Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp (Post 1594468)

I had an interviewer on the jumpseat the other day, and I asked him if he had done any of the SSP's. Cue a long sigh from him.

Some were lack of preparation, some walked in acting like they were owed the job, some just absolutely blew it all around... plenty of them that were turned away have gotten the never apply again. The fact is the low pass rate is primarily due to the quality of the candidates. It should be no surprise to anyone familiar with those that interviewed. They hired the great ones and turned away the ones that were on my list that are just awful. The screening worked great.

The pass rate will get a good bit higher as they move down to the lower seniority ranks with a lower concentration of (future) lifers.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 1594408)

Yes Sir, trying to understand your point of view.

Would you rather have a 9,500 hour former RJ Captain in your right seat who has seen most of the airports you fly to and who has experience with weather and things going not quite right ... or would you rather have a Delta scholarship winning 250 hour Multi Pilot License Certificate holder who logged 210 of those hours in a sim, having learned most of what they know from a DVD.

Those are probably your choices if you remain a 717A for the next five years. What is your preference?

As for me, I would prefer to fly with an experienced First Officer who was mentored through his express flying days by a Captain executing the responsibilities of his flight deck as directed by Delta Air Lines. A pilot who's training was based on a scientific approach which incorporates the lessons learned by ALPA's safety and training experts.

Originally Posted by PilotFrog (Post 1594519)

Any idea how far down the list the SSPs have gotten? I've heard an FO at Endeavor interviewed and hired. Imagine how much seniority he gained over the flows.

Question: Anyone at Compass or Mesaba with the qualifications needed for an interview at Delta, have any interviewed or are they all waiting/not getting called because they have the flow? And how does that work if they are called and not offered a job, but they have flow rights?

Originally Posted by tsquared030 (Post 1594511)

And in other hotel news. We begin mainline service (and layovers) in April and May, respectively, to ABE and AVP. Coming to a 717 near you. :-)

Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp (Post 1594521)

They are down to the mid 500's and the next group goes into the 600's.