bubi352

I was told 12 a month. Hiring will continue like this into next year - hopefully.

BillyBaroo

Then.........even better!

NedsKid

Good that we're continuing to hire, sure: management is voting to continue to invest in the company, we can hopefully get some well-qualified guys that are available now (separating military, Midwest, AStar, Aloha, USA3000, United, experienced RJ Captains, etc.), and in a seniority based system, hiring is good for all of us already onboard.

However, the internal rec thing is NOT so good. Instead of current line pilots helping to influence who goes in front of the interview board (and ultimately who we all fly with, who ends up being a future Captain here, and who has my family's safety in their hands when they use our pathetic non-rev benefits), flight ops management and HR are making these decisions without our input now. We are not vetting our own now, potentially. That is NOT better.

No offense to the many great candidates who don't happen to know someone already here. Knowing someone doesn't make you a great pilot, but knowing someone and them choosing not to recommend you helps to ensure that only the best candidates get the chance to become Spirit pilots, and, sadly, this system keeps many great candidates on the outside looking in. I'd prefer a system where HR did the initial screening, placed pilots into an applicant pool, and then used recommendations to determine who gets the interviews, which would prevent less-qualified candidates from getting interviews simply b/c they know someone, but still allow an internal recommendation to help determine who ultimately ends up flying for us.

yawdamp

+1 Well said regarding hiring...

Sailor

agreed, but nobody can change the current unwritten policy.

Normann

I too keep hearing from a bunch of different guys who have access to the "train wreck" (the excel file with the training plans) that the 12/month will continue as long we are getting the deliveries. Tim M was heard saying that hiring may even increase above 12/month. There was an email for more instructor positions just recently. Also the simulators are planned to be operational by first half of 2013. All good signs. Not to mention that oil is down a little.

Hugh Betcha

Apparently, the MIA FSDO isn't impressed and Joe H. isn't handling them well. Life Rafts. Seriously? Omni 75's are flying our "over-water" routes and we're putting empty 321 seats into BOG at the last minute. The more things change the more they stay the same.

I think I even miss Greg L. as at least when he ran out of fingers and toes he'd ground the airplane.

ehe2

Why not file over the coastal routes? Seems silly to outsource flying than to increase the burn a bit? Idk. I find the situation very embarassing.

PruneJuice

Aren't you people embarrassed to fly for this operation?

Hugh Betcha

Yep.

Not to mention we're losing flying to Omni as well. At least we're doing better than Faceplant's IPO.

Pilot 2 "Did you buy any SAVE?"

Pilot 1 "You gave them your life - don't give them your money".