Student pilot to Delta Air Lines in <12 years
 

Some dude on Jetcareers joined as a student pilot in 2003 and just got a class date at Delta. That's pretty good, less than 12 years from student pilot to major airline pilot.

Not uncommon. I did it in less. And i know of several others that have done the same

Before the recent 1500 rule there were programs where you could go from zero time, to the right seat of a CRJ in < 1 year. To begin college/flight training @ 18 years old and to make it to a major by 30 years old is no huge feat.

Cool story bro.

Work hard and do the Delta internship, you can do it quicker than 12. Had a friend of mine I interned with over at AA and that got to American in 10.

That actually seems kind of slow to me. Assuming 17 is the age that you started to fly/got your private, anyone hired at a major (and there are many of them) under the age of 29 beats that record.

I bet hearing that guys are making it from zero to a legacy in about 10 years is grating to the guys that have been regional pilots for as long, or longer.

There are people doing it in less, but often on affirmative action. I know in 2006 timeframe, Continetal was hiring 26 yr olds with no TPIC, but the starting pay was an insulting 30K/ yr, no healthcare for 6mos.

Timing and luck is 90% of it. 9% is having a sweet degree from ERAU. The other 1% is dual given in a 172.

Yeah, but the guy in the example got on with Delta. Everyone wants to get on there.

99% to go. Well on my way.

Mid 1998 to early 07 for me. No affirmative action, no short cut programs, and absolutely no university aviation programs!

Solo to Delta took me 20 years. However, 13 of those years were at NWA:p

It only took me 10, not at delta but in the same league. When I got hired most new hires at the majors were about 30 or so, maybe a little younger.

Not entirely true, and pretty ignorant on your part. Of that age/experience range you mention. Many were sons/daughter, former interns, whatever. Not just outside the majority demographic.

Yeah, and sadly, when CAL started OTS hiring in 2005 there was NO SHORTAGE of applicants there either. Wasn't till 2007 that NWA, DAL, and USAir started OTS hiring.

And read the back half of bedrock's post. NO health insurance for 6 months, $29-30/hr. Some even hired DIRECTLY into the 777. Doing glorious/glamorous India trips as a bunkee/IRO and having to go the sim every 6 months or flying the low credit garbage London stuff. Under one of the crappiest legacy contracts and WORST PBS systems ever. And I SAY AGAIN, NO SHORTAGE of applicants.

I heard that train coming a mile away.

There goes someone telling me I want to be a Delta pilot again! :D

I must be missing something.
Time to get my act together and get serious about this thing called aviation!

Had a kid at Piedmont get an interview with the Pre-interviewing process left Piedmont after just 4 years as a FO. Now he's been typed on the 190, 767, Airbus all before turning 30. Not bad at all.

Good for him. Worst thread ever

What about somebody who went from student to captain at Delta in 10 years?!?

There's always somebody with a better story.

After I got off of active duty enlisted, I went from RJ to mainline in just under 7.

It's great to accomplish a lot at a young age, but without the perspective to go along with it you can find yourself pretty unhappy or at best less happy than if it was a longer struggle. Knowing the high road entails knowing something of the low one too. In most cases it doesn't matter all that much but occasionally you see a burnout from a great job, or else a happy person doing a meager job. There is this old guy who tosses boxes on the ramp I frequent who is one of the happiest and apparently wisest people I have ever met. Eccentric for sure, but great perspective to be that happy.

That's nothing. Try a flight attendant, 0 time in Feb 2010 as student pilot, XJT FO, and then hired Delta end of 2013 and in class in 2014. 0 time to Delta Air Lines in 4 years. Now that's inpressive!

Sadly, some of the ones I've known that were on the "fast track" COMPLETELY lacked perspective. But I don't think they're up at night tossing and turing because they don't have a concept on how much of a "struggle" they should have endured. Many of them suffer from this "entitlement mentality" we hear so much about. Especially the ones that were hired mid 20's, NEVER upgraded nor signed for an airplane, whatever yet will tell you that that grueling 2-3 years as an RJ was the infamous "paying their dues".

For some reason, I'm pretty sure they sleep just fine at night. Thinking about how much more they're making than others, how much better their seniority will be at a young age, whatever. All while patting themselves on the back about how "hard they worked to get there". Running into some of them hired 2008 era that weren't furloughed sure seemed to whine a lot about how much it sucked to be stuck at the bottom of a seniority lest, not yet even 30 years old, on reserve, BUT STILL AT A LEGACY........

Before anybody flies off the handle, the keyword was "SOME".

Yeah, most likely being a female and smokin HOT didn't hurt either.

I did it in under 8. Would have been faster, but had to waste 4 years on that pesky degree. Also had to waste 2 years flying in the right seat of an rj waiting to upgrade. If it wasn't for those 2 things, could have did it in 2 years.

That's because you were acquired NOT hired by an airline that wasn't at the top of your list.

I'm sensing just a small drip of sarcasm. ;)

I know of girls hired at 26 in the last few years....

What about boys?

12 years flying for the Navy.
3+ years out in the "Real World"
Not even an email from a major.

What exactly am I doing wrong again?

Not that I know about.

I was on the < 12 year track until 9/11 hit. CJO @ UAL a month before 9/11. Student pilot in 1990.

My best friend (white male) was hired at 26, and I (white male) was hired at 25.

The so called "affirmative action" hires are exceedingly few and far between.

Beat me to it, lol.

I know a guy, hired with less than 150hrs, retired at 60, and has a 35yr ALPA pin with a star. ( and only because they don't make 37yr pins).

You are right, there usually is a better story.;)

I'm sorry but the ultimate winner was a United pilot in our jumpseat from LAX to SEA. He was upper 50s and a 747 CA. I inquired how long he had been at United which led to how old he was when he was hired. Turns out, this guy was hired at United Airlines at the age of 22 in 1978. He was furloughed for about 3 years or so in the 70s but other than that has had a great career. That's 35 yrs of service already and he still has another ~8 yrs left. He'll retire at 65 after having been at United for 43 years!

Boy I am really screwing this thing up. My first flight was 10.5 years ago and I have not even upgraded. I am still on forced reserve. To think there were street captains at Mesaba when I was hired but I was too young to upgrade for a little over a year. And a merger and bankruptcy later I am just at close to the bottom as I was 6 months into Mesaba.

Over a decade ? Why is this special ?

20 years PPL to Legacy woohoo.

This thread represents everything I hate about this career.

I wouldn't say that. This is where the 90% luck part someone mentioned comes into play.
Most of the people I know were instructors or students when 9/11 happened. There have been a lot of derailments for many. Sometimes multiple. You can only truly know at the end of your career.