This was from the JFK meeting. We are going to hire around 300 pilots in the fall. We will take a break in the spring and summer of 11 and then look about perhaps another 300 in the fall. I am simply telling you what the powers to be said. Thats the only info I have.

Let's hope no break is taken. Regardless, any hiring we do is great. :)

The licensing on the tests, the cost of airapps, et al. Not sure if they pay per pilot or per month or year. Generally contracts are at least a year for stuff like this.

The point is that if they were looking for ONLY 300 they could have done all of them via flow over a few more months.

I know that the power that be are stating no hiring for the first eight months or so of 2011. Hope it is not true, but as you know things change very quickly.

I agree that it is prudent not to hire too many without knowing which way the economy is really going.

Airlineapps is a monthly or yearly cost not per pilot. I don't know exactly what Delta pays, but I know other airlines that are much smaller pay 10K per month for them to run the application process of their hiring departments. I'll bet Delta pays more than that per month. Not sure what it costs when your not actively hiring.

I believe you Sailing and have been hearing rumblings of the same type, I'm just saying that in 2007 they said the same thing and ended up hiring over 700 people.

The guys they are hiring now are not for summer 2011 flying IMHO. If they really wanted them for the summer of 2011, they would run some large classes starting in January. Why hire guys for summer 2011 in August? They will be online by October just in time for the winter schedule. They can run guys through class starting in January for the summer flying.

Projected retirements for 2010 were 3 and at month 6 we have had around 150. If that trend continues then we will have around 300 retirements which is what I believe is driving this round of 300 they are hiring/recalling. If summer 2011 looks good in December of this year you will see classes in Jan-Feb-Mar to cover the 2011 summer schedule.

Also, it's better to under-promise and over-deliver. What sounds better?

We are going to hire 305 this year and maybe some next year. Then we end up hiring 305 this year and 600 next year.

We are going to hire 600 this year and 1000 next year. Then we end up hiring 305 this year and 600 next year.

Same amount of hiring, but one sounds better in the news than the other.

how much weight does an internal rec from the training department help?

Almost all of those over 150 retirements this year were from the early retirement program offered to the NWA pilots. I believe all of those pilots were scheduled to be gone by May so I don't think you will see more then a handful of retirements the rest of this year. I just spoke with one NWA pilot who was thinking of leaving in Aug. He is making so much money now that he has figured out the contract and GS's that he plans on staying for a while.

Someone in my unit just got an email today. So there is hope.

On a Sunday???

Yup, sitting at lunch when the email came through.

That's great...when is the interview? Just saw you are a C-17 guy...I was one back in '01-'05 at CHS.

My Father was planning on doing the same but decided to stay around. Apparently Delta is treating them much better than NWA did and has figured out a way to make more money while being home more! We did the math one night and he is earning more than a 74 Capt currently (75/76 out of MSP). I guess you just gotta know how to work the system. Delta seems like a great place, I have never seen him so excited to go to work!! I am very happy for him, its a big improvement from his attitude the past few years. You guys are all very lucky, I can only dream of the day I can get there.

Sunday invites for both interviews and training were not uncommon on the last hiring round.

DGS or SLI guy? DGS, not so much. SLI, a lot!

Depends on who it is.
The director of hiring was a Virginia Ave guy for years.
If the letter comes from someone he knows and trusts, I'd say its golden.

Just talking about a guy in my unit, already at the big D here.

I show for 2009 we had 165 retirements and so far in 2010 we have had 145. I can't remember the exact number of PERPS, but I know it was less than 310 so there are guys leaving that were not PERPS. Projected retirements not including the PERPS for 2009 and 2010 were less than 5. More guys will medical out as they get past 60 and now that the over 60 crowd is hitting 62.5 we will see some punch out early.

I still think that this has something to do with the 305 they are hiring. It makes no sense to me to hire someone for summer 2011 in August 2010 then pay them through the winter when they can hire them in Febuary 2011 and have them hit the line when they really need them. I know they are looking at training assets with the big bids we have had, but it would be stupid to hire a new guy a year ahead of when you think you need them. They think they need some bodies this winter and into early spring or they would have waited until Jan to spool up the pipeline for summer 2011.

i agree 100%

There were 195 PERPS on the last official count they gave shortly after the window closed.

Also remember that with international growth the same block hr increase requires more bodies. They seems to staff the international jets in the ballpark of 18-25% on the reserve list.

...........................

I think you find "gauges" at the auto parts store.

Check your PMs.

Does anyone that has gotten the interview have an ASAP letter of correction that's been expunged? Asking for a friend....

And does anyone know how muc that goes against you? It was for a misreadback on ATC that resulted turning to a wrong heading.

It's all about how you explain it.

I know people who've gotten an interview and hired at Delta with worse. No special connections other than LORs.

.................

I think its about the total record. I think the fact that he used ASAP, and that its been expunged would both help. If that's all he's got on his record, I wouldn't sweat it too much. If its that, plus 3 failed checkrides, plus a DUI - different story. Just my 2 shillings.

Best to fess up to it, even if he thinks its not on record anymore, though. If you fess, and they don't find it, they're impressed. If you don't fess and they do find it, major strike.

And on the retirement track - JG said in the CVG base meeting the other day that we currently have more than 600 pilots over 60 on property. He said that number is over 1700 in 2 or 3 years. They're also only forecasting 10% of those guys to retire before 65, which is probably pretty conservative.

Thanks for the response!

He knows how to deal with it and that won't be a problem at all... I was wondering more about getting past the scoring computer to GET the interview. That's the kicker...

Gouge
 

Any good sources for the latest gouge? Any help appreciated.

All I know is that I was in the MSP crew lounge the other day and it looked more like a nursing home. Bunch of old dudes alseep in the chair with drool coming off their lower lip.

ranger

Now that's funny right there...I don't care who ya are.

Philly

Or blatantly offensive....

Depends on your perspective I guess.

The MSP pilot lounge is horribly depressing. I keep getting these long productivity sits there. I just go to the food court and set up my computer up against the windows and watch the F ramp. You can get the Pilot Wifi signal there.

mmm.. subway.

mmm.. maui taco.


Well, I guess it's obvious what I look forward to at various airports.

+1------>depressing is an understatement!

TYG

Typically we were able to get those reduced to a "Letter of Warning" which is less severe than a Letter of Correction. The difference being is that there was no determination of an error, but rather a reminder (warning) not to make an error.

I'm sure the involved party knows the difference and would not make it look worse than it really was by using the wrong term.

Folks have gotten interviewed and hired with past Letters of Warning. As others have written, honesty is always the best policy. Even if the FAA does not have the letter on file, it will survive for eternity in the employer's personnel file and get picked up during a PRIA request.

Another tip ... if a person has a letter that will get picked up in a PRIA request, it is fine to add a letter from the Pilot explaining the circumstances and correcting anything the employer got wrong. In some cases that helps mitigate an ugly letter and since it be sent in the same package as the PRIA response it looks official.

Class is getting closer! You'll be on the line before ya know it! :)

Getting excited?

YES SIR!!!! Col., SIR!!!! I wonder if Ill fit into my uniform?????

TYG

That's not funny! Stop picking on our Flight Attendants...