Actually, you could hired with zero hours back then.

 

Yep, I think they did some testing and then hired them if they had a commercial instrument in the next 6 months or something along those lines. That ws a long time ago though have not heard of that for a long time.

 

I can think of 3 friends that had nothing nice to say about Colgan ... mid 90s era ... FWIW

 

You're probably right, but when I first applied to them in the late 80's, that was their MINIMUM hourly requirement and was what was needed to get an application to apply. Many here think that if that's the minimum requirement, then that's how many hours are goint to get you hired. I highly doubt it. I know a LOT of ex-military pilots flying at the commuter/regional level. When they left the military, many only had 1000 hours..........of B-1/B-52/Harrier/etc.... time. Hours mean nothing.........experience and skill do. That is my point. People need to get off this "he was hired with 550 hours stuff so he HAS TO BE unqualified. Your best insurance up front is a good, smart, and skilled pilot. In spite of that, I have seen pilots with 1000's of hours who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag.

 

Totally agree ewr with what you are saying Ewr. I knew that was on the application form, I am not sure but those numbers might have had something to do with a fed lawsuit of some type years ago.

 

you are absolutely correct but i doubt your friends with 1000TT are going to be applying to a horrible company such as colgan or great lakes unless they are absolutely forced into that situation. With 1000 hours hopefully they know better and value themselves more than <20 grand a year. That is my argument. New hires who value their skills as a pilot so low that they wont be able to pay their bills? A quick upgrade is great when you have talented, skilled pilots... but when you have people who are willing to accept the horrible pay, horrible maintenance, horrible working contract,... your pool of competent pilots dwindles. You just have the guys trying to get out easy with quick pic time no matter what ex-colgan pilots say or how bad the operation is.

Total hours dont mean dick but a little common sense, research into this industry, and talking to other pilots.... your not going to be applying to colgan.

 

Sweet, he just said d*ck.

You need experience. 1000 hours is not enough...

We may be pilot heavy now, yet in a year or two, there will be another pilot hiring demand. And it will continue with the global market expanding.

The real question at hand is, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND QUALITY/EXPERIENCED PILOTS??? If you can answer that question, you can begin to solve the problem.

 

well with RAH flying 190's... the next hiring boom will probably be at the regionals. We are on a slippery slope to an all international mainline and "regional" domestic.