Pancake

Well, since you asked, I do have 3 speeding tickets. I knew that BMW I met in Germany was gonna be trouble. But it was worth it!

Adlerdriver

I understand. I was just goofing and didn't take your post as self-promotion. You've got the quals and most, if not all the squares filled and you're still waiting. Many of us joke (sort of) that we couldn't get hired at our own company today.
It will happen and it sounds like you have the right attitude - the Guard is a huge plus, too. Good Luck.

papyco

I know how you feel bro. Im a 2,000hr mil guy. I had been attending career fairs for a year and a half, networked like crazy, done the interview prep, got the ATP and I could not get a call from a major. Luckily, I was able to get in a reserve squadron prior to exiting active duty. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of affiliating with a reserve squadron after you leave active duty. The reserves will keep you current without having to fly for a regional. Also, the network of airline guys at a typical reserve squadron is outstanding. Just make sure you take the gouge of some of the airline guys with a grain of salt. Hiring advice from a guy who has not been in the job hunt for years can be considered very suspect.

After all the trials and tribulations, I got a call from UAL and eventually got the job offer. So don't get discouraged, join the reserves and you will be fine. Drop that letter and never look back. I'm glad I did.

hawgdriver

Pancake. You're a ginger. No one is going to hire you.

Grumble

^^^This^^^

Same boat, same quals. I couldn't even get a call from a regional. Did manage to land a guard job, then a buddy of mine managed to hook me up with a meeting with his chief pilot. Call for the interview came a month later. You meet the mins and are qualified, now you need to work to separate yourself from the pack.


Guys want to leave the cockpit with their souls.

Pancake

It's my freckles, isn't it...

hawgdriver

In all seriousness though, Pancake is doing the right thing. My opinion is that with all the majors hiring, they will burn through the high time resumes fairly quick and they will be looking at guys with 2000-3000TT soon. I think some of the regionals know this and is why some guys are not getting hired. You're going to go through training, get a couple hundred hours under your belt of 121 experience and jump to the first major that hires you. Before I joined the military and I was flying corporate/CFI I racked about 80-100 hrs a month. I fly about 250-350/yr as a military pilot. The majors know this and realize that a 11-12 yr military guy has a lot of experience. A busy RJ pilot can get 700-800 hrs/yr.

BL: Keep flying. Go to a RJ if you can and play the waiting game. Or you could guard bum. We are just seeing the start of this hiring surge

roscoef16

Agree with all...
For perspective, I chose to jump out now, with the goal of moving up as soon as possible. Quals weren't an issue: 3800 TT, 3000+ TPIC, F16 EP/IP, B-52, 2Master's (that I don't/won't use), plenty of night and everything else most of us already have. What was an issue? Last flight was 1 yr ago. Added the ATP and decided a wide net was needed. So. I hit the regionals, received interviews and offers...and picked one. Yes, its a huuuuge pay cut. But, retirement pay helps and I don't think any of us are sitting on a regional as our final goal. I could be wrong. The BL is to realize that if the boom really does hit, posturing yourself may have different meanings to just about everyone out there. For me, it was flying something now. For you, you may be able to walk mil-civ direct. Either way, get ready as everyone has said and stay optimistic.

Stitches

Getting a call is extremely difficult when hardly any calls are going out. Who has hired in the past 12 months? Maybe a handful of guys at FedEx & UCal.

If you're a 2000hr+ mil guy with all the checks in the blocks I bet you're going to be singing a different tune in the next 12-24 months.

DAL starts in November, UCal will continue, AA is about to open their app window, SWA's is open now, I expect FedEx will start up again next summer/fall and hiring should continue for all of them as they all have retirements.

I expect that you'll see 1,500 or more guys hired next year vs. the 500 or so this year. Things are looking up.

Humboldt

Hired in 2007, interviewed with 4: CAL, DAL, NWA and AirTran.

Time: 3000TT of which 1500 didn't count (helicopter) and 1400 C-130.

Riddle for the day. Passed 3 of the 4 interviews and currently work for the one that showed me the door, how's that?

Moral of the story, network, network.