Originally Posted by Jptaviation

So from what i have been reading and asking people that fly with different regionals everyone is backed up for IOE from 3-6 months. Also i don't understand if United is so disgruntled with GOJET why would they give them more premium flight routes going forward this year and 20 more aircraft over the next year.

Originally Posted by Claxstarr

This is incorrect, SkyWest IOE’s are getting scheduled anywhere from 4 days to a couple weeks out from checkride completion.
Also, there are zero training delays at OO, unlike other places where you’ll wait weeks or months in between INDOC/Ground/Sims.
Not every regional is dropping the ball right now.

Originally Posted by V4LKYR1ExONE

It’s simply their strategy to front load the delay. My understanding is that Skywest isn’t giving class dates until next spring, and banking on pilots being willing to wait. They risk losing crew-members to a competitor offering bigger bonuses and sooner class dates in the meantime, but on the positive side they won’t have to invest time and money into impatience. For the record I don’t think this is a bad strategy, but the delays DO exist at Skywest, as well as everywhere else. I’m not accusing Skywest of ‘dropping the ball’ here, they’ve just elected to handle the training pipeline challenges a different way than other companies who want people in the door first and then delay later after you’re on payroll. A pilot could decide they’d rather get paid for the delays than to wait until May to even get a check. Either way it does sound like we’re all going to wait.

Originally Posted by PossibleDeviation

The reason classes are out that far is because all new hire classes between now and then are literally full... We are doing 200-250 new hires every month with NO training delays during initial training.

Originally Posted by MolineCFI

And if you are available to go to class on a moment's notice you can get into a Skywest class quickly when people can't attend at the last minute.

Personally, I believe a few weeks off after the SIM is a good way to go.

Originally Posted by PossibleDeviation

The reason classes are out that far is because all new hire classes between now and then are literally full... We are doing 200-250 new hires every month with NO training delays during initial training.

Originally Posted by V4LKYR1ExONE

Ah, I see. I assumed Skywest management had some big brain planning going on. But if they’re doing full classes of 50 every week with no delays….. they must have access to dozens of SIMs, instructors and so on. That’s quite remarkable, good for them. Is there a lot of attrition at the Captain level to facilitate seniority list movement, or are all these new FOs going to sit reserve a while?

Originally Posted by V4LKYR1ExONE

Well. Do you feel better now that you got that ‘I told you so’ off your chest?

I accepted a job offer here back before the hiring freeze thawed. GoJet was the first to call and they offered the earliest class date. Since getting back into 121 was better for the resume than another few months as a CFI, it was a gamble I was willing to take. Once the other companies started hiring again, I didn’t want to be the pilot that just bails without finishing a 121 training cycle. Regrettably, I turned down other offers, but I don’t want to have to explain to Southwest or whoever later on why I left GoJet in the middle of their training. Maybe some pilots don’t think that’s a big deal, but to the person who has to decide whether or not it’s worth it to invest thousands of dollars into your training, it’s a factor.

I’m carefully considering all my options right now. The waiting game is brutal, but Line holders are getting 90+ hour lines, and one of my classmates who finished IOE in time to bid already has a line for November. When the goal is to get the hours and move vertically through the industry as quickly as possible, putting up with mismanagement in some respects is acceptable, or at least it’s a trade-off to avoid sitting reserve for months on end and accruing very little time. Of course, I realize I say that while waiting 3 months for IOE, but the bottleneck wasn’t this backed up when I signed on. Classes ahead of us in IOE had only waited about 3 weeks. The situation changes rapidly in this industry.

At this point I’m just trying to put the truth out there, without all the trash-talking. Insulting pilots who choose to come here is not helpful, because it encourages people to ignore everything you say. When your posts read like you have an axe to grind with a particular company, it’s easy to write off your complaints as biased. The same goes for company cheerleaders. It’s just like talking to a recruiter, they will only sell the good aspects and they will dodge negative topics like a seasoned politician.

However, if a pilot is willing to say ‘hey, I made the choice you’re considering, and here’s the reality of my experience’ without sounding like a bitter ex-girlfriend, the information provided can be helpful. At least the pilots reading this now can make a more informed decision than I did. The problem with posts two years ago complaining about this company is that they can’t be relied on to reflect the status quo. Three months from now, the info I’m providing could be completely inaccurate.

I do agree that it can only get better though. Even if GoJet doesn’t survive their growing pains, it’s a net positive for every pilot with a new type rating or ATP certificate and any additional 121 experience.

Originally Posted by prt135

Do you need to be 90 day landing current to start IOE?

Originally Posted by V4LKYR1ExONE

According to 121.439, landing currency can be reestablished under the supervision of a check airman, and this can be accomplished in the airplane or sim. My understanding is no, you don’t need to be current to start IOE.

https://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_g...lookup/121.439

I reserve the right to be mistaken in my interpretation of regs at any time.