Hiring Minimums
 

Hello, I have a question for those in recruiting regarding pilot minimums.

I have seen different numbers from different sources at different times. I was shocked (and dismayed) just now when I logged into Spirit's website and saw 3,000TT was a minimum to apply, which was not the case a few months ago. Did they recently update this?

I have wanted to come to Spirit for a long time, and I don't want to apply unless I have a competitive application that meets their minimums, but being at a soon-to-be-gone regional airline is putting pressure on my timing.

I am wondering, what really are the minimums, and when is the best time to apply?

Currently I'm at:
2200TT
1200 121 SIC
1200 ME
Union Volunteer
Aviation University 4 year degree

Thanks, I would love to work with you guys and gals one day!

I was shocked, I tell you!!! When I was hired in 2013, I had 8000hrs multi turbine, and 4000hrs TPIC (and it took me 15 years of flying for a living to get those), and I was the least experienced guy in the class. They lowered the mins to 2000hrs for a while when we were in negotiations, but I guess they have raised them again. Sorry, but "get off my lawn", maybe you should consider going to another regional.

a little bit grumpy?

You should apply now, if Spirit is the place that you want to be start applying now. Hope to see you on the line.

I think he is just pointing out the “entitlement” mentality we see these days. To be in the industry for 2 years and shocked you aren’t meeting the mins to fly an Airbus, comes off a little.....

“Shocked and dismayed” made me laugh a little.

As far as minimums, they are fluid based on need and what the application stack looks like.

Thankfully the new contract caused the mins to increase by a thousand; and you won’t hear many from the left seat complaining about that increase, and that’s being honest.

3,000 is the mins and 4,000 is listed at competitive mins.

Doesn’t cost anything to apply or go to a Meet and Greet, but I would expect nothing and hope for the best.

In the end, 2200 hours, you should be looking for your next regional and getting one of those signing bonuses.

Maybe. I understand that the same thing that got all the 2000hr guys a job is what got me to the left seat in 3 years, but I still find it odd people seem to expect to walk into a mayor after less than 2 years at the regionals.

I think the last part of your last sentence is the main point. People view us as an alternative to a regional.... Look at the ‘envoy vs. spirit’ thread on the Southwest side. We’re not big league to many out there, so they may think it’s just as easy to get hired here as it is to get hired at Mesa, envoy, SkyWorst, GoJet or whatever....

And with qualifications of...

Currently I'm at:
2200TT
1200 121 SIC
1200 ME
Union Volunteer
Aviation University 4 year degree


Do you even have the minimum of “unrestricted ATP?”

Because it seems like you got hired at your carrier with 1000 TT.

To be clear, I’m not saying I’m entitled to a job, I’m just trying to find out what the company is really looking for in terms of experience.

I know pilots in the past have had it much worse than I, and I greatly respect that, but it’s not going to stop me from trying to make the best life I can for myself. In today’s pilot market, anything is possible. I know a guy that went to UA with 2200 TT and was right seat on the 767 at 24. I’m not expecting similar success, or even to hear back in the same year that I apply to any of the majors including Spirt, I’m just trying to apply at the right time. :) thank you for your insight, though.

I am happy for your pilot group and the latest contract you have achieved!

It’s very important to keep this industry in perspective as it is much bigger than you or your experiences. I too sat at the regionals for 7 years and corporate for 3 awaiting a call from the majors and it would be very easy to point the finger at my fathers generation for throwing future pilots under the bus by giving up scope. So let’s try to not to use our experiences as the hammer in the coffin of the pilots coming up behind us and try to leave this industry in better shape than we found it. It’s good to see movement finally and regionals struggling to find qualified candidates.

That being said you have the option of staying put and working on building that PIC and Total Time or moving to another regional to do that but like I tell all the younger pilots I fly with. When you’re sitting in front of the hiring board at your dream job be able to justify why you made the parallel move from one regional to another. Until then keep applying, updating, and attending job fairs. Most of the guys who make it out of the regionals quickly do so because they are motivated and show initiative, they don’t sit on internet job boards complaining.