New hire questions
 

Hello,

Trying to put timelines together.

How long typically is it from date of hire to training? How long is training to IOE? How is basing determined? How senior is Medford?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Depends on the aircraft. I was hired in September, and probably wont finish IOE until January sometime. This is on the Q. But it sounds like they are trying to speed things up.

You will bid for your bases in training, but chances are you will get Medford right out of training. That is where all the newhires have going lately.

Thanks for the help!

Welcome aboard! I am guessing you are in the Q. The training is top notch.

Any idea how long is the wait for the ERJ? Which base is junior? How long is training? Can you ask for ERJ or company decision?

Thanks

Not sure what classes are looking like for the ERJ. But we are resuming deliveries in March, and parking 15 Qs next year. So I would say your chances of getting it are pretty good. I think budgeting about three months for training is good. Right now SEA is the only base for the jet, with a PDX satellite base. Who knows that will happen next year. I wouldnt be surprised to see PDX become a jet base.

SEA is great for me I live near by.

Do you know how much simulator time you get?

If it is like the Q, its 12 four hour sessions in total.

10 four hour sessions in the E175.

Are the 10 four hour sessions split with a sim partner so each gets 20 hours flying the sim (PF) and 20 hours acting as PM for their sim partner?

Or do you get 40 hours hours as PF?

Didn't you just get hired at Skywest into the CRJ ? and start CPT / Ground school with them recently?:confused:
.

This is correct.

Yes I did but I washed out in the sims :-(

I made it through Indoc, systems and procedures validation.

Big jump from VFR CFI in a Cessna 152 to flows, callouts, tasks, FMS, glass panel, and a jet all at one time in 10 hours. (Five 4 hour sessions split with your partner so 10 hours of PF) they do allow up to 10 more hours but if you use all the extra training you will be fired and have a PRIA event on your record. So before you get to that point the option is to resign.

Trying to figure out what to do next

I will say this as someone who has been through both SkyWest and Horizon training programs and passed both within the last year or so. Yes, I went from SkyWest to Horizon... I know, against the flow of traffic. However, that whole no commuter clause and no union thing really didn't pan out well for me as much as the SkyWest guys bark about having a great deal with no protection.

I went through the ERJ at SkyWest and it was a cake walk compared to the Q400 sim training at Horizon. I'm not sure of the difference in training difficulties between the ERJ and Q at Horizon, but due to the complex procedures (RNP, Cat 3, special airports) that the Q is capable of, their expectations are pretty high as far as keeping up with flows and procedures while flying what is a very high workload airplane.

With that being said, Since you now have a taste of the 121 firehose it may be easier for you the second time around. I wouldn't recommend the Q, people are failing out of the training on that plane at a pretty high frequency, but the ERJ will be better for you living in SEA anyway. The friends I've talked to that have been in the ERJ program said it was pretty easy, but they also had some previous 121 experience. If you felt overwhelmed maybe grabbing some 135 time will be the best option prior to trying for Horizon, but that is just my take. Please don't take that the wrong way, as you are the one that knows best what you are capable of. I flew 135 prior to 121, and it was a big help in my opinion. Best of luck and if you get on board and have more detailed questions, PM me and I'll get you in touch with some that have recently went through the training.

Also, as much as people are talking about Horizon being a pile of burning dung, I have been happy here so far. The grass is never greener on the other side, and SkyWest agreeing to their great 1% pay raise will haunt them soon enough, as much as those kool aid drinkers on here say otherwise.... When majors start hiring 700 plus a year each, SkyWest will have a very hard time hiring to keep up with attrition alone on top of the growth that they are planning. Just look at how they are talking about a basically DEC job in ATL now, that's because everyone east is going with the better options.

I once worked for a 135 carrier that grew exponentially, just to die two years later because they couldn't keep the cockpits staffed. A cyclical industry this is, and hopefully the cycle will continue upwards in the coming years

Meh. Management is pretty smart. Don’t underestimate their ability to do just enough to keep the fools flowing in.

I didn't mean that with any disrespect to those that fly at SkyWest, I have many friends there and hope they don't get the turd tasting end of the stick. Management may be smart, but when they're already flipping over every rock to find new hires, offering visas for Australian pilots at a high rate and offering lateral move incentives instead of raising pay for those already on board, that shows you they don't have current employees best interests at heart. But what regional does at this point? :/

A couple of friends have suggest doing some cargo time like Ameriflight or Empire. I have also heard that had I gone ERJ I might have still been there but who knows.

So yeah thinking about Horizon but as you said not the Q400. I did just have this recent experience so I know better what to expect. Or cargo then Horizon. I figure I can overcome one wash out but if I wash out again I doubt I would get a third try.

Right now I am working on increasing my instrument proficiency in a C172 with G1000 and planning my next move.

Thanks

IFR proficiency is key in 121 training. Knowing the procedures, the rules, and having a good scan will boost your chances of passing. I hope you get back on that horse soon and go for planes bigger than GA. Ameriflight is a hard program as well, for good reason. That is a job you can kill yourself quickly, because you go 99% of the time. The one issue I have heard with people only with GA CFI backgrounds, is their lack of flying in weather. Go 135 for a year and you will have the bad weather and IFR proficient box checked for sure!

No offense taken. Problem is we’re still getting close to 100/month. I don’t know where they’re all coming from but there aren’t many Aussie accents in the Denver schoolhouse if any. We won’t see a penny until hiring slows.

Well maybe all the Aussies are in SLC for that immediate ATL CRJ upgrade!! Kiddin. I will now shut up :)

I don't know what it is, but half of the OO radio calls these days @ SFO seem to be from Aussies. Really. Ok perhaps not actually half, but quite a few.

Yeah I have about 25 hours actual. Here in the PNW we are know as the ice maker in winter months makes going into the clouds a concern in a Cessna 172 but we get more clouds here than Arizona that is for sure.

at least Horizon won't ask you to resign or put a lot of pressure on you for needing extra training. If you need more training before maneuver validation, no biggy, you just get it. Then if you still need more training it'll go to the training review board and then you get more training. The TRB might go on the PRIA but I actually have no idea, maybe someone else knows better here?

It's ironic to read this Aussie chatter here and the SkyWest thread. QantasLink (the regional for Qantas) recently made a big recruiting push on the Island Air pilots in Hawaii. QL needs to hire at least 400 next year with classes starting next month. Huge perks and incentives. Paid move. First month housing free. All training, testing and Australian license conversion paid for. 6 weeks vacation right off the bat. Visa sponsorship for you and immediate family. Considerably cheaper health insurance... so it's odd that Aussies are willing to go to the States for a lot less.

The people here are probably the Aussies that washed out over there...

A TRB here won't show up on PRIA, since it's not a training event as far as the FAA is concerned.

What does show up on a PRIA is a failed training event that causes a TRB to happen, but the review board itself is just an internal procedure that doesn't show up anywhere outside of internal QX records.

Can you ask for ERJ or do they assign Aircraft?

I don’t mind waiting

Thanks good to know :)

I believe you can request the airplane of your choice. They will try to put you in the Q, especially if you don't have a preference but I know quite a few that were given the jet. That might also push your ground school date back a bit, I'm not sure what numbers are needed on the jet side as far as FO's go. We are meant to get 13 more jets in 2018 bringing the total up to 23.

Horizon: home of the Skywest washouts. Never thought id hear that one!

If SkyWest is bringing Australians to the US to fly for them and cut corners on paying pilots then I’d think it’s safe to assume SkyWest is hiring anyone with a pulse or washout on record as well

Exactly how long does it take for Horizon to respond to a person after they have submitted a application. I submitted a application a couple weeks ago and nothing but crickets. I do understand we had Thanksgiving, but so did all the other Regionals. I currently have several other Regionals breathing heavily down my neck, and yet I would prefer to go to Horizon. If anybody has any Intel on their Hiring timeline please let me know.

There is a recruiters email on the APC page. I would email her. Things do get lost.

Just wanted to add they trained us on procedures using a training device similar to the flight deck but with touch screen panels. Less expensive to train in than the full motion sim. We had 4 shared, 4 hour sessions (so 8 hours) to learn our flows followed by the procedures validation. If you need any extra training prior to PV that comes out of the 10 hours of extra sim training.

Overall the normal time allowed was 8 in the Procedures trainer then the PV. Next 10 hours PF in the sim for maneuvers training and the MV. Finally, 4 hours sim for LOFT and the LOE.

I had the 8 hours in the procedures trainer with 3 extra hours. Then 8 hours and 4 extra hours in the sim before I resigned without taking the MV.

I don’t have any hard feelings toward OO. I did not know going in about what airline training was like. All my training was part 61 flying Cessna 6 pack. I learned a lot just not fast enough. They did say I can reapply after 6 months.

If I am able to get a second chance at training with them, Horizon or someone else I will be better prepared with what I have learned from this experience. Hoping for helpful suggestions on how best to prepare for a future attempt.

Right now I am learning G1000 and sharpening my IFR skills. Thinking about flying cargo. I have heard that would be good training.

Deja Hubbard, the recruiter, has a phone number on the profile also. Call her and she'll get back to you. She's super nice. You might just have caught her while she was on a recruiting trip.

Alaska interview
 

How does the guaranteed interview work that is mentioned on apc.com?
It says you have a guaranteed interview and they keep a permanent application window open at Alaska..
Do people actually get hired?? How long does it take before you get the opportunity?
Thx.

Once you have about 2000 hours of Horizon time you can sign over your employment/attendance records to Alaska HR for their viewing pleasure. Then you can use your guaranteed interview which has varying degrees of success. If successful you will be placed into a hiring pool and it will be several months before you are called.

Still faster, easier, and more dignified to apply to Alaska as a non-Horizon pilot who won't be subjected to any of that treatment and get an immediate class date.

To expand on what Snackysmores said, we had people sitting in the pool at Alaska for 11 months in the recent past (although I think it's come down from that), since they realized pulling people from QX only made our lack of staffing worse.

Also, the records Alaska demands QX pilots hand over for the guaranteed interview very likely contain (or allows easy inference of) information that Alaska HR would be legally prohibited from asking applicants about otherwise (marital status, sexual orientation, kids, etc...), and all we have is a "pinky swear" they aren't using any of that stuff to illegally weed out certain groups of people.

Curious what strings are attached to the new hire bonus at Horizon?