SkyWest Pilot Attrition Numbers for 2022
#12
And if all the FOs stuck around, that might even be enough, but every FO that leaves before BOTH UPGRADING AND FLYING 1000 hours as a CA means your FOs are getting more junior and fewer and fewer will be upgrade eligible.
It’s a death spiral. And yeah, you might be able to string it out longer if you can get enough DECs, but your only real hope is a recession.
#13
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Joined APC: Jun 2022
Posts: 194
one needn’t be “out of” CAs for it to adversely effect flying. That’s why EAS and other cities are being dropped from current flying. But take your current numbers, 2417 CAs out of a seniority list of 5230. You have 46% of your pilots as CAs. That’s not enough. You need MORE CAs than FOs because CAs get more vacation, have more sick time, generally get more ‘soft’ time, etc. Even neglecting those issues, the most a cadre of 2417 CAs can legally fly in a year is 2,417,000 block hours (and they aren’t going to actually come near that) but you would have to spread that over the 2813 FOs so they would only be (theoretical best case) be flying 860 hours a year ( and it would actually be less in reality).
And if all the FOs stuck around, that might even be enough, but every FO that leaves before BOTH UPGRADING AND FLYING 1000 hours as a CA means your FOs are getting more junior and fewer and fewer will be upgrade eligible.
it’s a death spiral.
And if all the FOs stuck around, that might even be enough, but every FO that leaves before BOTH UPGRADING AND FLYING 1000 hours as a CA means your FOs are getting more junior and fewer and fewer will be upgrade eligible.
it’s a death spiral.
I don’t know why a random Spirit pilot is so obsessed with what’s going on at SkyWest Inc. anyways.
#15
Lmao. Thanks chief, I’m well aware of how that all works. It’s more damaging than you even you could believe, as experience is lost at a staggering amount and this seniority list has become very, very, junior. I’d bet over 70% of our captains haven’t hit 500 hours of PIC, and closer to 90% of our FO’s don’t even have 1,000 hours of turbine time. That’s a significant amount of inexperience. Yet it’s been business as usual for SGU the past year. Hats off to the instructors keeping this airline safe, as someone who’s been through training events in both seats, they do a great job of holding high standards and expectations.
I don’t know why a random Spirit pilot is so obsessed with what’s going on at SkyWest Inc. anyways.
Last edited by Excargodog; 07-02-2022 at 08:37 AM.
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2022
Position: DL320B
Posts: 201
5 stars. Definitely subscribed and will watch each episode and look forward to next season!
Ps. Everyone has drama. Mainline has it. I just love watching OO.
#17
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Joined APC: Feb 2022
Posts: 442
That’s true, and it’s also true about the mass inexperience in both seats and I don’t think that is unique to OO but OO has the most chances per day to have a “bad day”. “They” have had a decade to make this job worth the necessary high barrier of entry, the instability, the relocations, a job in a suitcase. Instead of raising fares $20 a decade ago to motivate the next generation they decided on continued exploitation/deregulation in an environment that produces a talent or experience pool that doesn’t match up with expectations.
#18
I enjoy Excargodogs posts, he's a technician who understands the challenge that an airline faces if they're not able to stay competitive in the ever tightening pilot market.
It will be very interesting to see SKW's new TA offer vs the "charter ops" pay when that comes out, that will show if it was really about utilizing previously unavailable pilots or just lesser paid pilots.
AA fired a shot across the bow and proclaimed we're committed to our regional model. United and Delta will now have to commit or let their network wither on the vine until they readjust and takeover what they can do with a mainline aircraft.
Some regionals will die and others will morph into a code-share model and carve out their own niche.
It will be very interesting to see SKW's new TA offer vs the "charter ops" pay when that comes out, that will show if it was really about utilizing previously unavailable pilots or just lesser paid pilots.
AA fired a shot across the bow and proclaimed we're committed to our regional model. United and Delta will now have to commit or let their network wither on the vine until they readjust and takeover what they can do with a mainline aircraft.
Some regionals will die and others will morph into a code-share model and carve out their own niche.
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 469
As a former SkyWest pilot who liked the company at one time, I watch this whole summer in rapt fascination. However, SkyWest is the biggest with the most owned planes, maintenance, rampers, etc. Underdog/villain vs everyone. The student council drama. The SGU drama. The charter drama. The Aha/2.0 drama. CRJ/underwing/30 seat drama. Its got it all. Its like reading a Vince Gilligan script.
5 stars. Definitely subscribed and will watch each episode and look forward to next season!
Ps. Everyone has drama. Mainline has it. I just love watching OO.
5 stars. Definitely subscribed and will watch each episode and look forward to next season!
Ps. Everyone has drama. Mainline has it. I just love watching OO.
Don’t forget the “any” upgrade drama.
It is the biggest, yet for the last three months they are averaging just 32ish upgrades/month.
#20
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Joined APC: Jun 2022
Posts: 194
Nobody is deriding the quality of instruction at OO.
Not “obsessed” in the least, and wishing OO pilots no ill will whatsoever. Have a number of friends there and have often jumpseated with OO and found nothing but professionalism. But I do think it’s important for everyone in the profession - even junior FOs - to understand the dynamics of what is going on in the profession currently.
Not “obsessed” in the least, and wishing OO pilots no ill will whatsoever. Have a number of friends there and have often jumpseated with OO and found nothing but professionalism. But I do think it’s important for everyone in the profession - even junior FOs - to understand the dynamics of what is going on in the profession currently.
I’m asking you to respectfully stop hijacking every thread. We’ve heard your thesis, some of us were informed already. I have to believe every active reader of the forums have surely read at least 1 of your 100 posts on why this kind of regional attrition isn’t sustainable.
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