Originally Posted by Hank Burley

This looks like good news potentially?

Revised Personal Endorsement Program
Mar 20, 2019 • Robin Sebasco
Captain John Hunt and Captain Pat DiMento are both names many of us associate directly with our pilot hiring program. For many years, each had different but also somewhat similar roles as we built our crew force in the 1990-2005 timeframe. Effective immediately, both will be returned to the process to manage a revised Endorsement program that provides more clarity in the selection of candidates for interview. Their involvement will provide some much needed relief to our very busy pilot hiring team.
The most significant change is increasing the number of endorsement opportunities for our crewmembers. Many of you believed the one in ten year limit was too restrictive and we heard you. Other changes, described below, will give the crew force insight into what information is most important to the selection process.
The revised Endorsement process contains the following new elements.
Legacy Endorsement. Created to assure the children of our active and retired pilots are given the appropriate consideration. Enough said.
Management Endorsement. Created to allow Pilot Senior Managers (e.g., Fleet Captains) and Managing Directors in Air Operations the ability to highlight candidates they feel would be an asset to our operation.
Professional Endorsement. The endorser has first-hand knowledge of the candidate’s aviation skills and employment related skills from serving in the military together or having been a co-worker of the applicant.
Personal Endorsement. The endorsing pilot’s knowledge of the candidate is based on a social or personal relationship.
The above list is in order of priority. Each month the Fleet Captains will review Endorsements and forward their selections to Captain Hunt, who will provide the names to the pilot hiring office for further evaluation.
For the Management Endorsement, we have 13 eligible managers in Air Operations, to include Flight Ops, Flight Training and Safety who will each have the opportunity to endorse one candidate per year.
For Professional and Personal Endorsements, more than one of either type ranks higher than one of either, Said another way, the more the better. There are some significant changes here for our line pilots, whose opinion about the suitability of our future pilots is vital to the process. The major changes, effective immediately, are:
All timelines related to Personal or Professional Endorsements are reset.
The 10 year Personal Endorsement program is rescinded.
Any non-probationary pilot who has not received formal discipline in the previous five-year period may provide a Personal or Professional Endorsement effective immediately.
Subsequent Endorsements: An eligible pilot may now provide a Personal or Professional Endorsement 12 months after his/her previously endorsed pilot completes probation.
If an endorsed applicant was never called, was unavailable when called, has accepted employment elsewhere, or fails to advance through our interview process, the pilot can submit another name 24 months after the date of the previous endorsement.
Current Endorsements should be left in place unless the pilot wishes to change the name. If so, you can do that immediately.
Importantly, all endorsed candidates must still meet all basic and competitive qualifications before being called for an interview.
While Captain Hunt manages the Endorsements, Captain DiMento will now be the sole point of contact for crew members who want to endorse a candidate. Once a pilot is ready to provide a Personal or Professional Endorsement, he or she should contact Pat to determine whether their applicant meets basic minimum qualifications and is eligible for further consideration by the Pass Board. After an endorsement is entered through INSITE, a pilot may check with John to ensure the Endorsement is in the system.
A word about the numbers: We are expecting a large surge of endorsements. At a rate of approximately 450 pilots per year, and with a pilot group of ten times that, this improvement may be slow to become evident.
Please thank John and Pat for stepping up to assist in the effort. And thanks to all of you for providing us your important input in the selection of our future pilots.
Thank you all for your support,
Robin
Captain Robin P Sebasco
System Chief Pilot

Originally Posted by Corkscrew

So how does a retiree submit a Legacy Endorsement via Insite since I no longer have company computer access? Could someone please pass along Pat Dimento's phone number?

Originally Posted by slaveship

It's easy. You simply send your endorsement to the SCP's email address. It goes directly to the chief pilot and your endorsement will place your candidate directly to the top of the stack for the pilot board to take action. I just met this morning with the chief pilot regarding other business and this is exactly what he told me to do. I have a legacy son leaving the active duty air force soon and Robin explained this process.

Originally Posted by LJ Driver

My take on this is that it's good - but only for people that get an endorsement. And pretty much terrible for everyone that doesn't... There is about to be a deluge of literally 1000's of endorsements, and if you don't have one, looks like you're SOL?

Originally Posted by middies10

My thoughts exactly! Still think its a much better system than the 1-in-10.

Originally Posted by LJ Driver

My take on this is that it's good - but only for people that get an endorsement. And pretty much terrible for everyone that doesn't... There is about to be a deluge of literally 1000's of endorsements, and if you don't have one, looks like you're SOL?

Originally Posted by LJ Driver

My take on this is that it's good - but only for people that get an endorsement. And pretty much terrible for everyone that doesn't... There is about to be a deluge of literally 1000's of endorsements, and if you don't have one, looks like you're SOL?

Originally Posted by HingleMckringle

That’s not a bad thing.

Originally Posted by LJ Driver

Ummm, ok... Care to explain? Potentially a less diverse pilot population from fewer backgrounds creates even more institutional momentum - during a time that innovation and ideas couldn't be more critical.

- The 1/10 years system hypothetically created ~450 PEs per year.
- The 1/2 years hypothetically creates ~2250 PEs per year, plus the additional recs from legacy, professional, management.

How is that a good thing? 5x more endorsements means each endorsement is probably actually worth less than they are now, especially if there is a max ceiling of endorsements offered interviews.