A recent class at Alaska
 

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.

no Whidbey Island Navy guys?

Glad to see that you guys are hiring. Whatever you do, don't let SWA buy you if you can help it. You guys have a great product and should be proud of your airline. Keep on keeping on.

Congrats to all, for the Gig Harbor guys, beers at the Tides on me!

This can not be!
Certain people would have you believe tht any flying in Alaska is fraught with dead ends and NO CHANCE to ever again fly in the lower 48! :) Are you SURE your stats are correct????

I'm glad it has worked out for those people.

USMCFLYR

You don't happen to know a Theodore Caldwell flying for Alaska Airlines do you?

From McChord AFB to Alaska Airlines. Livin' the dream!

Which Alaska regional is LAB?

Laurentian Alpine Brigadiers

Closed now but was a small 135 operator out of Juneau. L.A.B. Flying Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's the way it should be

I didn't see anybody on that list from Buffalo Airways. What gives?

Very glad to see that they're hiring again and that locals are getting on. I never got called for an interview and I can remember getting ****ed after talking to an AS new hire, years back. He was from Skywest, less experience than me, and he REALLY wanted to work for Southwest. I'm still bitter about that.

And they probably wont be able to hold SEA for what....10 years?

Yeah, that may be true, but at least they know one day they won't have to commute. I'll be commuting (snow-birding), the rest of my life.

Maybe because Buffalo Airways primarily flies in the Northwest Territories of CANADA. The OP was commenting on a recent class at Alaska. "Alaska" as in the airline that shares its name with the 49th state of the United States.

You're not suggesting that Alaska insure that a certain percentage of their new hires are Canadian, are you?

I don't have a problem with that, eh! Mookie, get me another beer you hoser.
:)

I don't expect that. With retirements and growth, even our slow growth, I expect a class of about 10 every month from now on. That's not just my opinion. I've heard it from several management types. I been told that classes are slow right now because everyone is need on line and that they should pick up in the fall and winter.

Were you already working for AWA/US during our last hiring wave? I talked to the HR manager in charge of pilot hiring back then and she couldn't understand why a pilot would want to move from one "major" to another. She even asked me about an applicant I knew personally and asked why that person would want to leave Jetblue for Alaska (as if I could answer that question for someone).

Try not to feel too bitter about the ex-SkyWest pilot. People get hired at their second or third choice airline all the time. Perhaps that's what happened to you. Plus these past few years haven't been too kind to those on the bottom 10-15% of the list. Until our recent contract, we were making half of what SWA pilots were and we were facing furloughs or displacements. I bet if you talked to that same pilot today, he'd be singing a different tune about SWA. Things have started to stabilize around here and pilots are always happier when their seniority is moving in the right direction.

As far as the latest hiring rumors go: I talked to the SEA/PDX BCP last week. He said new-hire classes resume in August with the goal of either 60 or 66 pilots new additions by the end of the year. Next year's goal is around 140. He even hinted that we might need to use Boeing sims for the additional capacity. Like Mike said, basically, they're running 10+ new-hires per month with no end in sight.

I'm guessing, with all of this movement, new-hires should be able to get their desired base within a year. Then again, what do I know. These past 5 years have taught me that anything can happen.

Still using the "Silver Bullet" method?

No silver bullet program. I don't think you can get an interview without multiple letters attached to your applications, or a few face-to-face introductions on the job fair circuit.

The Silver Bullet was the Cheif Pilot's gig. We have a new CP these days. He has only been in office a month or two so he's just getting around to making it his own. I have not heard, but I wouldn't be surprised if he set up some sort of referral system.

We are going to hire quite a few pilots over the next few years. Right now it's locals, friends and family, Horizon pilots etc. it won't be long before they have to start looking a little farther afield. if you want to work here, keep up the letters and applications. When I got interviewed many years ago they had every scrap of paper I had ever sent them in my file. Alaska has a long memory.

Amen brother.

When I got hired at AWA, AS was taking a break in hiring and I felt I'd waited long enough. I was already 30 and had worked my way up to CP at the commuter I was at. Most of my time at the commuter I was a check airman. I sat there for one full hiring wave, trying to do all I could to get on at AS, Women in Aviation conferences, personal recs, and etc, never got a call. The culture at AWA has turned so toxic, because of the east-west conflict, I'd toss my 9 years seniority and go to Alaska in a heartbeat. If I couldn't get a call in my prime, I doubt an old guy like me pushing 40 would get on now. Hopefully things will at some point start to improve here at US. Best of luck to the AS new hires, you lucky basterds:D!

Sounds a little chummy, inbred, networked. A little , "Hire me, I'm a friend of your buddy" stuff going on.

Not that there is anything wrong with that....most flying jobs are like that anyway.

They can't NOT interview you because of your age. That is discrimination. So, please don't think that.

Do you know if the Alaskan* Interview/ HR people consider the Hilltop area of Tacoma part of Gig Harbor?

Would it help my chances if I took Fish Freighter out to lunch at Ivar's?

* I do it because I'll enjoy the next few pages of complaints being called a great, full bodied, perfect on a summer day, beer. It could be worse, your company could be called Rainier. Now that's a beer to cry over/ on.:eek:

...good to see the hiring.

I'm at Tides waiting!

Yeah, I know it is, but it still inadvertently happens. I used to be part of the hiring process and I can remember HR stating they wanted to hire within a certain experience range. This didn't absolutely preclude older guys, but it sure took the majority out.
Unfortunately, the rules don't always preclude people from doing the wrong thing.

I don't get the sense that Alaska's range is that narrow. In my new-hire class, we had an ex-Horizon-furloughed United-SkyWest pilot from the Puget Sound area. I know I can look it up, but I would guess that he was in his 40s with 10-15,000 hours.

You just never know. One of my classmates was 48 when I got hired in '01.
We were told in recurrent ground school last week that 350+ pilots are on the way. I'll believe that when I see it!:rolleyes:

LAB: Lookin' At Bears.

Well who knows, maybe I'll try. I have several good friends there to use as recs. Even a couple I helped hire at the commuter, watched them upgrade, get their 1000+ 121 PIC and boom get hired at Alaska. One of them already encouraged me to try.

Reminds me of a Simon and Garfunkel song. Ohhhhhh, I'd rather be a gear puller at Alaska than a Captain at US, oh yes I would, If I ooonnnlly coooould, I surellly wooouuld.

Didn't you say you have 9 years at AWA? Where does that put you overall at AWA? Close to CA?

Alaska was always number one on my list of airlines I wanted to fly for. Unfortunately they never called me in for an interview. Last summer I had some buddies over there contact me to see if I wanted to try again. Now that I'm married, 1 kid + one on the way, mortgage, etc... (responsibilities) I just can't justify going back to the bottom of the seniority list, first year pay (currently over a $100,000/year paycut), little to no control over my schedule, etc...

Top third of the list JetScrew and feel like I'm married to the company now with only 18 years (max) of flying left. I'd expect to be a career F/O at Alaska (which isn't such a bad thing in and of itself), but I just can't do that to my family right now trying to save for college, etc...

You new hires at AS....enjoy your time there! Have fun on your layovers in JNU...head down to the Hangar for some halibut tacos and Ambers. Maybe I'll see you there! Always had and still very much have an affinity for Southeast. Center of my universe!

GP

Ha, ha, unfortunately, not even close. I went back wards thanks to the merger, if we hadn't merged, yes I'd probably be close to captain. I'll leave it at that, since this thread is about Alaska, not US.

When you're done with the tacos and beer don't forget to head over to Pel' meni for some Russian dumplings!

I was 40 with just under 10k hours when I was hired at AS in 2006 and I was 3rd most senior in our class which goes by age. If you want to come here you must apply.

Another testament for a national seniority list. In the meantime, never too late to start over. Amazing how mortgage payments still get paid etc etc. just cut back on jewelry and dining out (probably better for your health anyhow).

Possible but not probable
 

We are all happy for those who were able to get hired at Alaska Airlines. My position is and always has been that it is possible for everything to work out but not probable. I have many friends who are siting captains at Horizon Air and did not even get looked at. They hold similar and usually better resumes but were missing the most important attribute which is a very strong internal contact.

My guess is that most everyone at Horizon Air got hired with the same dream of moving on to AS not to mention Skywest and the rest. The reality is that there is not enough room for most. One needs to calculate the risk versus the rewards of the career. Is it worth it to spend a small fortune and take huge risks when the odds are that the best the average pilot can hope for is to spend their days on the seniority list of a regional?

I have spent the last 25 years studying the hiring practices of AS and believe there is a pattern. Unless you are well connected a fat resume holds little value. There will be retirement and some movement however it still is a small company that is facing stiff competition. There are plenty of people on the inside track to supply the needs of HR.

Skyhigh

Key factor in getting hired. Keep the ball on the fairway at Canterwood. If you slice or hook it into one of the senior CA house then you are hosed. Good thing I am such a good golfer.