Ab initio begins at jetBlue
 

It begins... This ought to help keep wages down.

From the company:

"JetBlue Pilots,

We are pleased to announce that JetBlue is developing an innovative talent pathway for those seeking to become pilots at JetBlue. In keeping with tradition, we’re calling it Gateway 7. This particular Gateway program will allow an applicant, if successful, to start with no flight time and become a JetBlue pilot after completing a rigorous training program. The first question that may come to mind is, “Why is JetBlue creating another Gateway program when we have thousands of qualified applicants every time we open our application window?”

Like our other Gateway programs, candidates build experience and training at their own expense and are not JetBlue Crewmembers until successfully completing their multi-year
Gateway program. Essentially, Gateway 7 is just our latest addition to JetBlue’s leading suite of recruitment programs for future JetBlue pilots. All other Gateways will continue, including our popular Gateway 2 (Bluedarts), Gateway 6 (University program) and the standard Gateway 1 (off the street). For more information on Gateways – please reference your FOM.

As you are all aware, in the United States, the traditional path to becoming a professional pilot is primarily based on an accumulation of hours approach and mainly focuses on single-pilot, single- or multi-engine operations in small general aviation aircraft. As professionally trained pilots ourselves, we know that it takes more than logging hours to be a successful pilot in today’s modern environment.

Since the cost and time of the traditional civilian pilot career path is becoming increasingly prohibitive for the average aspiring pilot, a new approach is needed. Gateway 7 will take a more competency-based approach and will optimize the training of prospective airline pilots by offering early exposure to multi-crew/multiengine operations, full motion simulator training, crew resource management, and threat and error management. We believe that by offering more ways to meet those diverse interests, strengths and backgrounds, we’ll be able to continue to find the best pilots in the industry long into the future.

Competency-based training programs are in use within the U.S. military and among leading international airlines. For those of you who have not experienced this first-hand, the U.S. military has very successfully used this type of highly structured method to train their pilots for decades. As such, we referenced guidance from the various military and ICAO training programs in the development of the Gateway 7 program.

Although still in the final phases of development, Gateway 7 will also be a highly-structured, high-quality training program. After completing the first several phases of training, the pilot trainee will accumulate 1,500 hours of flight time required for the issuance of an unrestricted ATP, in full compliance with existing FAR’s. Once the pilot candidate successfully completes the Gateway program and is selected to be a JetBlue pilot, s/he will be hired and complete the JetBlue qualification program, which will include a modified and extended version of IOE. Multiple stage checks and end-of-course tests ensure the pilot trainee’s progression according to the Practical Test Standards requirements of the FAA. We believe that our oversight of the entire training continuum and the candidates' early exposure to multi-engine/multi-crew operations will become a leading training option for pilots interested in Part 121 operations at JetBlue.

The Gateway 7 training program will be demanding. Therefore, we need to ensure trainees have a high probability of success. To support this, we are putting a rigorous Gateway 7 application process into place. Candidate screening will be a critical component of this process, just as it is for military pilot candidates before they are selected for flight school. Our goal is to ensure that our Gateway 7 selection assessments, currently in development, will help us choose well-qualified candidates who have the character traits and aptitude that ideally suit them for a career as pilots at JetBlue. The first stage of this process is data accumulation. Our talent department is working with a third-party business partner to help develop the multi-stage, rigorous selection process.

To help us validate the screening assessment we are developing, we are seeking assistance from current JetBlue pilots. Look for a follow up email in the coming days with more details regarding the assessment and how you can play an integral part in shaping this important aspect of the program – the process by which we will select candidates for Gateway 7.

In closing, Gateway 7 will officially launch in the coming weeks and we will announce the selection process and timeline later this year. Based on our training capacity, we are planning to begin with about 24 pilot trainees in the spring 2016 inaugural class. As a result, the program’s first graduating class of First Officers is projected to be ready to join the line in 2020, approximately four years after starting the program.

Stay tuned for more details on Gateway 7."

The email is short on details. Are we footing the bill for all training? Since it appears to be a 4 year program, does it involve Cape Air or another regional?

Pay? Are they paid less? That will be a huge key.

Didn't get past this part of it:

"Why is JetBlue creating another Gateway program when we have thousands of qualified applicants every time we open our application window?”

Tough to argue with themselves when they make valid points contradictory to their plans.

I'm not thrilled with this development. That said, at least this was announced while we are negotiating the CBA. This way, rates, seniority, etc for the AB intro guys can be integrated into the CBA.


EDIT: to clarify. The AB intro guys should be paid what the rest of us are paid at Blue once they get online. The issue with the CBA is how the applicant will be paid in the AB intro training, before moving on to JetBlue aircraft.

What about the fact that JetBlue will be using earnings produced by pilots on property to pay for training pilots who haven't produced ANYTHING with the express purpose of undercutting pay/hiding earnings? This has to be nipped in the bud right now. Oh glorious ALPA I'm looking at you.

I started to write a long post, stopped half way, just deleted it all and just shook my head. That basically sums up what I was going to say anyway. This is a horrible idea.

At least ALPA feels the way I do!

I know quite a few no voters here. This is exactly why we need a union.

These pilots will only be as good as the first day they start.

"...just as it is for military pilot candidates before they are selected for flight school. Our goal is to ensure that our Gateway 7 selection assessments, currently in development, will help us choose well-qualified candidates who have the character traits and aptitude that ideally suit them for a career as pilots at JetBlue."

Since they're taking notes from the military, new candidates can go through a full Fitness Assessment (aka PT test): push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a timed distance ruck run. Instead a ruck, maybe they will be required to carry their luggage and the Captain's luggage during the assessment. ;)

Glad to see our official union stance on this is... DO NOT PARTICIPATE.

I wonder whose brain child idea this is? This is right up there with the Lodge. Hope the union can put this out of its misary better than they dealt with the lodge.

Well, this regional guy just crossed JB off his list.

And that's exactly what they want.

GP

I wonder how long the training contract will be if JB fronts the entire flight training bill...
Most of the Chinese carriers who send their pilots to train in the U.S. have training contracts for the entirety of their careers.

Wasn't something with ExpressJet just announced as well? Or is this a partnership with ExpressJet?

That was something separate, but equally confusing, with Expressjet.

The most important part of their selection process will be the psych testing. They'll be looking for pushover management wannabees and easily-manipulated "yes" people.

They will in effect try to breed ALPA off the property by flooding the pipeline with spineless but useful idiots.

Blue juice enemas will be incorporated into all phases of training.

Qualified pilots get hired by JB, qualified pilots turn around to go for more lucrative job at legacy or cargo(no offense to present employee group). If 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 leave; expensive and time consuming. Solution; a training contract with a long length of stay.

I think indentured servitude laws are still on the books here...

Yes, I would like to know the answer to this...that message got to be a little too long; didn't read combined with plenty of W T F moments.

They won't be paid anything because they do not work for JetBlue until they pass whatever training course this is. Nor should they be. What a ridiculous program.

Yep, after crossing off JetBlue now, and American and Delta with their flows and the rest (SWA, FDX, UPS) with a plethora of military applicants to chose from you should think about changing your name and just starting over. Might be quicker! Only four years!

Who cares how people get here? Don't they start to fly fighters with way less then 1500hr in the militaries?
It sounds like the candidates will pay for their own training. For sure once they are here they will think just like the rest of us. For their interests.
And with a CBA in place I doubt they could have any difference in contract.

The biggest issue we have now it's the policy FLIGHT NOW, GRIEVE LATER.
We should be talking about that instead. The union should not promote and support this, it's a license for the schedulers to use any rule as toilet paper.
If something it's clearly against the rules, we should have the option to say NO, or to cut a deal for extra pay, compensatory days off, etc. etc.
Here, I said it...

Just a small detail, who pays for the 4 year/flight training? If the candidate pays they would surely not be contracted to JB in any way. I guess I am missing something here unless JB is footing the bill, then yes indentured servitude comes to mind. Ugh, is this what the future looks like? Instead of attracting candidates lets contract them when their still young.

Sucks big time for all the regional FO's and CA's who heave labored away for years hoping for a shot. It certainly stings. Great for the folks selected, a damn lucky group of guys (and gals) for sure.

JetBlue must seriously be worried about the quality of pilots left in the future to even consider this.

I'm wondering how many guys at the regionals are unhirable from a mainline viewpoint?

As a former military member I wouldn't be too quick to compare a new training program to the 'military' standard. Rucker and the AF C-130 program consistently produce the worst pilots that I've ever had the privilege of sharing the flight deck with. I hold Alaskan bush Beach 1900 pilots in higher regard than a lot of our military trained pilots. I can however see the merits of training guys/gals in an Airbus from day one as more beneficial than time building in a Cessna 210. The key will be keeping these eager beavers from driving down hard earned pay and benefits gains. Otherwise we become a bunch of SJS regional pilots driving Airbus/Boeing equipment.

They are and it is legal. The trucking industry has been doing this for a little over two decades.

Really ? No one can learn ? You are an idiot.

Dafuq? What's your military experience?

Just some issues:
- it "cheapens" the work all others have put into this career. It has taken many pilots years of flying and experience to get to this level.
- "just happy to be here" times 10000. These guys will walk into a CBA and a major airline job making 50K+ and 100k+ within a few years at likely 25 years old. It will be hard to believe they will stand with their fellow pilots on issues our Union fights.
- day VFR will be an emergency.
- they will likely be great guys and girls and fun to be around, will have great CRM and know the planes and their systems well. They will probably also do well reading a QRH when needed. When it really hits the fan and I need someone to brainstorm with and bounce ideas off of it's nice to have experience. You simply don't know what you don't know. This doesn't have to be single engine over mountains, this could be divert under marginal weather and fuel issues while working one or two other minor problems.
- upgrade. We will now need an hour requirement like a regional...seniority + 6000 hours. These pilots may get the 190 out of training and after 2.5 years, no equipment lock and get the 320 left seat in Kennedy. Get called out on an island red eye turn on reserve and their FO is....another an initio pilot.

We foot zero of the bill until they are on property and once they are here, they are paid per the contact. It's dissapointing we are lowering the bar when we have so many qualified applicants. The ONLY reason we are doing this is for attrition, these pilots will never leave...because no one else would hire them.

Just a guess, but pretty sure it wasnt rated.

Pretty sure one of our guys on BP.com nailed it.
This is nothing more than an F&H negotiating tactic.

What will you give up to make this go away? I hope nothing. Let them spin this up and watch it fail, just like "thanks is for not flying".

Solution; compensate your people appropriately and they will stay.

Maybe they mean by the "military standard" is that they will be unafraid to attrite people from the program.
The main thing that helps the military build low time pilots to send around the world is the fact that since they are not a business, they can freely waste resources, and often do.
They have improved the attrition of late by better screening and pre-flight trying flying aptitude lessons, but just 20 years ago the military would freely attrite student pilots throughout the training pipeline and unless you were in a protected class, you were done.
Most businesses would be incapable and unwilling to adopt that type of program.

I won't give up anything. They can work the radios and swing the gear. Ask a guy who spent 10 years in the regionals what they think about this.

We have interns running the company, why not the cockpit.

Absolutely no reason to give anything on this.

Someday the company will come crying to us that we have too many senior pilots on year 12 pay and zero attrition. Count on that.

what an absolutely horrible airline.

Yes this will fail. Just like when Spirit was hiring 250hr guys straight from Riddle before the rule of ATP requirement. Failed. No other way.

Can we now focus on the Fly Now Grieve Later, horrible policy?
If we allow that we are too weak. And few bucks months and months form now will not compensate for the time lost.
Am I really the only one concern with that?