I know one of the things that seems to impress the hiring types is people who have trained successfully on multiple aircraft. I overheard a conversation to this effect between two members of the interview panel when I was interviewing. The rational was basically that if you've gone through multiple aircraft schools successfully, you've shown your "trainability," and are more likely to do well in training at Delta.

So it would seem this decision is a wise one - and probably what they are looking for.

 

I have to agree with you. A few trips ago, I flew with BD at DAL, a guy who will be in this kids enviable position for the next 14 years. Much of the conversation centered around how he should preceed me on the escalator and how either the 777 needed more destinations or he and I were both going to bid off. He has 14 more years at the top and he needs a change of scenery (of course, he can choose anything he wants, but it is an enviable dilemma.)

 

Really? Sure beats my alternative. 41 years at the Big D is way better than 41 years doing drywall. Grandpa ran a drywall company. My dad took it over. I was next in line. I prefer clean boogers, not the white dusty crap I used to get sanding a whole apartment complex. I hope this kid enjoys a nice long healthy career....and appreciates what he/she has.

Sometimes we just need to look out the cockpit window and look at the worker bees below us. Whether you are flying a Gulfstream, 777 or the Mighty Maddog, we do have a better job than the grunts.

I guess I'm a glass half full guy...

 

Originally Posted by Two-percent View Post
How does Delta look at an applicant who did not give two-weeks notice to a previous employer?




I'll tell you how they knew when I did it. My former Chief Pilot called Delta and told them I quit on a layover!

That got me a one on one interview with Capt. Snake Smith on my first day of class. He wanted an explanation.

I told him I would have liked to have given them two weeks notice, but since Delta only gave me 48 hours notice to be in that class, that morning, I had to quit on the layover (in my home town) so that I could be in class on time.

Delta called me at 8am on a Weds., to be in class on Friday morning. Of course I said, "No Problem, I'll be there!" Then I picked up the phone and called my employer and told them I was sorry but I had to quit, right now.

I knew they had a reserve pilot sitting in a crash pad in IND, I had just seen him at 2am, and I knew they had all day to DH him to BOS to fly the DC9 out that night, which they did. The airplane left BOS on time at 9pm that night. I know this because I spoke with the Capt. Weds. morning and again a few days later when I ran into him in bar at the Holiday Inn N. on VA. Ave. If I had wanted to screw them, I could have waited until 5pm to call them, or not at all.

Once I explained all of that to Snake and that all my airline pilot buddies and mentors in the Guard had told me to NEVER give up a class date, he smilied, stood up and shook my hand, then said, "I think you are going to have a real good career here at Delta Air Lines, now get on back to class..."

It was hard to walk because my knees were still shaking! And then I walked on eggshells for the first 5 years. I figured if he saw my name on his desk once more, I'd be gone.

 

Maybe, guess it depends...........

Work a decent amount, don't overextend one's self, save, try to invest wisely the first 20 or so years or so.

Then in the back 20 or so, work as little as possible. Enjoy the kids/grandkids games/plays/graduations, do all the traveling one ever wanted to do, sail around the world, ride a motorcycle across the continent, climb Kilimanjaro, restore old cars, spend time volunteering, pursue whatever hobbies one ever wanted to, whatever.

As opposed to many others that have had to suck up being recycled, start over, grunt out the dark decade chasing their tail at this silly career just trying to get somewhere. And before they know, they're a little too old and having to fly too many trips playing catch up to attempt a lot of the above.

 

41 years ago was 1973 I doubt Delta will look anything like it does now in 41 years. So as great as it is for him to be hired young, it's a bit early to make career projections.

 

Yeah... it sucks. I'm sure you'd hate it. Most people do.

 

Haha! No kidding just meant the change in the industry has been crazy since 1973 so he can expect more.

 

They must love me then, spend all my time in training/sims. Done an initial training (or two) 6 out of the last 7 years, no busts. 6 type ratings under 2400 TT!!!! 2 more formal training programs set for this year

 

How much in command time?