I read on here many times posts about "you meet the minimum hours, go apply". Just becauss you meet the minimum hours doesnt mean you are automatically going to get the job. And just because you meet the minimum hours doesnt make you a proficient pilot. Its about having the skil set. Ihave 900 hours but havent flown an ILS approach in months. If Iwent to an airline interiew with my 90 hours, I'd fail. So, its not about the number of hours you have, its about your curency and proficiency.

 

Tell that to an RJ CA...experience counts & we measure your experience by the thickness of your logbook. The difference between 900 & 9000 is a vast one (I'm not knocking you) but its the truth.

 

Granted, but typically the more hours in one's logbook reflects a more well-rounded, proficient, and experienced pilot.

Agreed, that skill/hours are not the only aspect an airline interview board looks at, but it's just one puzzle piece in determining how well an individual will fit into an organization. Some major legacy airlines do not even require an simulator check for an interview because they are figure if you meet their requirements than you know how to fly. Beyond that it comes down to how well you fit into an organization's culture.

I think what it comes down to is that the hours in one's logbook is not so much an administrative duty on behalf of a pilot as much as it is a right of passage or paying one's dues.
The hours aren't just numbers, and I for one believe the quality of one's total time is as of equal ,if not more, importance than the quantity.

 

I certainly feel that a balance must be drawn in type of experience and hours. Type of training can be a factor as well. Without belaboring the point military trained guys usually get a nod with fewer hours. Are hours a perfect indication of the quality of a pilot... no.. just like whether he is civilian trained or military trained is not a perfect indication. But in general more hours means more experience in different situations thus making one a more rounded and marketable pilot. Other things such as type of equipment flown and types of flying done also play a role in one's ability to get hired.

 

Do you have a better way to weed out applicants??... The regionals set a minimun, that weeds out hundreds of 500-1000 hour kids who thik they're proficient and ready to fly a jet... You are right, amount of hours flown doesn't mean much, but its still the best way to assure you're interviweing the most qualified applicants...

If we go by your system, then Eagle would get 20,000 resumes, under the EXPERIENCE part, guys would write in " I have 300 hrs, but I am proficient"...

The majors/box haulers require 1000 turbine PIC, and that's OK. PIC means judgment, responsibility. My problem with the majors is that they consider RJ/prop PIC better time than 767 or MD11 SIC.....That I have a problem with. A good friend of mine left Express Jet as an F/O for Eva Air. He's been at Eva Air for 5 years now, MD11 F/O.... He doesn't have 1000 turbine PIC, so he can't apply at UPS and Fedex. One guy went to UPS straight from a Beech 1900.

my 2 cents

 

I guess what I am saying is it took me 12 years to accumulate 900 hours. I have flown nothing but general aviation airplanes. Didnt go to a big fancy flight program. Did it all at a loacl FBO and I currently teach at a local flight school. I dont think I am that great of a pilto. I think the guy that has 300 hours that went to a sturctured flight school in six months is probably more proficient that I am. He flies everyday whereas I may get 100 hours in a year. Thats what I mean by hours does not always equal proficiency.

 

That's because you're dealing with airline HR, they're not paid to think. They wouldn't know a qualified pilot if they were endorsed by Chuck Yeager himself, they just make sure they meet the mins. It doesn't matter if the other guy is over qualified but comes up short on one of the requirements.

 

Hours = Experience......

 

Airlines want the PIC time because they want to hire future captains.

If you have 1000 turbine PIC, it would be a reasonable assumption to make that you have had to make command decisions, exercised judgment, and demonstrated leadership.

If you have only SIC time, you may be a great pilot, but your experience as the leader and decision maker are more limited.

I know this is not perfect, but that is the logic behind the PIC requirement.

 

I've made command decisions, exercised judgement and demonstrated leadership as an Infantry Officer in Iraq.