Best Cadet Programs?
 

Currently I am pinned down between SkyWest and Envoy for a cadet program, and I do not want to commit just yet without the full facts. Which regional will get me to the majors the quickest? If I want to fly for Delta, but work at Envoy, would they still take me? If I work at SkyWest, would American feel more inclined to hire a SkyWest pilot over an Envoy pilot? Which one pays more? There has been a competition going on at my school to recruit pilots between these two airlines. I know people don’t like helping others make decisions but I would like to get more knowledge directly from the opinions outside of bias from my school.

Yes Delta would hire you from Envoy. My suggestion is SkyWest. Next time both of them come by ask if they have ever furloughed a pilot in their history.

SkyWest can answer no, Envoy... Well maybe not under the name Envoy, but as AE they did furloughs​.

Go to the place that'll give you the best QOL and a call from mainline will follow. If you go to one that makes you grumpy you'll wear that to job fairs etc and prolong your stay in the regional airlines.

I honestly wouldn't bother with a cadet program. Go to a school that won't put you into a massive amount of debt. The way the regionals are hiring you can get picked up by any one of them. Just keep your record clean. Majors don't care where you have worked, same deal just keep your record clean, and be a well-rounded applicant. There are many guys from PSA going to Delta, while there are guys from Endeavor going to United. If you don't mind me asking, What school are you looking at?

Do not borrow a penney to get to the airlines. There is no guarantee of making it to mainline. If you want to do it pay cash and find the cheapest way possible.

Go Sioux . But I will choose envoy. Think about this. Everyone over there loves skywest but at the end of the day your are going into a pool that you might not get out with out going to a LCC.

Go to the military...best "cadet" pilot training program out there and almost a guarantee that you'll get to a major without a heap of dept.

In all seriousness, take a hard look at your financial situation and what your situation will be when you come out the other side after flight training. I'd lean towards the one that keeps me the farthest out of dept. If you are talking about which airline to go to three years from now after you finish training, your guess is as good as anyone's on here because the industry is changing very fast.

Nailed it, but it is also one of the longest programs you could sign up for, especially if you don't have the degree.

People are still getting tied into cadet programs? I didn't know it was still 2009. Don't get yourself tied down to anyone. The pilots are in control of their destiney now getting hired. One airline could be awesome today and terrible tomorrow and vice versa. When the time comes and you get your hours. Just apply like normal and you'll get a call, probably even within 48 hours. It's about as hard to get hired at a regional as it is getting a job at McDonald's now a days. From your user name, don't let your professors try and tell you "how hard it is" to get a call. Most of them have been out of the industry for over a decade and the ones that did were only their for a very short while. They told me a lot of bs about how things are "out there" because all they hear is the mainline recuitors come in and talk about how they only take perfect people along with the over zealous regional recruiters. Go Sioux.

With that kind of thinking, I guess no one should apply at AA, UA or DL either.

Mesa has a newly announced cadet program with Southern Airways Express. You get to go from a cool 135 job to an even cooler 121 jet job. And they have the 175's out of the jungle too!