (and never was) disagreeing with you, but let me know if you agree with this...

To sum it all up... it is a broken system, not only in the way that regional pilot pay is reflected, but also in how we determine what good qualifications and good judgement is these days and on to how a company should and does treat the employees it has. It's been on a downward spiral since Eastern was taken apart, and it will continue to do that until people start getting off their high horses and using common sense again.

There are other ways to not get 20 years. Let's say you decided not to go to work on Aug 3, 1981? If you got rehired 15 years after Ronny Reagan fired your butt, you'd probably not have 20 years at age 56.

Also, there are cases of direct hire military who did not possess 20 years at age 56. I had both instances in my last facility.

As far as the PATCO rehires that was a special consideration. We also had retired military that were over 31 by a large margin.