Sadly, you won't get any traction on APC with that line of reasoning. Or in HR. This topic pops up annually and the result is always the same.

Curiously, during a time when it appears that there might actually be a (long predicted) pilot shortage, it seems tougher than ever to get an interview at UA. You'd think that perhaps the company would eagerly talk to any pilot who had rock solid flying resume, irrespective of his academics.

Some of the most bizarre (questionable ability, decision making and funky social skills) guys I've ever flown with were A+++ academics. And some of the most rock solid guys (same metrics as the A+++ crowd) had nothing more than an HS diploma and 10K+ hours of flying.

IMO, If a guy has enough on the ball to get an ATP on his own (speaking Non-Mil here since most MIL guys have a degree) and amass 10K of decent flight time, that ought to be enough of a measure of his ability and drive as a 4 yr humanities degree.

You are the one who said more people than ever are being let go and these people were hired from the company self selected hiring process that might not be working as well with “todays” pilots so how do you fix the problem? Do you continue with the parameters or do you change them. Degree or no degree might not factor into the equation but something else might need to be if the best of the best keep getting fired.
How I feel does not matter and it’s not my decision or concern and in the end, this is just internet chat after all.

There's a possibility that after High School you needed to start providing. Which is tough to do hanging out at the frat house so you chose ab inito training, went straight into instructing and moved on from there. There's no doubt that not having a degree prevented me from getting a few jobs I thought I wanted. I usually got turned down prior to the interview due to not being able to check that higher education box. Recently I interviewed with a company who appreciated my 18 years in the industry with no accidents, incidences or violations more than a degree you received 20 years ago and retained very little knowledge from. This interview actually included hand flying a simple profile without the flight director in a non motion simulator! That sim washed over half the people out the day of my interview. It's going to be nice working for a company that appreciates stick and rudder skill as much or more than dolphin training, sorry I mean Marine Science.

Your logic is off kilter. The generational issues we are seeing are generational not collegiate based. I’m sure that there are some very good candidates out there with no college degree under their belt. In fact I know some. And we will have some of the same problems with non college grads. Not having a college degree isn’t going to fix the issue.

And I don’t make the rules just like you don’t. So yes it is just an internet chat, and it won’t change a darn thing. Currently the global carriers that offer the best pay and benefits require a four year degree. So if you want to play at this level bisching about not having a degree is a total waste of time. Go get a degree or don’t and keep yourself out of the hireable applicant pool. It’s really just that simple inregards to today’s hiring environment. It might well change in the future but as of now it is what it is.

Talked to a senior guy once about this as I was entering the profession...an ole timer......said “boy, all Captains got their PHD in Aviation.....we just call it an ATP.”

“We don’t don’t write dissertations or a thesis. We just do science, meteorology, physics and navigation all at the same time.” “The nice ones add CRM and customer service.”


“No academics degree on the planet can teach what we do.”

You need a degree. Anyone on here under the age of about 60, you’ve always needed a degree. If you hedged your bet and didn’t get one.... that’s on you.

Throw all the temper tantrums you want, you knew the requirements when you started. Don’t ask for the goal posts to be moved to the 50 yard line for you.

18 years of excuses.

Harsh but accurate. You knew what the standards were when you signed up for this career. Don't whine when they haven't been changed for you.

SPOT on!

I don't believe he was being harsh and he was very accurate. But I'm also not a snowflake and I appreciate constructive criticism. The point of my post was made towards the end.
I believe it was Bob Buck but it could have been Ernest Gann that said "Aviators are allot like Indians, there are many tribes but the tribes don't get along". Those of us that make a living flying are some of the most fortunate people on the planet.
Avoid asking someone what they do because you can't wait to tell them what you do and remember there's a difference between keeping your chin up and keeping your nose up..

I have also rotated the Garretts half a turn to prevent the direct drive shaft from warping..CC Air...Chicken Chicken..Carolina was our alias. Lol . Chin up bud