Direct Entry Captains
 

So, I am wondering how many 1000 hr. 121 pilots joined Envoy AFTER forced upgrades were announced and came here anyway to get the upgrade.

I guess we will see tomorrow or the next day. With this new "High Value Pilot" bait they are throwing out there it looks like those first forced upgrades could be off reserve by the summer or fall time. 27 reserve CA spots are currently there. If there is more than 20 each bid that comes out then they will move up the seniority list on the CA side pretty quick. I know LGA is growing and the reserve list may get longer.

Anyone in the recruiting department know how many prior 121 pilots we are poaching from other regional airlines? (Of which I do not approve.)

Probably not many since 9E is doing the same and at way better pay rates. Also aren’t forcing guys to NY.

It’s their largest base.

People have gotten ATL right away.

Can anyone with firsthand experience comment on the Dallas-ATL commute. I’ve read it’s challenging, but between DAL and DFW there are a lot of options and with the second flight being positive space with Endeavor it doesn’t sound that bad. Thanks.

It’s official all qualified first officers have been awarded captain most through forced displacement. The only question left is how close to 1000 hours are the 2016 hires.

Dec 2016 hire at 400, I know some with less and some with around 500 in that class as well. My question is, how senior am I as an FO? Is there an easy way to look up how many FOs still aren’t qualified and are also above me in DFW? Maybe the interactive seniority list once it’s updated, but I’d want to know before the monthly bid.

Just ran into a bro from my April 2016 class at the hotel in XNA, he’s 50 hours shy of 1000 121. Many FOs will become draftable in the near future.

What's amazing is how senior the "Not Enough Bids" displacement went. #218. The company has dug themselves quite a hole.

Hi guys, would you mind sharing some advice from your experience and some of your coworkers?

I am considering jumping ship to Envoy. I am shy of 800 hours 121.
I live in my base ORD and I will only consider Envoy if upgrading to the 175 in ORD is an option at 1000hrs 121 time.

The $30K check day 1 of school, base, and capt salary are my main reasons. I understand the reserve rules and work conditions.

Am I being realistic about this happening? what would recommend to do? interviewing and see what they have to say?

I am open for suggestions

Anything is always an option, but this is a very unlikely one. It's the senior aircraft. Meeting 1000 hrs after only 200 hours at Envoy will most likely hold LGA 145

What’s wrong with flying a 145 in ORD? You can always transfer to the 175 later...especially if you let yourself get displaced to CA (no seat lock).

The 121 pilot bonus is fantastic, upgrade is instantaneous (if you want that immediately at 1000 hrs 121), you’ll be able to live in base at some point if not inmediately, and you’ll put “flow to a major” insurance in your back pocket.

My experience with Envoy has been positive. Everyone’s experience is different. Unless you love your current place (which I’m guessing is debatable since you’re considering a change), then Envoy is probably a good place to be right now.

Now hopefully enough dominoes will fall here soon to get the rates increased. Seems like at some point it will have to become inevitable. We’ll see...

175 will be out of the question. Other equipment in ORD, not impossible. You may get the 175 initially as an FO, but you will be displaced to CA in the 145 or CRJ as soon as you hit 1,000 hrs 121 time. There are many things to consider when choosing an airline, whether it be staying put somewhere or jumping to another place. Pay, QOL, work rules, etc. But seriously dude, the main focus of your decision making shouldn't be an airplane.

Spending the rest of your time at ENVOY on 6 am standby in LGA is what you will be doing. Along with many junior mans because we can’t fill captains seats. You will be Lucky to make it to any other aircraft besides the 145. I’ve been hear almost 2 years and I’m still a 6 months to a year from holding the 175 CA ORD/DFW

Two sentences were true out of this paragraph. He will get JMed and you are still 6-12 months from getting the 175. He won't be bottom guy very long and he can always bid the 175 (2-3 years before he gets it is a conservative guess.) which is a growing fleet.

The road to any CA slot will pass through LGA 145 if you’re a newhire. But to be fair there will be so much movement and uncertainty with an evolving fleet and people quitting/flowing, nobody can give you a clear picture of how it will be.

Hello all,

It's been 4 years since I've been in the aviation industry and have approximately 750 hours SIC Part 121. I'm looking at Envoy due to having a skeleton in my closet (incident) back from my flight instructing days and would like to have flow as an insurance policy in the event I can't get on elsewhere prior.

I would appreciate some insight in connection to how long it will take the company to displaced me to CA.

Would I at least have a few months on reserve/line to reach the 1,000 hrs to knock of some rust and gain my bearings? Or are they immediately displacing after FO training anybody that's close to the 1,000?

Thanks so much for the help and feel free to PM me if you prefer.

With 750 hrs of 121 time, you can plan on flying the line at least ~6 months before you end up back in training after a CA displacement. The company will not displace you to a CA position until you have at least 1000.0 hours on the nose (to answer your question about displacing anyone that's close to the 1000)

How senior is MIA 145 CA?

950 hours is all that is needed now because every new captain gets 50 hours of IOE so you will not be signed off until you get that and go over 1000.

Most junior CA is 7/17 DOH.

Sweet Thanks

Man you just cant help from answering all the questions around here. So helpful. As a 11/17 hire and a MIA CA I would say until 1JUN the junior MIA CA is about a Jan 18 hire.

Yeah whatever. Sorry for trying to help. Clearly the union seniority list isn't accurate.

The junior MCE on the union seniority list is ~1380 seniority number, DOH 7/2017. And the latest flow plan doesn't have anyone junior to him moving over to MCE.
Looking at the reserve list, looks like there are 6 MCE's who have moved there after my "reference point" from the union list.

Hey guys, I've got 1273 hrs of SIC 121 in a B727, BUT, I haven't flown for an air carrier in over 18 years. Think they would still consider me?

I've got an ATP, 4734 TT, 2914 PIC, and the 1273 SIC, but no turbine PIC. Thanks in advance.

We do have guys with a decade of not flying getting hired as direct entry captains. Provided the time was in a US part 121.

Yeah, I was an FO for Express One Int. way back. Flew in Europe and the US.

Got my first class medical recently and I'm doing a BFR/IPC this week. What aircraft are they hiring direct captains into? Might give them a call tomorrow.

Thanks

Aircraft/base initial assignment is a function of whatever is in the standing vacancy at the time. It is a E145 Chicago until early/mid April. Might or might not be the same afterwards.
Good luck!

If you're not current (current being not just IPC, but "current" based on some criteria they use), they will likely have you do a sim check during interview.

<100 hrs in the past year

So most DEC's can expect the E145 and ORD? Reserve also?

You can't really expect anything, for now it looks like ORD E145, but it can change. And yes, reserve. Lots, and lots, of reserve. You'll need a Netflix subscription. And Amazon Prime, when you've watched every single thing in Netflix.

The DEC program will be coming to an end by the summer. So you might want to think long and hard about your QOL and what it will be if you decide to come to Envoy. If you were to come into the next class you wouldn’t put more than 25 pilots under you before the program ends. That’s a crappy reserve life...unless you live in base.

We’ve had DEC who sat LGA for a few month then transferred to Miami for over a year now. It’s been over a year since most junior CA was anywhere near 1300.

Yeah but at what cost. DECs make what, 65k? And the worst QOL out there. Far, far better choices than coming to Envoy.

That may be true. It’s an individual choice for their situation and what’s best. But that wasn’t the point anyway. I was just pointing out the seniority.

Yes, they will consider you, and they WILL make you a DEC. You need to think long and hard about being hired directly as a CA after an 18 year absence. It is possible you could talk them into 6 months as an FO, but not guaranteed. Worth an interview to have that discussion if everything else is a good fit for you.

I heard of a guy at
envoy who had over 1000 hours 121 from over 10 years ago and he actually joined as an FO for a few months then was forced to upgrade. Turns out he failed upgrade twice and was sent back to FO. Not sure if anyone wants that on their record.

Ok, looks like it's an error on the seniority list then.

Rookie base question...coming from a former one base shop:
Once you can bid into a base...does that mean you get to keep it?
I mean, at least as long as you want...or bid off of it?
Or, can a senior pilot (in your a/c and seat) push you out of it?