March, 2015 Endeavor gouge.
 

Most of the gouge posted here since January, 2015, is very accurate. Here are my specifics:

Positive space into MSP on Delta the night before. I flew on a 737-900 that has less than one year in service. Sweeeet!
Holiday Inn, Eagan, (company paid) is worn out and my bathroom was not acceptably clean. Fortunately, new hires are housed elsewhere during training. Free breakfast buffet was usual budget hotel fare.

Endeavor's local staff were typical "Minnesota nice"; courteous, mild-mannered, friendly. You will feel genuinely welcomed. A nine-year captain from New York gave a simple Power Point presentation about the company and thoroughly answered our questions while the two other members of the interview panel reviewed our logbooks and paperwork. Then we waited to be called individually for our interviews.

The interview panel was the captain who did the initial presentation, another captain/sim instructor, and someone from HR. Just relax and be "human" and you will do well. Don't be evasive about yourself or your history. Any past issues will be justly addressed as long as you are honest. I prepared for the interview by reading the recent gouge on this website, and brushing up on some FAR's, and reviewing portions of the "Everything Explained" book.

Questions:

-Why did you get into aviation?
- Why are you interested in working for Endeavor?
- Have you ever failed to report for assigned duty?
- Have you ever failed a checkride?
-You are an MSP commuter scheduled for duty at 1200. What is your plan for getting to MSP? What if you won't get there in time?
-Your flight is delayed 45 minutes for MX. Captain tells you to make a gate announcement and tell the passengers the flight is delayed for WX. What would you do?
-How would you deal with customer complaints? (This is actually important because Delta has become very focused on providing premium customer service. The panel were interested in my experience working for a now-defunct budget carrier whose customer service and corporate culture are legendary.)
-TMAAT you dealt with a critical aircraft situation/emergency.
-What is the effect of crew complacency on aircraft operations? (I was prepared to inject CRM theory into all my responses.)
-What is the speed limit in/under Class B?
-Brief the LDA DME 19 approach to DCA. (It's your choice whether to use Jepp or NOS chart.) How will you enter the hold when you execute the missed approach?
-What is the go-around procedure? (This question came from the non-pilot interviewer.) I said I didn't know, but it's in the FOM, so I'll be prepared when the time comes.
-What is the significant of the blue line on the airspeed indicator in a multi-engine airplane?

I asked a few questions about the company and offered a few things that I wanted them to know about me. I was sent back to the "bullpen," and about 15 minutes later presented with a CJO letter. Then some additional paperwork, fingerprinting and a cab ride down the street for the drug test.

The regional airline industry is in a state of flux right now. Some might say it's in chaos. Therefore, I was very deliberate in choosing my targeted airlines. I did not apply to every carrier with the blind hope that at least one of them would accept me. Endeavor was tied with one other carrier as my top choice. Delta is putting serious money into Endeavor. Thus, the carrier is conspicuously poised for long-term growth and opportunity. I'm very pleased that Endeavor and I have chosen each other.

Welcome aboard. I'm glad you didn't let the negative comments on this site affect your decision. Endeavor has a great mix of pilots from all of the former carriers. Things have been getting better and I believe will continue for a while.

Welcome! I think that you will find most of our pilots to be positive. It seems like I work for a different company compared to six months ago. The only negative things I hear are on the message boards and are usually from scorned ex-employees. Good luck in training!

It sounds like a tough interview

all regionals are gonna be desperate to fill slots for pilots....you really have to be stupid/inept to flying an airplane to not get a job at ANY regional today. sorry to be blunt but yeah its really the state of the industry today.

Here's a gouge...don't get sucked in to that abyss that is Endeavor.

Thanks for posting the gouge.
So that's it? No written, no sim? It is a decent gig for someone close to their bases.
Skywest and Compass are probably the 2 regionals left with more thorough interviews.

What a constructive post! I wish I had as much spare time as you do.

Just LOL'd so hard.

What he said.

A couple of other things to add from someone in class right now:

They will positive space you home every weekend. I live on the east coast and I have been shooting out an e-mail to the scheduler lady on Thursday for a Friday/Sunday flight and she gets back to me in like 15 minutes with my booking confirmation.

Because of simulator backup they are probably splitting classes 50/50 between the 200 and 900. Also, expect to have 2-4+ weeks of paid time off in between ground school and sims because of said simulator backlog.

WOO HOO! That makes life even better!

Is that happening now or is it merely anticipated? The interviewers told me they don't currently have access to a -200 sim. There's a CAE sim coming from Asia, but they don't yet know when/where it will be operational in the US.

There is one full-time -200 sim in MSP. There may be a second "Combi" sim too, I'm not too sure. The one from Asia is said to be bound for PHX.

From what I gathered from random snippets, talking to guys here and there in different classes is that it's been like that since they started hiring. One guy from the first big new hire class this January I spoke to the other day said he was just starting sims now. I haven't seen anyone from the class behind me who finished 3 weeks ago around the hotel, so I assume they haven't started. Maybe I just haven't seen them, maybe they are just in a different hotel. Our instructor said at least 2 weeks, but as with anything that could change at the drop of a hat. I will let you know when we get our sim schedules next week.

Timing question
 

I'm scheduled for the May 11 class. Assuming my drug screen, PRIA paperwork, and background check are all clear (there's absolutely no reason they wouldn't be.) what is the next step in the hiring/training process?

When is the drug screening? The day of the interview or the first day of initial class?

Day of interview, if you get an offer.

Thanks tv lawyer...I read that you took a cab to the drug screening...does endeavor pay for that? Also, do they provide a ticket to the interview plus hotel?

This is all so nicely scripted.

Positive space on Delta to MSP.
They put you up in the Holiday Inn close to the airport. The hotel has a free shuttle from the airport and to Endeavor HQ in the morning. The hotel is kind of worn, but hey, it's only one night and it's free. Free hot breakfast in the morning.
They give you a voucher for the cab ride to the test center, which is less than 5 minutes away. they give you a voucher for a cab ride back to MSP.

You will be treated with respect and professionalism, not like a work animal.

Exactly what I experienced in mid March.... total class act.
I may add, there wasn't any "beat down" during the interview, I didn't have to defend myself in anyway.

Assuming it is still the same when I went through a few years ago, after your panel interview they will come out and say A, B, and C need to get in this cab and go to the wizz quiz place.

One good thing about Endeavor is that they pay for Everything during the interview process.
-Airfare
-Hotel for interview
-Transportation to/from interview, drug test, back to airport
-Background checks (Eagle wanted ME to pay for my drivers license screening, hotel, transportation, etc... glad I didn't go to that interview)

9E also will pay for your single-occupancy hotel during training, and PAY you during training... the same cannot be said for other airlines.

It's just like a Bendover recruiting presentation.:eek:

Is this company finally turning around? I have an interview coming up......


El Aviador

Very much so. Don't listen to the angry ex employees. It's a totally different company now.

I would say yes, I was hired at Pinnacle in 2006.. This is a big change to the old Pinnacle days. Besides the lack of growth and the BK contract, I was happy with the changes. As much as I enjoy some of the improvement, I'm leaving next month.

Well, it appears from your position, you are moving upward, not laterally-that makes sense and congratulations!

I don't think it's fair to say Endeavor is "turning around" because it is a new company didn't exist even until the third quarter of 2013. Colgan, Mesaba, and Pinnacle are gone. Delta bought assets at a discount and started a new airline. Endeavor is not "turning around" anymore than Silver is "turning around" from Gulfstream. Metaphorically speaking, Delta didn't just take a beat up Toyota and start calling it a Lexus.

My knowledge of the company goes far deeper than a PowerPoint presentation. Before I went to the interview I researched industry data, publications and spoke with a top-level Delta finance guy here in Atlanta. I believe Endeavor is poised for success and will effect significant changes on the regional industry that other carriers will have to follow to survive. I would not have accepted Endeavor's offer without being confident of that.

Lateral moves never made sense to me, unless you are getting furlough. I didn't jump ship like every one else to other regionals, because of the fast upgrade. Now I get to move up while taking my bonus with me. Sometimes it pays off to stay put.

Poised for success. Please tell me how a company who publicly tried to give all their 200's to Air Wisconsin and is now in talks to do the same with Mesa is "poised for success."

Please enlighten me.

That's subjective. Pays off? I know several 9E guys who took the jump in '12-'14, upgraded very quickly, and have made more than they would have staying as FO with the bonus. Two of these guys got hired at a major and it was probably the TPIC that got them finally noticed. There are reasons to make a lateral move. Quick/DEC upgrade is only one small reason. Biggest reason is being at a dead end regional with no growth and shrinking fleet. Ask some Comair guys how your advice would have worked for those who were able to stay to the last day. In any case, congrats on your escape. It's nice to see positive movement. Good luck, you'll enjoy the new plane.

I appears you do need a lot of enlightening. 26 200's hardly counts as all of them. And why do you think Delta is in talks with Meas for Delta/Endeavor 200's? Endeavor is finally in a position to staff the one's we are flying with slowing attrition and new hire pilots.

You seem like the "cup half empty" kind of guy aren't you? or I can say the sky is blue, and you would say, "No, it's baby blue" All I said was why "I" stayed, and how it paid off for "me" yet, you still have to mention how making a lateral move was a good move for other pilots. I don't really care why some people left. Once again, "to me" I made out better financially and QOL by staying and taking the bonus and running. Please show me, where I said making a lateral move was a bad idea, I just said, doing it didn't make sense to "me" or did I say "lateral move didn't make sense in general? You seriously took my post in a completely different direction. All I said was sometimes it pays off to stay (like my case). The Comair and my situation are completely different. One airline was getting shut down while mine is not, I don't recall Endeavor getting shut down anytime soon.

Being an all 900 operator is a good thing in the eyes of airline management. 9E will be sold off to the highest bidder when Delta is done with them. They won't have to pay out the whole $80k bonus because it was never in the cards to do that. It is a ploy and it's bringing in suckers.
Mark my word, 9E will be sold off when it benefits Delta and you won't get your whole bonus or anything associated with the SSP.

Are you assuming this or do you have enough upper management contacts to know where things will go. It is a sincere question? I don't want to work for the wrong company. I know it sounds dumb, but I'm new to the regional world. Just doing my research.

El Aviador.

sources for each please?

he is neither. It's more of a "buyer's remorse" for him…..just hates it that he left, his former coworkers are doing just fine without him, and he can't let go.

Not trying to be a troll here but...( famous last words) why would they offer 20 k a year bonus if they felt endeavor was a good choice for anyone?

they were trying to plug the leaks in the dam with bubblegum and fingers….now they realized they screwed up and have brought in the heavy machinery and concrete before it's too late. Why would Delta purchase a -200 sim from China for them if they are losing all the 200's?