Looking for Mentor at Skywest
 

Hi. I am a Skywest applicant, looking for some mentorship from a fellow SkyWest pilot (if newly hired even better).

With almost 1500 hours solely from the GA world, but haven't flown in 16 years! I would like to get up to speed on Skywest's flows, employment prospects, lifestyle, ect before proceeding with application submission.

Can anyone help?

John 202-730-5998

Please nobody share training materials/SSI.

Not trying to be negative or anything, but I think you should get some time in the air before you come to SkyWest if haven't flown in 16 years. Get a solid amount of instrument time and make sure you are up to speed and 100% comfortable flying in different conditions.

I think you will find it hard to be successful in the training here without recent experience. And if you want a career as a 121 pilot, you really don't want to have a 121 failure on your record.

There is no flow at Skywest. Everyman for himself, although many FOs are escaping after a few years to the second tier airlines such as spirit, JetBlue, Atlas, Alaska and so on. Employment prospects are good. If you can fly and have the hours, they will hire you. Lifestyle... not great for a few years and then it slowly gets better when you get into the top seniority of your base and aircraft. Could be 10+ years, which is why everyone strives to get out.

My advice is to review the interview gouges, read the book "everything explained for the professional pilot" and brush up on your IFR stuff. If it has been 16 years, a couple ground schools may do you some good.

We can't give you any training manuals or anything of the sort. SSI. If you get hired, you'll get access to all of that almost immediately and will be able to study plenty ahead of time. Again, if you haven't flown 16 years, I think checklist flows in a CRJ or ERJ is the least of your concern.

Do you have your CFI? If so, you should get current in instructing again and do some instructing for 6 months or so. If not, definitely find a way to get some recent hours under your belt after getting current again. Survey flying? Angel Flight?

You don't want to go into the training program without recent IFR currency- the program isn't designed to brush you up on that stuff, just build on top of it.

Flows not flow.

Please go get as much instrument time as possible before class. Even 15-20 hours in a Sim would be helpful.

That’s not what he was asking about...

Not to generalize, but I’ve been through 4 full training courses and the guys who struggle the most have a similar background to yourself. Not to say you can’t or won’t succeed, but it’s very difficult going from occasional GA flying years ago to the 121 environment. I’d recommend buying sim time and brushing up on your instrument flying. It will make training much easier in the long run.