iaflyer

The basic Delta pilot requirements are currently this:
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Flight Time Requirements
Minimum of 1,500 hours of total documented flight time.
Minimum of 1,000 hours of fixed wing turboprop or turbofan time.
90% of the flight time logged in powered lift category aircraft (e.g. AV-8B, F-35B, and V-22) will be credited to the Delta Air Lines 1,000 hour fixed wing turboprop/turbofan requirement.
Minimum of 250 hours PIC in an aircraft categorized as an airplane.
The flight time logged in a powered lift category aircraft cannot be credited towards PIC aircraft time in accordance with 14 C.F.R. 61.159.
Minimum of 50 hours of fixed wing multi-engine time.
---

So my suggestion would be to find a fixed wing job until you reach those requirements. The regionals are busy hiring and would meet the fixed wing turboprop/turbofan time and all the other stuff once you upgrade.

It would be nice if you could fly that job while working on your Masters - don't know if it's online or not - but a masters would certainly help you get to the interview.

Good luck! There are many paths to Delta or other major airlines. It's definitely worth it!

iaflyer

Exactly. Too many variables, and all it does is provide another means of complaining when it doesn't work the way people expected.

Winston

Along with each vacancy announcement United publishes a Min/Max bulletin which displays current staffing level projections vs. the minimum and maximum required in each BES (Base, Equipment, Seat). They are contractually obligated to award AT LEAST as many positions as needed to reach the minimum, but are at their discretion to award more. Secondary backfills will be concurrently awarded to bring all BES up to at least their minimum as required by vacated positions moving to fill adverstised primary vacancies.

Basically: whatever need is published in a vacancy announcement MUST be awarded, and many additional vacancies (and thus, awards) are created in the award process. Unfilled vacancies are made available to new hires.

sailingfun

Delta has the same requirements and minimum staffing levels.

EyeKon

Sorry, forgot to mention that I'm a Piedmomt FO. Thanks for the reply!

iaflyer

We are always above the minimum required staffing I believe. So the company could just say, "sure, we'll award what we need to reach the minimum. Which is zero. That's the minimum we'll award, up to what's in the AE."

Doesn't solve the issue of not everything being awarded.

sailingfun

That’s not correct. As pilots retire or bid to another category it is routine for a category to drop below the contractual minimum. The company must fill those vacancies to prevent that. They don’t have to fill it on that bid but if they don’t backfill on that bid must post another bid to bring the category to its contractual minimum. They can’t fall below those minimums in any given month. They have only failed to do that once in recent history where the 717 category was short for about a week. They paid a substantial penalty.

Baradium

Never too early to start on an application, update it monthly and start studying.

Speedbird2263

I've tried to sparse through some info in various threads however I'm still not too sure of the timeframes. I'm curious to know of the probability of someone hired within the next year or two, holding WB CA with 30+ years to go.

QuirkyJules

It seems like that would be determined largely by age at hiring rather than predictions of upgrade timing or hiring rates in the next couple of years. Barring any change in mandatory retirement age, it would require upgrading to WB CA by 35 years old. I don't know the average age at hire date but guessing you'd have to be a relatively young new hire for that to be possible even in the best of industry growth and upgrade scenarios.