Originally Posted by Da40Pilot

Guys....the pilot shortage that is currently being experienced at an ALARMING rate with all regional airlines is just the preface to what is going to become a storm of epic proportions. Do NOT worry about who has a flow and who doesn't - everyone who gets into the game today will have a guaranteed job at a major 5 years from now very similarly to how easy it is to get a job with ANY regional today.

The pool of qualified and able regional airline captains WILL EVENTUALLY DRY UP, and so will off the street hires. The airline industry is safe for another few years before the actual pilots that will have to come to the rescue are those who are just turning 1500 hours.....and those are not being produced very quickly either.

Everyone is so worried about a flow and not being part of it. Remember just a few years ago, schools like ATP, and interview prep companies like Kit Darby and Emerald Coast were making BANK by flaunting their "regional airline" agreements and connections. Remember when ATP was (and I think still is) charging a ridiculous $1500 to provide you interview prep with REPUBLIC??????? ROTFLMAO.

Fast forward 2-3 years....and now we are getting to pretty much pick the regional we want to fly for and the regionals themselves are doing everything in their power to treat the new wave with utmost respect because they know how easy it will be to lose them to anyone else in today's market.

Looking at the outlook, the growth of the legacies, their airplane orders, the retirements, etc......the current 9000 regional airline pilots will most likely only take care of legacy retirement issues over the next 5 years....without even taking into effect the fact that all 3 legacies have 500+ aircraft orders coming in - just in the next few years.

3-5 years from now, majors will be opening their doors to ANYONE with the qualifications required, no matter where they come from - in the same way that regionals are doing it now. It's a no brainer.

Originally Posted by Skyvector

The "pilot shortage" gamble has failed pilots generation after generation. For those who think the Majors will be begging Regional pilots for their services because of some mythical pilot shortage...head on over to the Major forums. Specifically the "who's been hired" thread.

Take a look at the qualifications of everybody who is being hired by AA, Delta, and United off the street. It's primarily military pilots...specifically military pilots with IP time. Sure, Regional Captains round out the numbers...but you want to wait at the back of the line and compete with an ex C-17 instructor who flew ops in and out of Afghanistan? Go right ahead. Want to pay thousands of dollars to attend job fairs and throw just as much to interview prep companies? Go right ahead. Maybe that mythical pilot shortage will save you one day. Maybe not.

The rest of us have insurance in the form of a no interview flow though. Pilots at Envoy and Piedmont have already had their Major interview. Call it what you will...but I'll take those odds vs the alternative.

Originally Posted by Skyvector

PSA pilots CAN NOT be hired at AA "off the street". Are you even aware of that tidbit from your own contract? While you think about that think about this: Envoy pilots CAN interview and be hired at American Airlines outside of our flow...and many have been.

Originally Posted by pagey

Where exactly in our contract does it say we cannot be hired? Please either provide a section number, or paste a quote.

O right....You can't, because it isn't in there.

Are you even aware of THAT?

Go away.

Originally Posted by Skyvector

So one of PSA's biggest cheerleaders isn't even aware of his airline's limitations? Hilarious but consistent.

It's painfully obvious how ignorant to your own airline you are...which explains why you are PSA's biggest cheerleader. Don't take my word for it. Go ask around if PSA pilots can be hired off the street at AA....please do and report back. I'm not going to hold your hand and educate you on aspects of your airline you should already be aware of.

Originally Posted by pagey

So you aren't going to give me a section number or a quote?

Originally Posted by Skyvector

To kick things off, a PSA Captain who is also a recruiter stood up. According to her, she is having a hard time "selling" PSA to potential recruits. First and foremost it's becuase PSA: "Doesn't have a flow as good as Envoy's".

Currently, a pilot entering PSA has a 20 year (TWENTY YEAR) wait before interviewing with AA. Remember PSA doesn't have a flow. She mentioned how current First Officers, IF THEY ARE LUCKY have a TEN year wait before interviewing with AA.

Then she brings up how this is affecting morale and begs Doug Parker for changes.

Doug Parker's answer: "I don't know". He then asks for help from Jim Thomas, who tells her point blank:

"There are only so many spots. There are our off the street hires and ENVOY FLOW THROUGHS so there are only so many we can take from PSA."

Doug then says, "but hey, thanks for what you are doing." LOL...he brushed her off really quick.

Originally Posted by tom11011

Behind the scenes over at AA the PSA flow is already in the works. It's going to scale up to 25 per month based on number of pilots on the PSA seniority list. AA knows other regionals are going to fail this year and next year and they want those pilots.