ShamH85

Hey guys, Im a big fan of the site it helped me alot on making my career choice, i just turned 20 and im workin on my bachelors and finishin up my private rating this month. Im planning on buying a C-152 to build some time to meet the requirements for Skywest hopefully i will be done by my 21st B-day in june 2006. I live in bakersfield Ca so of course im looking at skywest its close to home and i've only heard good things. I have a concern on the hiring if it will continue a year from now and if the upgrade time if it will hold. Does anyone know what kind of upgrade time i can expect working for skywest next year? Me like the rest of the ambitious young pilots is concerned on PIC time so I can reach my main goal of working for Fed Ex by the age of 24.
Ps. Thanx for any info in advance, Sham..

ShadowFlight

From Skywest.com:

Minimum Requirements:
- Certificates / Ratings: Commercial/Instrument/Multi engine
- Age: Must be at least twenty-one years of age
- Flight Experience: 1,000 - hours total time 100 - hours multi engine 100 - hours instrument (Max 20 hours simulator)

Just out of curiosity and with all due respect, June 2006 is less than a year from now. How are you going to reach Skywest's mins in 11 months while still going to school? A thousand hours in a year is a LOT of flying - 83.333333 a month to be exact. That's what a lot of regional pilots fly right now - I do it myself and it's usually based on four-day trips. If you're in school, you won't have much time for studying. Also, flying 1000 hours in a 150 is going to be expensive. You'll need multi-time too. As for upgrades, I've heard various different recent stories about upgrade time - as little as 15 months. Keep in mind too that, as of today, Skywest doesn't pay newhires during training (approximately 2 months). Once IOE is completed, you'll start getting paid.

It's admirable that you want to get hired at FedEx by age 24. Realistically? Competitive mins for FedEx are very high right now given all the working, military, and furloughed pilots looking for a stable job. I suspect that situation will continue for quite some time especially since the industry is in mild turmoil (okay, major turmoil).

I don't mean to come across as discouraging but please keep your expectations realistic and keep plugging away. You may not reach FedEx by 24 but even if you get hired by 30, you'd still have a long career with them.

Good luck.

Peace

SF

ShamH85

Thanks for the feedback, i understand the requirements but im going to fly about 300 hours in the upcoming months befor winter getting in my instrument rating. After that i hope to purchase a 100 hour block on a multi and sell the 152 and also get my commercial and multi ratings. Of couse im not sure on what im gonna do from that point to get to the 1000 TT point but im sure i'll find something. About the school part I attend UVSC doing my bachelors in aviation over the net and it's pretty much a breeze compared to building time which is a priority to land the job. I guess might not be able to by june 06 it might take a little longer but you understand where im coming from. And your comment is not discouraging just reality. I understand im going to have to put up with alot and low pay, Some people don't realize as a pilot how much we pay our dues to get where u want to get.

SkyHigh

Keep in mind that "minimums" are simply that; the minimum. The average experience of a new hire is usually much higher. At Horizon Air most new hires have between 2000-3500 hours and some significant experience, not just 1000 hours of touch and go time in a Cessna 152. I expect that the reality at Skywest is similar. Good Luck.

Fokker28

No, our minimums aren't usually that high, not even nowadays. In fact, most of our recent new hires are relatively low-time recent college graduates, with some instructing experience. Within the last year, we have had new hires into the jet with less than 100 hours of multi. time. I like them, because they force the company to buy more IOE time from me!

Also, SkyHigh's claim that our upgrade is currently 7+ years is simply false. I have almost 7 years and have been past the point of earliest upgrade in a Q200 (PDX based) for over a year (and could currently hold a line). This is still a glacial upgrade pace, so slow that it doesn't require exaggeration.

I do agree with the gist of his/her post, though, that Horizon is NOT the place to come if you are young, unattached, don't care where you live right now, and eager for fast advancement. I am still here because I am based in my home state, and unwilling, at present, to commute. That said, it IS a decent place to work, with good work rules (for a regional, it's all relative...), and decent pay, after the first couple of years. I make about $50K/yr in the right seat of the CRJ-700, get exactly the schedules I want, and get to live where I want.

Like everywhere, a good fit for some, not so much for others. But inaccuracies are never helpful, even if you want to make your hated employer look worse.

FL410

Fokker,
Hi. I just got an email for Joanne (senior recruiter) and she said that the mins are exactly that was posted 200/1000, they are never lower. I have a lot of "ins" at Horizon (Central Washington University graduate "prefered hiring" and I did a Alaska Airlines Internship, which also looks good to QX). My time is lower than the mins but I sure hope your right about lower than 100 multi. I am not in a big hurry to get to the majors, I just want stability in my job. Oh, and many of my old instructors and friends work at Horizon and love it.
Respectfully yours.

UNDPilot

Job Title: UND ALUMNI ONLY - First Officer Horizon Air
Requirements: YOU MUST MEET REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO APPLY: BS in Aviation 750 TT 50 ME Currently flying 200 hr in the last yr or 150 hrs in the last 6 months First Class Medical (current; in hand if selected to interview)

Fokker28

Yes, we have had new hires recently with less multi. than that (and they were UND grads).

We have had new hires in the past with fewer than 250 hrs total time!

That's not to say that these are regular practices, nor should you expect to get hired with those times, all I can report is that is has happened, and recently.

Good luck!

SkyHigh

F28

So I was off by one year on the upgrade time. Big deal. I meant as an average it takes 7 years. You yourself are "one year past upgrade" doesnt that put you at 7 years? Then after you finally upgrade you will sit on reserve for a year or two. You guys will all be old old men before you get anywhere. Your Skywest peers will be enjoying their second or third year at a major by the time you even have enough time to apply. That is why Horizon likes hiring you young dudes without any time, because you are forced to stay there and don't complain much since you don't know any better. I flew for Horizon and spent some time in the training department. I probably taught you basic indoct, so I know how management thinks. Mark my words Horizon is a dead end.

I went to CWU too and was excited to hear that my flight instructors got on at Horizon. Wow !! What a fast track !! That was almost 17 years ago and they all are still there and not very happy about it. Everyone who I ever knew (as a good friend) who got on with them has never left (with one or two exceptions). I know more who were fired than left to go to a major. Stay away from Horizon. Stay away !!!

Skyline

Av8trxx

Wow...that's a pretty lofty goal. Here is what some recent Fed Ex interviewees had: a low of 2700 (military) and about 4500 (civilian) and the youngest was 27 (with 4700TT). Better get flying!