Details on JetBlue's ab initio program
 

From JetBlue yesterday. Here is the direct link to the zero time to right seat program (Cost to pilot is $125,000): Gateway Select ? JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs

Media coverage: JetBlue Shakes Up Pilot Hiring by Training Them From Scratch - Bloomberg Business

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, I’m pleased to share that JetBlue’s innovative and accessible pilot training program, Gateway Select, has launched to the public. We first shared our plans with you in September 2015 – when the program was still under development, and called Gateway 7. Since that time, the program team has continued its excellent work and JetBlue is proud to commence with the 2016 application process.

This competency-based training program for prospective pilots reflects ideology and programs that are in use within the U.S. military and among leading international airlines. CAE will be our partner in Gateway Select, helping to develop and deliver the training curriculum. After successful completion of the program, including the FAA's 1,500 flight-hour requirement, pilots will become a new hire E190 FO at JetBlue.

I know that many of you expressed interest in sharing the details of this program with others, be it family members or friends, and I think you’ll find robust information on our new JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs website, Squarespace - Claim This Domain. You’ll find details on the program, how to apply and FAQs on the various facets of application, process and program requirements.

The new website also holds information on JetBlue’s five other Pilot Gateway Programs. I encourage you to learn about each and share this information with aspiring pilots in your life.

Thinking of applying

Just to see if I am qualified to train for the job I have been doing for the last 30 years

Innovative?!! Jesus.

Just read the details of Gateway Select. I could be reading the wrong program, but Gateway Select sounds no bueno. 125,000 to the pilot, repaid over a course of 15 months? That's 8300 per month!

Is it me or does this sound like bad news for the open market for pilot wages?

Why would someone pay $125k for this when they could go to ATP for 6 months for $65k?

"pilots will become a new hire E190 FO at JetBlue."

Ummm because ATP doesn't come with the golden ticket to Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory, Charlie.

Believe it's paid over 4 years but doesn't say anywhere 15 months
I'm sure it's longer because that's still 2800 a month.

"Gateway Select has been designed to bring more predictability and a lower overall cost to aspiring pilots.

The cost of Gateway Select is approximately $125,000, payable in installments over the course of roughly 15 months. We are currently exploring multiple options for financial assistance to help alleviate monetary barriers to this program. Check back in the near future for more details."

Elect Bernie and it might turn free!

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Will JB instructors be doing the training or is this a separate thing?

Reading comprehension obviously not good.

My theory is that this is to test the waters. You can probably find 24 suckers just about anywhere. Maybe they're financially stable, self-made. Maybe mom and dad foot the bill; either way let them bear the financial risk.

JB gets a class of, lets say 20, that make it through. They can evaluate the quality of those applicants and decide where to go from there.

Second-career types who want to have "fun" flying airliners around as a retirement gig. Seen it at the regionals with mixed performance results, especially poor with those that didn't even try to dabble in other flying jobs first.

Meanwhile... thousands of qualified, experienced, and ready pilots at the regional airlines would love to have a job at B6 but can't even get an interview.

You can't teach experience. Jetblue will place incredibly inexperienced pilots in the cockpit with paying passengers in the back.

You can train a monkey how to push buttons, but you can't teach them to evaluate a situation and make the best decision when the **** hits the fan.

As long as regional airlines exist Jetblue will always have plenty of qualified applicants.

Bad idea, Warren & Bonnie. What would you expect from a quota hire?

GP

Isn't that exactly what the regionals do?

I thought this whole thing was shot down by the union =(

We are not a regional. The reason regional airlines do this is because their business model necessitates it.

I know it's not 1986, but back then competitive times for regionals was nearly 3,000 hours.

Jetblue had over 3,000 qualified applicants during th August 2015 window. We have hired less than 200 of those applicants.

Compare that with some regionals right now who are having difficulty even getting pilots to apply.

GP

The union, as well as most all the pilots, are against G7. Unfortunately the union has very little say until we get a CBA, which will probably be another year.

GP

When I got hired at a regional in the early 2000's with 3000 hrs, the ground instructors were telling us how lucky we were because in their day, competitive times were around 7000 hrs.

Yikes! 7000? I think 3000 is bad enough. I don't really think its worth it at that point to accumulate all those hours just to get into a crap regional job. Bravo to you guys for sticking it out that long.

The 2 instructors that told our class that, were probably referring to the 80's I'm guessing? When "regional" fleets were made up of twin otters, metroliners, jetstreams, and similar. I'm sure the pay was just as crappy back then too.

I think this why they are testing the waters with this program. We can safely assume those same 3,000 pilots are on file at AA, UAL, DAL, SWA, FedEx and UPS. 3,000 applicants can evaporate in a few years.

Regarding the program, it looks like a military style program. I'm sure they will turn out well trained pilots but the leap from DA 40 instructor to EMB190 FO is going to be enormous. I feel sorry for the captains they will fly with for the first year. I can't even imagine how much IOE they will need. I'm guessing 3 months with a Checkairman at least. This will be fun to watch...from a distance.

Yikes.....

Republic used brand new FOs, fresh off the Cessna flight line, to populate 190 Frontier flying. This was before the 1500 hour rule even went in to effect. I know a guy whose kid went over there at 700 flight hours and got 600 hours of 190 time in his first year.....and he didn't crash once!

Get off your high horses and stop playing right into managements hands: First of all, they aren't going to get that many people to begin with. Right now management is more than ecstatic to see how much of a bargaining chip it has become towards the new CBA.

Just as an aside to this point, I stepped out of a C172 into a Category D Approach Jet(CRJ200) without any issues at all. IOE was completed on time as well in one week without the need for additional/extra hours. I believe if the aptitude and attitude is there, which are supposedly being screened for then they should do fine.

I do concur though that there are many "qualified" applicants currently, that negate the current need for folks in that respect.

-2263

What's the difference between flying a 190/737/320 for your first jet as compared to a 175/CRJ? If they're well trained and instruct in an airline oriented training program, there shouldn't be any difference in how they perform at JB as compared to a regional where most of us make that initial jet transition.

Here we go again. We went through this in the early 90s with the regionals and it did not worked too well. It will just be a matter of time before they'll realize it's not a good idea. The sad thing is they are a few fools out there that will pay the $125K for such program.