You can hold PSP relatively fast, if not right away, but there are fewer guaranteed lines there than in other bases and the flying there has been shifting to other bases. You can expect mostly locals and lower credit multi-day trips until you're in the top half of line holders or there about. There are some excellent trips in terms of time away from base and overall credit for the trip but they tend to be senior (relatively speaking). Most crews, particularly on the FO side live in San Diego/LA and drive in so locals and shorter multi-day trips are junior.

On the up side the crews are great and you'll get a lot of overnights in great spots like Santa Barbara and Carlsbad and likely see quick movement. The summer months are miserable but the fall and winter are beautiful.

 

Saw those poor bastards doing the PSP-LAS turn today. I did that a couple of years ago I was a reserve TDYd to PSP. I think I had to take an ice bath to cool down after that one.

 

Multi post. Please delete.

 

Hah, I remember that crap. If you're not roasting to death in the summer then you're freezing to death in the winter.

 

I got to do that one during the heat wave last week, twice. That. Sucked. We nearly temped out in LAS, fortunately we were in an FIS airplane. Had it been EFIS we'd have been up the creek. Saw an RJ that was dead in the water because of the heat.

 

So a coworker of mine has around 1200-1300tt and mentioned that he got a call from Skywest recruiting wanting to verify his age and interview him. He isn't 23 yet, so they didn't invite him in. Is Skywest offering interviews to people with less than 1500tt and offering them jobs conditionally until they reach 1500tt?

 

I've heard of this happening, they get in the pool but won't get a class date until they have 1500. I suppose they might do the same thing with someone who's 22years 10months old, but not someone who's less than 22.

 

I'm just about to hit 1000tt and I'm 25. Should I just bite the bullet and get airlineapps now and just keep updating every 100 hours or so for the off chance they may offer an interview before 1500. I fly about 100-115hrs a month.

 

Not to be rude, but why bother? This is the same as you asking if you should pay to travel and go to a job fair when you're still 500 hours away from the minimums. Interviewing below minimums and conditional offers is just hearsay, the last time I knew of this actually happening was with people flying for another 121 operator with less than 1000 hours TT, and this was several years ago. That was for people who hadn't met our minimums, the new ATP rule changes the game, they won't be able to hire you until you meet the FAA ATP requirements. As far as I know, there is no pool, just quick offers for people that they like and hiring about 20 a month for the EMB120. SkyWest will still be here when you're hireable, and they'll most likely call you the second you meet the minimums, trust me. So do it if you really want to, just don't expect to get a call early. What will pay off for you is for you to STUDY. Study the ATP written, don't just take it and forget it. KNOW your Jepp charts inside and out, enroute and approach. KNOW your aircraft's systems, if you can't accurately describe the electrical system on a seminole, duchess, or king air, you'll make them skeptical that you can pass the systems test on the Brasilia. Just out of curiosity, are you flying over 100 hours a month entirely as a commercial pilot?

 

I was in the same boat as you a few years ago and decided not to do it. My room mate started airline apps when he was at 400 hours and took his ATP written between 400 and 500 hours. He ended up getting an interview with Skywest the day he hit 1000/100. I got airline apps done but got busy with work and life and had to put off the ATP written for a few months. By the time I finally took it I was over the mins by about 200 hours. I got an interview right away but class dates were backed up by up to six months. My class date was almost 6 months after my interview.

There ended up being 8 months difference and 250 seniority numbers between me and my room mate and we both had the same amount of flight time and worked for the same flight school. I could have been sitting next to him in class.

If you have time now to get airline apps done and get your ATP written done then do it. You won't get an interview right now but you will have it done. You never know what might come up in your life a few months down the road that will eat up your free time. Seniority is everything. I would be 250 higher up on the list if I had gotten my apps done earlier.