Welcome. Yes, that's the way it worked in '06. Word on the street back then was that they had some previous non-Heavy new-hires. Since all the junior guys were starting out in PANC, that meant they had to start off flying the MD11, which is legendary for its landing challenges. When more than one of these guys packed it on, costing the Company Million$, they stopped hiring guys without the minimums I described above.

That was bad for non-Heavy guys, but a Godsend for guys like me. It was also a bit of sweet justice from back in the late 90s. Back then, UAL was the sh!t-hot airline for whom everyone wanted to work. They wouldn't even give AMC chumps like me the time of day. It was exclusively a club for fighters, white jets, and minorities. I swear to God, all the UAL pilots I knew were WAY too cool to be associating with other pilots who didn't fly for United. But I don't want to bash those guys now. They've eaten a gigantic piece of humble pie since then, which has straightened out any arrogance they had before.

Back when they stopped hiring, I heard UPS had 10,000 current applicants on file who had at least those minimums, to put things in perspective. Out of those, between 1 and 2% got hired.

You're right, the Golden Boys were the geniuses who got their rocks off flying the fast movers for a tour, then moved over to AMC Guard or Reserve to see the World, and actually survive by bumming, while building a stellar resume for the airline of their choosing if/when the military work dries up.

For God and Country

Couldn't have said it better myself. I never understood that mentality. I knew IPs at Luke who were screaming to everyone how they were getting out and going to UAL. I watched as the furlough came and the concessions started.. poor bastards.