IFlyEm35

Now THAT is classic...and I'm in 100% agreement with you. All of my extra time is spent with my family so my kid doesn't forget who I am as I Ann a commuter as well. Instead of asking if you do volunteer work, they should ask if you are a commuter with a family...and not divorced!

Senior Skipper

I get the idea behind the volunteer work thing, but when you're on reserve, with 11-12 days off, and those days are spent doing other income generating activities to support your regional FO pay, where does one find time to offer his services for free?


Sorry of the long sentence...

Ppants1212

You're correct Juice. Here is where the arrogance is. Does anyone really think that ANY PROFESSIONAL athlete group sits around and ponders if their career is similar to airline pilots? Highly doubt it!

USMCFLYR

Some of you people are taking the comparison far to literally.

727C47

it wasnt always such,when my Uncle was a Brooklyn Dodger back in 50-52 he had to work in the off season to make ends meet,rookie salaries being what they were,many of the old Dodgers took the Subway to Ebbets Field being that they lived in Brooklyn,a different time and place, oh yes,airline captains then? read "Fate is the Hunter",and "The High and the Mighty",a plucky,and rare bunch indeed (no disrespect to our present day intended) : )

Buford

It appears to me that competitive backgrounds are hard to judge these days. It seems that lots of military guys are getting picked up as well as guys with check airman/training backgrounds. It seems that masters degrees also help a lot.

Otherwise, the old rule of highest flight time in the heaviest equipment no longer seems to be true. I would think that a 12,000 tt. heavy capt would have a better chance than a 3,000 tt. turboprop FO, but the turboprop FO still has a chance. Hiring now seems to be spread across a wider spectrum of backgrounds than in the past and covers a wider experience range. I'd consider myself on the high side of the applicant experience range with all the boxes 'ticked' yet my phone isn't ringing with interview invites. I suspect there's an element of computer driven randomness to this whole thing and anyone in the database within reasonable parameters can expect a phone call eventually. Everyone is created equal, just some are more equal than others....

ManFlex

I'd probably hire both. Understanding the way the industry has been, I wouldn't hold it against the FO that he hasn't had the opportunity to upgrade. A masters degree, volunteer work, a position in the training department or working with the safety department would be what I would expect from a well qualified FO in lieu of PIC time.

From what I've seen from my own friends and some of their RJ colleagues is that more of the FOs have a 'fire in their belly' to get out of the regionals and are doing these things. Many of the RJ captains seem content to rest on what they perceive to be the advantage of PIC time. Problem is that there are thousands out there with identical qualifications. They will be waiting a while for the call. But I'm not doing the hiring...

gloopy

Point taken. But its worth mentioning that no one expects a candidate to be Mother Teresa with it. One day a year giving out toys at a Children's hospital will put you miles ahead of your own application with nothing "extracurricular" on it. If you are too busy to do anything like that for a couple years, you can still contribute. Some very worthy organizations have incredibly cheap membership dues. If some of the time you spend with your kids involves helping out assistant coaching with their sports or scouting, etc, that counts too.

They don't expect you to build 10 Habitat homes a year all by yourself.

USMCFLYR

Incredibly good advice and teaches a little humility and good will in the process.

John Carr

Read my response to FTB

But wow, I understand how the industry had been too. So I don't "hold it against" an FO that's had to suck up the dark decade. A furlough, couple CA displacements, etc, I got to be one of the those with a low TPIC compared to TT vs. guys who haven't those things happen. But I'd put the bolded items above any community/volunteer service.

It's weird how it's shifted somewhat from the high stress style of the 90's. EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING was about commitment to career, what you did, what you sucked up/sacrificed to get where you were, etc. What you did in your off time was usually a collateral issue not really regarded.

I would agree, but in the cases that some of the one's that DAL hired in 2010. IE; mostly (I SAY AGAIN MOSTLY) high time/stuck in the right seat FO's from places like Eagle if they're gonna pick from that demographic.