SnowmanKiller

NK pilot with some questions for the tribal elders.

Spirit will soon be going into bankruptcy restructuring. Now they can't say that but of course, but they will eventually be driven best case into Chapter 11. Of course, my hope is they successfully restructure and life goes on.

But there is a high chance the creditors demand liquidation, and Ch11 becomes Ch7. That is where I need some advice.

My personal situation is that I was former military, and could not air refuel. I racked up several busts trying to do that, and got to do a fun thing called FNAEB where I had the opportunity to explore a future outside of the Navy prematurely.

Now in 2022 I was a regional pilot and went to all the fairs and a few meet the chiefs. My experience at these events showed me that my professional prospects Permanently Circumscribed in this environment. When Spirit liquidates I will be in a much more competitive environment re hiring. I'll have about 3, 3.5k turbine time, three jet types (including A320) but very little PIC. I was close to upgrading here at Spirit but that won't be happening now that we will likely shrink continually until liquidation. So I am making sure to pick up as much flying as possible to maximize my income before liquidation occurs, sometime in 2025 or hopefully as late as 2026.

I always keep one year of expenses saved up for the event of an immediate job loss. Fortunately with this much forewarning I will have built that up to maybe two years or more of interest bearing cash before I am on the street.

I need to think about where I could realistically go when Spirit is liquidated. I am in the process of preparing applications to those B4 airlines I live near, but there are about 2100 captains ahead of me hear who I know will beat me out. Very high probability based on my prior experience with these events I will never receive any interest from these airlines. There are some regionals near me, and if they are still doing DEC programs by the time I am liquidated, they may be worth looking at.

So my question to you is this: Understanding that in this competitive environment that I may/will never solicit B4 interest, would I be competitive enough to go to Atlas/Kalitta/Fractional/Regional DEC, with at most 3.5k turbine ME and maybe 100 hours turbine PIC?

Without knowing those sectors, my plan is to maximize the peak earning years of my life until liquidation, and then finish up the MBA program I am in, and then look for work. Though the market for MBAs is very poor, I should have enough saved up that I could be under/unemployed for awhile without putting my family in distress. Just curious how competitive the other parts of the pilot world are before getting forced out to do something else.

Thanks!

JulesWinfield

Have you tried….applying?

ThumbsUp

Apply somewhere & everywhere else now. I don't think getting hired by a legacy is out of the realm of resaonableness. While most current pilots weren't kicked out of the services for flying performance issues, but there are plenty that have checkride busts for things that don't relate at all to 121 flying skillsets. If you haven't already applied, you're just doing yourself a disservice. Let them make the determination whether you are what they are looking for. If you are get a call to interview, the job is yours to lose. They want to hire you at that point. Good luck!

SnowmanKiller

Preparing applications now. Once we see how much P&W end up paying NK, I will shoot them out. I do not expect to ever hear a response from the B4 airlines where I live have slowed or halted hiring, which means they are even more unrealistic for my application.

What I am trying to find out is the scenario where I work as much OT here at NK and am there for the end, I need to know where I could realistically apply to after liquidation. My hope is they are still looking for DECs at the regionals where I live now. They may even have a bonus, though likely going away. What about the fractionals or cargo? How much competition is there for positions with them? I don't want to apply to Cargo/Fracional/Regional right now because I still make more here than there. Only want to those places once Spirit liquidates in 2025, or maybe even 2026.

Realistically, I make better money right now than what I could expect at Cargo/Fractional/Regional for a long time, if ever. Hence why I intend to fly as much as I'm allowed to until the very end. There's also the chance we make it out through restructuring but I can't count on that.

There is a good chance my best bet is to finish my MBA and look for something else.

tallpilot

This is always the first and best advice.

You correctly surmised a lack of interest while you were a regional pilot (which was the first step in rehabilitating your career) but you have not tried again since being hired at Spirit. You may have had thoughts of staying there in order to not face the prospects of rejection again. But in reality you took the second step in improving your career prospects. Now you are ready for the third. But I would advise seeking out an interview prep service for suggestions on the best way to discuss your background.

You are also correct in realizing that it is better to jump now than waiting until a furlough event dramatically increases the number of qualified pilots searching for work. However most of the time there will be positions available at second and third tier airlines.

Flika

What does P&W payout have to do with sending out your application? Is there a specific number that you think makes a difference?

To answer your questions you can apply anywhere you want, just apply and find out. If you got hired at Spirit, you can get hired elsewhere. You are way overthinking this.

Lastly, If you are really concerned about liquidation now would be the time to leave vs. when all the NK captains hit the market and you are competeting against them.

Excargodog

Wayne Gretzky- YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON't TAKE.

bababouey

You need to go a regional and do the DEC thing. You’re worried that your exit from the navy will always come up, which is why you included it in your story. Multiple 121 success stories and lots of PIC time will make that nothing more than a subnote on your application.

rickair7777

Get interview prep assistance. If your sole issue in the Navy was that you couldn't hit the tanker that should not be a hard showstopper for most majors. Carrier based aircraft? Qualed on the boat, aside from AR?

Especially with two airlines, 121 time and a few types under your belt.

As bababouy said, consider DEC. Not sure I'd jump right into that without first doing an aggressive round of apps and job fairs. I don't *think* the DEC opportunity will dry up over the next couple of years, based on the economy looking like a soft landing.

Bear in mind that it's easier to get hired by a legacy from a LCC, than from a regional who flies their system (metering).

PipeMan

Wish my buddy didn't remind me of this quote to encourage me to approch my now ex-wife that night.