SKYW Poolies and the latest...
 

I just heared the latest word from a SAPA rep that the next groundschool won't be untill at least AUG. I know things change by the minute but I figured those in the pool might want to know. Hopefully SKYW is keeping you guys informed on this.

DD

I can see the next RJ new hire class not being until August but I was recently told that 10 more new hires will be placed in the May 5th EMB class.

But who knows, things change.

If I was a betting man I would bet on SKW continuing to run small EMB new hire classes (10 or so pilots per class per month) with a few transition classes (EMB FO to CRJ FO) beginning in June with no RJ new hire classes happening until August or later.

I was told that there are 16 New Hires in the 5/5 EMB class. I asked how many were in the class when I was talking with SkyWest about arrangements for the April 7 class.

thanks for the update DitchDog.


Soooo, with the classes being pushed back, does anyone know if there are still hiring into the pool?

I applied, meet their mins. but have yet to hear back after one week.

They are still interviewing from what I've been told and as long as they’re interviewing they will continue to hire into the pool. You never know what the future holds so SKW will be prepared for whatever might happen. If you get hired my advice is ask for the EMB.

We'll see, but I'll see you in SLC on April 7th. Study your Pre-Class EP&L Packet (Emergency Procedures and Limitations).

And I guess they are still firm on the 100 multi requirement?

If they didn't drop their mins during the huge hiring surge of 06/07 then they're not going to now that they're able to pool pilots.

No worries mate....I don't profess to be in the "know" but I can always pass on what I hear...

Good advice...I kinda wish I started out in the Bro. Pay is the same for the first year, and If you really, really, really want some RJ time, you can bid over after the first year. You also wont sit reserve for ever because they are short on pilots.

Congrats on the upgrade...
I heared they don't mix the new hires with the upgrades in the EMB classes... Don't know why (or even if it's true) just what someone told me a while ago.


The same sapa rep (MG) told me to "hang on" cause it's going to be a rough ride for a bit. I know it's par for course with this industry but, I got the impression that with the uncertainties of the very near future, (oil, Delta cutbacks, etc...) it will probably get worse before it gets better. He was talking specifically about the number of lines and amount of flying. Too bad for me, I was soooo close to holding a line and now I will slip deeper into reserves.

I really hope they can find a way to bring on every one on from the hiring pool. I can't imagine it's very fun sittin, and waiting. Good luck guys!

Hey thanks for the update! I have been calling to get an update but no luck! Been calling also to get into the bro but reply on that also. I guess i will just wait and see.

Anyone know if they have sent out letters to the people in the 5/5 new hire bro class yet?

Does SKYW reduce their minimums for 121 jet time.
700 TT
550 ME
500 121

I am looking to move back west and also get ready for 9E to fold

800 tt for crj experience

It's actually 850 TT with 121 experience.

Only 700 TT with 500 121? :confused: That means you got hired with 200TT! WOW!

I know last year, UND grads were getting hired by Mesaba and Pinnacle with our 4-year degree. I finished there with 180 TT and 25 multi after my commercial inst/multi courses. I did CFI/CFII so I had 240 TT when I left, but our Aviation Management Majors could easily leave there with under 200 TT. It's really quality time though, since you probably have close to around 500+ hours of equivalent training with all the ground school and classes you need to take. UND is a 141 school, so it has a lot lower minimums due to the requirements of the training.

I had to instruct for a year because I came out year before the boom. Glad though because I couldn't be happier at XJT.

There are a lot of 141 schools who offer the same quality of training but that doesn't mean you're any more ready for the 121 world. I'm sure most will agree there are important attributes that one gains from instructing for a year or two; like confidence, desicion making and responsibility. All are very important and a 200 hour wonder may posses one but not all of the above, only time in command can net all.

An example of when I feel a 200 hour wonder MIGHT be ready for the 121 world is when they come from a background that has netted them many years of cammand experience. Meaning this is their second professional career. Even then I feel they will need a little more experience before moving on but not as much as a greenhorn just out of college who has never experience real resonsiblily/command. BTW teaching a class or two as an undergrad does not count, you need to be in command of others and teaching students does fit the bill (speaking from experience).

I mean no offense to any 200 hour wonder, JMO.

Come on JetJock16, he said he was getting ready for 9E to fold. You know that's not GoJet.

bornc7d, Fly another two months and get your app in and get into the pool. I left that place (9E), for SKYW and could begin to tell you how positive the change has been.

So he did, kind of got stuck on the low numbers and when you see numbers like that BlowJet comes to mind.

Don't get me wrong, my flight instruction made me a whole lot better pilot that if I were not to do it.

However, don't equate those of us that spent 4-years at college, taking a ton of advance classes to the same as someone that did the GA route. Go to UND and Riddle and tell me its not hard. Probably only 25% or less from my freshman class even finished.

BTW, I have two degrees so I understand your point but the fact that 25% or less finish doesn't mean that it’s hard like Harvard or MIT, come on it's UND and Riddle. LOL! It means that those who failed out or quit didn't have the determination, discipline or desire that others had/have and it has VERY LITTLE to do with the kind of cammandability, responsibility and confidence you need for the 121 world.

so.......tpersuit.....its your contention that all GA trained pilots are inferior to UND or Riddle trained pilots?...............dude....how do you get that ego through the cockpit door?

All hail UND and RIDDLE grads, because they were able graduated they must be better than everyone else.

I gots me a funny feeling you're gonna regret this statement over the next 4 or five pages of reaming that is about to ensue. and I'll step up right now and say that UND Riddle or any other academy is NO harder than going the FBO route. In fact the FBO route may take more determination as the loans are harder to get, fewer aircraft usually means more missed flights for mtx and therefore more time in between to forget stuff. And probably less than 25% of pilots that start at an FBo actually go on to get paid to fly. All things considered you're gonna have good pilots from either route and crap pilots from either route as it is in every sector of life and any group of people you can think of, some are good and some are jacka$$es

Meanwhile, back to the topic at hand:

Anyone know if they have sent out letters to the people in the 5/5 new hire bro class yet?

I wonder how many ran out of money? I can't speak UND, but the entry requirements for Riddle were a pulse and a rich parents check book. Plenty of good pilots, plenty more who shouldn't have been allowed to graduate high school, let alone waste big $$$ on higher education. Neither is the Air Force, and washout rates are NOT an indicator of quality.

The stuff you learn flying for a 1000 hours is real life experience, and can't be taught in class.

The stuff you learn in 4 years of school will help you get through ground school. It might get a job quicker (airlines know you're less likely to washout), but it doesn't mean you'll be any better than someone who took the part 61* route at the end of training.

*I'm not going to refer to them as GA or civilian pilots until they offer puppy mill cadets sidearms.

I would have to agree. I went to a 4 year 141 pilot school/University and not UND...Riddle...ect. I learned tons in my thousands of hours I flew after I graduated that was priceless. Had to grind it out flying 135 cargo (check hauling) and 135 charter. I have nothing against the low timer getting on with a regional but they still have lots to learn.....and its in a fast paced hard flying world. Not only do they have to learn the flying but the big thing from my standpoint is the CRM. You learn a lot from flight instructing and how to work with many different kinds of people, sharing a cockpit with a fellow pilot for hours on end. Most low time newbee's I have seen and worked with over the years simply are not ready for such a huge step with out more experience. All they have know throughout their training is by what their instructor has taught them to do. We have all taken classes on CRM but its not quite the same as real world experience. I know this from giving about 500 hours of 141 checkrides for Pvt through Multi! The learning curve for the low time new 121 pilot is huge and my hat goes off to the folks that make it through this big step!

"Go to UND and Riddle and tell me its not hard"

I went to Riddle. It wasn't hard. It was only slightly harder than the FBO where I got most of my ratings and way, way, more expensive. The aviation classes were not hard. My worst grade at Riddle was a C in Calculus for Aviatiors. If I had one thing to do over in my career, it would be to stay away from Riddle. It's way over rated.

The funny thing I have noticed out of all of my freinds that went to riddle or UND route, one left for FIT and is 100k in debt, the other two finished and are 100+k in debt. All of them are now screwed and sitting there with a great degree, no job and a bleak future for the next at least year or so because they didnt build any time and have seemed to miss the hirring surge. I did all of my training GA no debt and a great job with a Two year degree which will be a four year in the next few months when I finish online. All due to the fact I flew charter and intsructed while they were sitting in school missing the boat for the near future.

Its not hard. I learned more and was challenged MUCH more when I was instructing/chartering (yeah i know its not a word) in Seattle. No offense mind you, I just thought riddle was easy. I wish you the best, my well respected UND adversary! :)

So you mean to tell me guys that just do the GA route had the exact same training as someone at UND or Riddle?
I guess all those additional classes that were required don't add any skill to the person.

I'm equating the first 250 TT to get your COMM MULTI

This has nothing to do with any flying after.


And before you fly off the wall again, I'll explain my position.

I did 4 years at UND, then GA for MEI!! :eek:
I also flight instructed in the LA airspace for a year after learning to fly in no-airspace ND.
I am just stating the INITIAL training at Riddle and UND is a lot tougher than straight up GA.
I've done some GA training, and it was a TON easier than UND. By far the easiest checkride I ever took.

If you haven't done both, where do you come off to try and say "you know"?

I've done flight/ground training all over the place and UND was by far the toughest I ever experienced.

your just dont get it......you "i am better than you because i went to UND" stance is dead on arrival.

wow, you guys twist everything to make the person you disagree with sound like they are saying something else.

If multi comm GA flying, is equal to the multi comm training at a 121 than why does the FAA reduce the mins?

Go ahead, say I think I'm God because I went to UND. You guys are pathetic and don't know how to debate a single thing.

OK tpersuit, I think you’re getting a little too worked up. You’re starting to make a lot of mistakes while writing your postings.

Nobody said that UND or Riddle does do a fine job educating but the fact that it’s overrated (you can get the same education elsewhere) and overpriced (come on look at the loans) and creates a lot of overconfident pilots (yes GA can produce some as well but there just seems to be more coming out of these schools), is indisputable. Yes UND and Riddle students do have to take more classes than a GA grad but does this make him or her a better aviator? No! It’s what’s inside the person that makes him or her a better aviator.

Tpersuit, 141 or GA what does it really matter. I think the smarter pilot is the one who spent very little money, actually learn the material and has a degree in something else other than aviation. Why do I say this? Simple, he’s as marketable as any UND or Riddle pilot is in the 121 world and he’s more marketable outside of the aviation world because of his non-aviation degree plus he doesn't have those loans weighting him down.

When it comes down to it I don’t care who is sitting next to me or where he got his education from. Just be humble, not arrogant, confident, eager to learn, calm, collected, aware and most of all let’s have fun.

BTW, if you want tough let’s talk about the Air Force Academy or Annapolis. UND, Riddle or any other aviation institution can’t hold a candle to those schools.

sorry to set off such a powder keg. Dont you just hate those 200 hr wonders. They are worthless, hell they have been crashing planes all over the place.

If there are any other ex-9E guys at SKYW I would love to hear about the differences.

The debate isn't about whether or not planes are crashing because of 200 hour wonders (errrrr ferry flight J/K! :eek:); it's now about whether a 190 hour UND or Riddle grad is a better pilot than a 250 hour GA grad. LOL!

BTW, a 200 hour pilot still has to sit next to an ATP CA who's in control. The problem is that the overwhelming majority of 200 hour pilot aren't ready. I'm not saying you weren't, I don't know you, but the facts speak for themselves. Get to know a few check airmen or sim instructors and ask them who has a harder time? A 1000+ hour CFI/1500+ hour 135 pilot or a 200 hour wonder. I'm sure that 9 times out of 10 the CFI/135 pilot isn't as far behind as the wonder.

Now, you have over 700 hours and 500 are in the 121 environment, at one time you were a 200 hour wonder but you are no longer seeing you've proven yourself. Case closed!

As for SKW, it's a great regional to work for. I still wouldn’t make them my career carrier but only for the fact that you don't control your own destiny, meaning we still live and die by code shares. We also don't have a retirement package that’s even near as good as most all Majors and/or Legacies. But as far as regional’s go I personally feel that there is no better. Ask yourself the last time you heard of a SKW pilot moving laterally too...................well anyone. There may be one or two but that's about all you'll find. 99.99% of us, when we move on, either move up to a Major/Legacy or retire. That should tell you something.

ps. Bornc7d, why do you have a picture of my wife as your avatar? :D

Ohh she's your wife, well tell her I got 2 days off starting tomorrow so dont be surprised if she doesnt answer phone calls. Hehe

Does SKYW have a referral program?

Negative on that...would be nice though!

I'll out myself as another UND person and give my perspective. At UND you deffinitly learn a lot of procedural and technical information that you may not get in GA in a shorter timeframe- however that does NOT necessarily make you a better pilot! For instance - in my MEI groundschool there were people arguing about exactly how many PSI the gear system works at on the high pressure and low pressure sides in a seminole - is that important? no it really isn't - its important to know the operational concept (gear unsafe light flickering in flight, possible leakage, system failure etc) but the important thing is if it breaks when you're departing, enroute or at the FAF how can you tell its malfunctioning and what can you do about it? THATS ALL! (making generalizations) I enjoyed my time at UND but realize many come out of there with tunnel vision. I have heard from many other pilots say that UND guys are great at flying a profile, procedure, or taking a test - but get them in the air with an abnormal situation and they don't know what to do. There can be a lot said about building time in those 250 hours without the constraints of a syllabus and flying more solo hours and learning by expirience or flying with different CFI's who have not had the same syllabus blinders on for their entire flight career as well. I'm doing single pilot 135 now and learning FAR more in a much shorter time than I did while in "the UND bubble." All that said - UND is a great school, I'd recommend it - but don't be in too much of a hurry - realize your possible shortcomings and advantages wherever you come from and go get some varied expirience, have fun, and be humble.:cool: