Agreed. This program is a total sham.

 

Actually it gives shams a bad name.

 

So we admit that HR screwed up? They hired those people and turned down a lot of good people. You just proved the HR hiring process is flawed.

 

Thing is that we're also hiring people here who shouldn't be here... We've had a bunch of applicants who are still in training since April... That and a many others washing out.

It's so bad they're paying for a separate expensive week long course after the ATP-CTP course that teaches these applicants basic pilot skills!


"To increase our success with New Hire candidates, we have secured with FlightSafety a one week “pre-course” that covers general ground and turbojet sim training. Selected New Hires will attend this basic pre-program before they begin training at ExpressJet. Our goal is to match the ExpressJet ground and sim footprint for all candidates even if pilots lack recent currency or need a little help in understanding the airline environment. This “pre-course” will add significant costs, but we are hoping to make that up in (a) improved New Hire pilot success and (b) having our instructors focus on ExpressJet material – vs helping New Hires remedy core piloting skills. The first class will start this month and we will be gathering the metrics to judge the success."


There's a reason why most places have you hop in a simulator to demonstrate you're actually proficient at hand flying and basic tenants of airmenship during the interview... I know I did it in my interview years ago. Some people got the boot specifically due to the sim. On top of that we have flight attendants as pilot recruiters...

 

BOOM!!!

There is a reason that United is the third class airline.

701EV

 

It was United’s fault for hiring these pilots. Our pilot group was surprised by the number of pilots hired at United that didn’t deserve it. All the pilots with skills and a great attitude I know at our company were denied jobs. United doesn’t know how to pick talent. This new “Aviate’’ is going to cause a mass exodus from the UAL regionals to the LCCs. No one is happy with what United rolled out...United has no choice but to raise regional pilot pay to retain pilots.

 

Maybe they should offer the 45,000 sign on bonus instead of the 22,500 they’re currently offering.

As for weak pilots, just think, they’re saying that upgrade is going to be dropping soon to 2018 hires. I find that a little frightening based on all of the stuff I’ve been hearing about the people hired in the last two years.

 

No matter what United launched, there was going to be 1000 complaints. At the end of the day United needs X many pilots and will hire just as many regardless of the program they design. The shortage will never be felt at the majors as it its felt at the regional airlines. This gives them freedom to make the rules.

For those chasing American flows...they do sound great but they are not as guaranteed as you may imagine. You are relying on the long term financial stability of the worst run airline in the United States. American's stock price is $27. Their customers pretty much hate them, their employees are usually unhappy regardless of how much they get paid, and the owners (well look at the stock price). That is recipe for disaster. AA will be downsizing as their pilots retire if they can't get Parker out of there.

 

Is the aviate program a great deal for guys who’ve already been given two opportunities? No. But how many opportunities should an employer offer? 3,5,10? It sucks but sometimes things aren’t meant to be.

What it boils down to is for new guys coming in, this new aviate program is fast. For those still at xjt who’ve been given two chances already, unfortunately it’s time to seek employment elsewhere or settle in at xjt and accept that that’s where you’re staying.

 

Was told by the Chief Pilot during indoc the requirement was 3 years at ExpressJet and I thought 3,000 hours but I may be mistaken. Either way it’s a polished turd.