This could have been you, but you left the career!

A recent class at Alaska

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I thought I'd pass along some stats from a recent class here at Alaska.

10 men, 1 woman
4 from Horizon
2 from McChord AFB
3 with Alaska regional flying. PenAir, ERA, LAB
1 brother of one of our captains
4 live in Gig Harbor
10 are married

Bottom line: All have strong ties to the Pacific Northwest. They all live around here and most got their flying experience around here or Alaska.

 

Clutchcargo,

Thanks for the heads up. I could have been one of the lucky four to have gotten hired by Alaska Airlines from Horizon Air in the last decade or so. Most likely however I would be passed over like my peers who are still there.

I think it is important to take a step back and consider that Alaska Airlines has not hired many over the last decade. Four from Horizon is hardly a windfall. Nor does it offer much hope for the remaining 700 or so Horizon Airlines hopefuls.

My likely fate had I stayed at Horizon Air today would have been living in a small starter house on a captains salary and reeling from the news that I was being forcibly transferred to another base while also fearing a downgrade after 12 years with the company.

The reality is there there is not much room for most at the legacy airlines and life at a regional is not what I signed up for. Lastly I feel obligated to mention again that I did not quit but was laid off and could not find another job that would support my family as a pilot.

I understand that those of you who have made it can not understand what the problem is. Not every story in aviation has a happy ending. It is my position that most do not and the price of falling even an inch short is punishing.

Skyhigh

 

Ha Ha that's funny/depressing. "So you're telling me there's a chance YEAH!!!" D&D

 

AND they just opened the hiring window again......For the record Sky.... he said you LEFT the profession not that you quit.

Glad things are going well for you Sky. I don't discount your message just the delivery.

 

Actually Sky your numbers are wrong on the total of Horizon pilots According to APC's info there are 620 active Horizon pilots. So based on that calculation and ClutchCargo's number of 4 being hired that makes it 0.65% of the Horizon pilots are going to Alaska Airlines in this class. However, they did make up 35% of the total class CC mentions. I'm actually surprised they don't hire more of the Horizon guys/gals... Those are the facts.

 

It feels more like the profession left me. I was laid off and could not find a replacement job as a pilot that would support my family.

I am still here even.

Skyhigh

 

Rnav,

When I was there Horizon Air had around 745 pilots. They have shrunk. Another exciting development in the airlines.

One reason Alaska Airlines avoids hiring pilots from Horizon Air is that they then have to hire and train a replacement for the departing Horizon Air guy. It makes more business sense to hire from the competitor. Make them pay the training costs. Another reason is that they use hiring practices as a passive form of punishment on the regional guys. Do what we say and we will hire a few.

Skyhigh

 

I was told recently that at my home airport a Cessna 152 rents for almost $110/hour. The twin is bumping up against $400. Costco mentioned in their magazine last summer that a four year public university degree costs $200,000.

Pilots all need to be making UPS wages soon after graduation in order to make this profession pencil out.

Skyhigh

 

In 1974 I paid $23/hr for a C-150 with instructor. That's $101 in 2010 dollars. It would seem that aircraft rental has not exceeded inflation by very much. Especially when you consider that 100/130 AvGas was .58/gal. What is it now? 5 or 6 dollars/gal?

In 1981 I earned $600/mo base pay
as a CFI. That's about $1400 in 2010 dollars. What does a CFI make now?

Regards,
Clutch

 

Must be on the 6-8 year plan.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Although more Americans are getting help from scholarships and tax breaks, the net cost of college is eating up a higher share of the typical family's income in 2011, according to a report released Wednesday.
The sticker price of studying and living on campus at the average public university rose 5.4% for in-state students, or about $1,100, to $21,447 this fall, the College Board estimated.