I’ve been in multiple “cults” over the year.

Multiple flying squadrons in the AF…we worked hard and played hard, thought we were the best and enjoyed life defending our country

SWA for 20 years. When I first joined the “cult-ire” it was Herb’s culture and the original pilots who passed that along…all the big boys thought we were junk and 2nd class because Herb was a “disruptor” in the industry. History showed he was right and they were wrong.

XO had great “cult-ure” until it got infected by the Vista virus. Everybody was working hard and proud to work there but Malta brought in a different philosophy/culture and it failed miserably.

From the beginning the Baker CEO and those he brought on wanted to create a “squadron” type of feel, some might say “cult”.

He was told by many his model wouldn’t work,
buying old mx infected X’s,

got to have a full up website to begin with,

fly the X at FL 430,rarely 450 and never above that, too dangerous they said,

u have to have your engines on an engine program and pay thousands of dollar each month,

the parts/logistics supply chain for the X is dying and u can’t support it,

your laudable based 50% on how may hours u fly will turn off pilots and u won’t be able to attract applicants

All of the above and much more have all been proven wrong by the naysayers/trolls

We do hire pilots who we hope understand enforcing standards, going the extra mile for the customers, whining is discouraged, mentoring/training new pilots is a given and who love to fly a lot and who aren’t coming in to Baler with “my way of flying the X/CL or the highway” type mentality.

No one comes on an interview and states the opposite of these cultural givens but once they are here, it becomes obvious over time who is cutting it and who isn’t…no worries, opposite directions are chosen and Baker isn't butt-hurt because we spent time/money training someone who is not who they said they are.

However that can not be said for those who fall into that category and rage on forums about their former employer or employees…because they can, and because admitting it was themselves that is the problem and not the employer is too big a pill to swallow…that’s call pride, one of the deadly sins.

We at Baker are proud of what we are building and if people wish to apply and possibly join the
“cult-ure”, we encourage that but berating those who choose another option or those who have left Baker isn’t our MO but when trolls disparage the company, well, we simply respond with facts to address the issue which was done many posts ago. No surprise, no admission of error on the part of the original poster.

Will let the lurkers and readers determine which party is to believed.

Interested in working for the Baker cult, visit the Baker Aviation website, need A&P and pilots who meet the quals listed in the website.

We will roll out the Baker Cult merch soon so get your orders in quickly before we sell out.

Our “cult-ure” benefits are below. https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/...baker_aviation

 

I know it is an extremely lush market for pilots right now, curious if you have any thoughts on when/if Baker will advertise for NON typed SICs? I understand the cost savings having a typed applicant, I just curious.

Thanks again

 

DayFlyer,

Your assessment of the hiring pool is accurate but I would bet a in 3/6/9 months it will look very different IF the majors continue to trend in the direction they are going with more new hires. In Baker's situation we know we will need 140+ pilots in '26 (we've probably hired a dozen or more to begin filling out the new plane arrivals). Add to that the normal attrition of pilots leaving for other positions, Baker will be in a hiring mode clearly for awhile....I would suspect as the '26 unfolds, conditions may very well see the very scenario you are hoping for...non-typed applicants being accepted but it is impossible to predict wheni/if that will occur.

Bottom line, apply regardless and continue to prove your worth with upgrade opportunities, ATP completion, etc. Good luck!

 

Just took the first step… registered to take my ME ATP checkride!

Thanks for the advise Chase

 

Just wanted to tag on to Roy's post here.. we have hired 70 or so pilots since we started the push in November. 55 starting Jan/Feb/Mar with signed offer letters.

 

Nice, hope they’re ready to be over promised and under compensated!

 

Correct me if I’m incorrect with my analysis. I’m a former 119 post holder and 121 aviator. We were allowed to purchase as many aircraft as we wanted to. Yay! However, these aircraft would be nothing more than hangar queens, or advertising billboards. The operator had to demonstrate to the POI and PMI there there was sufficient support from within the entire company. This pertains to operations and maintenance. Been there when we had one bird on the property with 3 going through conformity checks. I would think that CFR 135 operations have to satisfy the same requirements? All the best for 2026.

 

Wow.

This thread is a roller coaster.

 

They were promised they'd fly a lot. If they don't fly as much as has been posted, and only fly the usual Part 135 hours, they'll do fine. Same with the pay - it's there in black and white. That's very nice Part 135 pay at the typical 400-500 hrs a year Part 135 rate. It's even better at the higher yearly flying time totals that Chase has said people need to be prepared to fly.

You're a mechanic that's complaining to pilots 'don't go there' yet you're not posting to fellow mechanics on this website 'don't go there.'

Pilot friend of mine who went to Baker enjoyed it. So it's confusing - should I listen to a pilot friend, who enjoyed it, or to a mechanic, who I don't know, saying that I won't enjoy being a pilot there? In reality it's not that tough a decision.

 

Captjns,

What you described I suspect did and does happen with some 135 operators. I've been with the CEO shortly after he took over Baker in Jul '22...started with 3 and as he said, he would not add a 4th airplane until he was making money with 3. That has been the MO here for the last 3.5 years. He brought on 2 CLs initially and for a year tested the waters...it has proven beneficial enough to make the agreement with FJ for 20 more. The speed at which these new airplanes come on the certificate is dependent upon training slots (which Baker is not having difficulty in getting support from Flight Safety) for the new pilots.

No doubt it is a balancing act of having bodies match airplane and then having sales match those expectations. If past is predictive of future events, I say Baker will do well in that area.