Please don't get me wrong, I am THRILLED to get a chance to work for Delta. My dream is to fly international, I am just saying that it is always good to have options and I hope I am not kicking myself later for spending the money on the type.

DT

 

Straw man my friend. Old and tired propostion. In 1990, my Navy buds typically had 2-3 job offers, (DAL, AMR, UAL, FedEx, SWA, NWA) HR dept's simply interviewed till they met the numbers. No limit on interviews. Professionally, HR is not offended. It's business, OBTW, they will furlough us without any thought either. Just filling the numbers.

HR will call who they want to interview, DAL will interview until they get what they want. HR depts realize that smart pilots will pursue as many viable options as possible.
DAL is a great company among several great companies. SWA and DAL are two intelligent options that would naturally be on many pilots lists. Having two options is just plain smart. Not wasted at all!

 

SaltyDog,

I agree with you until a point. We all have backup plans. I had been hired to SWA when I went to my Delta interview, however I was not going to waste a training slot by going to SWA then leave to come to Delta if they called. It is one thing to be looking for a job and applying to everyone that is hiring if they fit the bill. It is quite another to imply that you might jump ship if SWA calls. Why would we waste the training slot?

I would question the thought processes of an individual that would post something like that on a public forum. Let's see has an interview date of 21 Aug, will have a nice new B-737 type on his temporary license and appears to be a former C-12 pilot (Navy type I believe). Not too hard to narrow that field down.

 

DALMD88FO,
"Why would we waste the training slot?"

No statistics, but empirically, I would guess he would not leave. After 9-11, everything is open to be reassessed right up until the last minute though. That is business. Just like any carrier that cancels a class date or furloughs them in training. Options held open.
In this case, He is at DAL, thrilled would be my guess, SWA would call to offer the class and , IMO, he would politely decline. That is what I have often observed. He is simply torn between two fantastic pilot groups and jobs, really what one does at the moment of truth is base it on ???. As mentioned, they usually stay where they are, but another big event could occur, and it could cause one to evaluate when/if the opportunity arose. Folks here at UPS left in droves from the 90's to return to DAL when they were recalled. Now, they are not leaving , but I talked to alot of UAL folks who bypassed recall till required to resign. Why? it's business and no one begrudged them when they left before. HR didn't, because they went back and hired furloughed legacy folks again!!
I believe it is the way we are wired. Kind of like answering the questions airborne, Which way best around the buildups, always looking ahead and playing "what if's"
Really, I suspect in person we are much closer in agreement. Just tough to type a million words <g>. FWIW, I kicked a fellow Navy bud out of the squadron back when DAL started calling in 97. He came in with the app and I told him to go home, fill it out and overnight it back to ATL. He asked why!!!! In any case he did and was in the first class of off the street guys. I wanted to work there, but had already started UPS so didn't bother to waste the interview Hope you don't tube this guy.

 

Nothing has been said, at least not by me. We have a lot of Delta guys read this forum (ok we look at the pictures and someone reads it to us) though.

 

If you have the GI Bill, it's worth a few extra bucks to get the type. If not, I wouldn't waste the money. SWA will interview you without the type and give you 6 months (the time spent waiting on a DB) to get one. My guess though is you will be thoroughly impressed with DAL once you go to the interview. It's a very professional process, and if you're fortunate, you'll know your fate about 1400 on 21 AUG. You spoke of terminal leave in a previous post...I took normal leave for my initial 2 week indoc and came back to flying in the NAV while I am waiting for my 88 class date. Double dipping if you will. I will go on terminal just prior to my class date and sell back the rest of my leave. Just a thought, but for me, I'd rather be flying than sitting on my "arse" for 3 weeks, and it's more money in my pocket in the end. You are about to take a massive pay cut no matter where you go!

 

Rhino,

I am hoping to get hired by DAL and would like a class date as early as possible. I think they would/will be great to fly for. I want to get back to flying international.

 

My take is that it's DAL or bust in so far as the current group of hiring "legacies"... WN, and UPS are the only other two I'd take. Otherwise, I am convinced I'd do better by my family outside full time aviation. Your backup plan need not be another major airline, just because it's a major airline.. there are many other ways out there to earn $120-$200K/yr

 

How junior is LAX for Delta? Does anyone get it out of class? What is the flying like out there on the 757/767? How about the 767ER?

 

I'd also be interested in where CVG stacks up on seniority?