JetBlue Gateway Select
 

My application has been pulled and I've been invited to pay the $200 assessment fee for the JetBlue Gateway Select Program. According to the website it currently cost about $125,000 (out of pocket) to attend their flight school, earn your ratings, graduate from the program, etc. Eventually after they program they will hire you on at JetBlue. I am seeking worthy advice from any professional pilots (or anyone really with knowledge or experience pertaining to this topic), is this a reasonable price for their flight training and becoming an airline pilot or am I better off going about becoming a pilot some other way? In your opinion, do you think this is really worth it? :confused:

Here is a link with some info on the program - Gateway Select ? JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs

Well...I received all of my ratings for 19k back in 1992 and I'm making 6 figures now living debt free. So yes there are other ways. :)


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Seems a little steep for training but obviously the tricky calculation is how the additional costs pays off in your salary later on.

Rough training math:

0-MEI: $65-70k
ATP: $5k
Type: $25k

Totaling around $100,000.

It is no longer the 90s. That's great for you but no one needs to hear about how cheap your training was 25 years ago

Go forward with caution...did you read the entire expanded program?

"At the conclusion of instructor training, and provided you continue to meet the minimum qualifications, you will have earned your initial instructor qualifications and will begin work as a salaried employee of CAE. You will enjoy your time as a CAE Flight Instructor for 24 months, or until you accumulate 1,500-hours, whichever is longer. "

You are looking at at about three years before you are able to possibly maybe able become a FO.

I would not fork over 125K banking on maybe having a job 3 years from now. I promise you, there is writing in their contract that guarantees you squat if "fill in the blank" happens, occurs, or you fail to meet certain criteria.

There are quite a few flight schools out there today who are willing to help you get your CFI much cheaper than $125,000. Some flight schools.
Just my two cents....

do you know of anyone who has taken the assessment?

No it's not a "reasonable" price. Don't pay an airline to possibly offer you a job (especially not $125 grand). Oh... but it's in 15 monthly installments :rolleyes:... which works out to about $8300 per month. Do you have that kind of cash kicking around? You won't even gross that until maybe year 4 if you actually get the job. I'm sure they'll find someone to give you a loan - read the fine print - and thanks to that pesky interest thing that goes along with a loan, you're not talking $125,000 any more.

What happens if JB declares bankruptcy before you're actually hired?
What if they completely go under?
What if they get bought or merge with another airline?
What if the economy tanks and they stop hiring - are you going to keep training (and paying them)?

There's no guarantees in this business and you're really putting all your eggs in one basket. You need ratings and real experience that you can take to any employer looking for pilots and be competitive. There's no way to end-run that and somehow skip to the front of the line with a bunch of money. Hitching your horse to a single cart full of blue Kool-Aid is a really bad idea, IMO.

Not only no, H*!! no. There is zero guarantee of a job: what if they are bought, what if they merge, what if they just decide to do away with the program, what if they go bankrupt, etc. This program is a farce from day one. If they really want you, let them pay.

^^ all great warnings here ^^ No company is mandated to hire anyone- you may be given an interview, but thats a big price and time commitment for an afternoon meeting.

This sounds horrifyingly similar to the CAPT program. Get everything in writing! Especially the part about getting hired. Have a lawyer look it over before you sign anything! Get your questions answered by your lawyer. Good luck!