Spirit Airlines current hiring
 

Hey everyone, anyone have a minute to answer a quick question about hiring, I am somewhat confused. A few months ago I heard that Spirit had like 1500 apps, resumes, whatever on file, so why when I look at these pilot hiring info sites, It seems like they are amost always postings looking for new folks? Just wondering!

At the last job fair they said they have ~3,000 applications on file. They are still hiring. New hire classes every month.

If you are looking at job boards, they recycle old ads all the time.

Does anyone know if Spirit gives a .2 or .3 per sortie bump for military flights?

Sorry man, no military conversion.

I wish they did.

You thinking of applying?

Not only do they not, but the 4000TT is a hard requirement. Military hour discounts are on a case by case basis, so says a source in the hiring system. Best to do is apply and see what happens.

I second that. Even with the .3, its not as if 3100 TT is an easy # to achieve at Uncle Sam's Flying Circus, so try not to worry about what you can't control, like the 4k requirement.

If you're 1/2 serious about Spirit, put on your suit, go to a job fair, and stand in line with the huddled masses. Practice your 5 minute pitch on why you're a good fit for Spirit, be ready for the 4000TT question, nail the answer, and finish with a smile and a firm handshake.

Then cross your fingers and wait to see if you set the hook or not.:D

I 100% agree with NedsKid here. I was hired short of 4000TT, no credit for military sorties.

Apply, go to the job fair and put your best foot forward. Shine without being arrogant.

There's a LOT to like about Spirit, I'm extremely happy to have gotten on here. It's different, unless you've flown civilian or done a civilian training program, you can't imagine how different. But, their training is surprisingly effective, even enjoyable.

Any non-mil getting in under 4K?

What about the 50 ME in 12 Months is that hard fast or subject to some flexibility,,,,(over 4000 jet, but due to airline collapse, got about 30 ME in 12 months).

Can guys hold LAS right out of training?

Yes, pretty much.

Yeah, just threw an app in, but I only just crossed 3000TT this week. Any chance? Worth making a trip to a job fair?

Thanks.

For anyone who's bringing something to the table other than 4000+ hours of RJ time, going to a job fair and presenting your situation personally is FAR AND AWAY the best option.

That being said, you could spend all the time and $ to get there, wait in line for hours, and be told 'Thanks, please come back when you have 4k'.

Good luck!

Or.....you can work your tail off and get an interview with a Legacy carrier that has no silly restriction. I believe Spirit and Virgin America guys have some rediculous min hour requirement. My guess is that will be short lived because most guys will leave those two companies for better paying/more stable legacy companies. Just my two cents...

Agreed. It's an arbitrary number. I know a lot of 20 year single seat mil guys with fewer than 4,000 hours. It should not be about quantity but quality. I'd rather take a guy with 3,000 hours of turbine PIC in a challenging environment than 6,000 of SIC.

Absolutely agree with your example. I am a Military guy. When I left AD I had around 4300 hours with tons of hours being shot at over Afghanistan and Iraq. I consider myself extremely lucky to have gotten hired by a Legacy carrier but the interview team was clear when they explained what and who they were working for. IMHO companies like Spirit and VA can drag in guys with crazy hour requirements but Legacy carriers would rather bring in qualified guys who you can actually live with over a four or five day trip.:D

I agree that the 4000 TT number is not only silly, but it makes it appear Spirit doesn't consider many of our military pilots qualified to apply here. I think its more to dissuade low time civilian applicants from submitting resumes and spending time lining up at job fairs for a job they're likely not competitive for. We've got thousands of resumes on file, and continue to seek new applicants.

Is it harder to keep your incredible quality or your extreme livability in check on a day to day basis? ;)

I do taste the sarcasm. I don't mean to be smug. DAL does a terrific job hiring the "perfect" fit. I can only think of one Captain that was a bit of a character. I really enjoy the pilots I fly with. Some are worth the price of admission. Additionally, I can’t say I have ever once had an issue with another pilot's method of flying a jet. DAL has a history of this type of culture. That said, DAL doesn’t advertise ridiculous hour requirements nor do they rely on job fairs to weed out low time kids. They have computers to do that. :D

Not exactly on topic but purely out of curiosity, is it just the fighter guys who tend to not accumulate a ton of hours or does that affect the transport guys as well?

I'd always assumed your C-130/C-17 etc... drivers flew a metric ton of hours every year, even with the whole only logging actual time the thing was in the air thing.

Do you guys think those high mins will drop once Delta, AA/US, and UAL begin to really crank up hiring?

At the 10 year mark, about the time you have the first opportunity to get out most fighter guys will have probably 1500TT with about 1200 or so of that in their primary platform. Heavy guys probably 2200TT. Obviously results will vary from platform, branch of service, deployments, but those numbers are also coming down, rapidly.

The 4000TT mark is a hurdle even guys retiring at 20 will have a hard time clearing, especially in the fighter world.

I had 4000TT as a heavy guy in AF after 10 years. 3 years were spent flying a Lear 35, and 6 years on the C-5. 11 months were spent deployed to the sandbox.

The problem with a lot of C130/17 guys is the war was/is fought from within theater. Cargo being put in Atlas cargo jets and brought to the sandbox then transferred to a 130/17 to take into Iraq or Afghanistan. You don't get to fly from your home base, you sit in the back of a kc135 to get to where you are deployed to.

From there it's basically local flying. 1.5 here... 2.0 there... The combat sorties rack up, but the hours don't.

And, remember in the USAF, flying is your secondary job, although that's not the Company line. In most units, mine for example, copilots would get to fly maybe twice, three times a month at most. With sequestration, training flights were being cut dramatically and the simulator was being touted as the way of the future. Deploying changed that, you're flying every other day or every third day, but most flight times are around 3-4 hours a day at most, unless you're doing an airdrop only day then it's about 2 hours of flying.
Secondly, military times are counted from liftoff to touchdown. Most guys add five minutes for taxi time, but that's about it. In the -130, especially in a deployed situation, a lot of time on the ground was spent with engines running, time in the civilian environment that would be counted. Doesn't make much of a difference, about 300-400 hours at most over a career.
Later in one's career, or usually at least once, you get a non-flying job. These can range to 179 days deployed (mine was around 165 days, but I had two of them in my career) or a 365 day, not to mention some that get a three year non-flying assignment. That hurts.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption the high min hours was due to insurance requirements. If that's just folklore, then I'll consider myself corrected. Delta, United, FedEx and others can publish low minimums and know they can weed out later, and are confident that prospective Captains will have thousands more hours within the company if they're hired with low times. I don't believe Spirit or Virgin America have that luxury.
Just my opinion, but I'd guess as hiring continues, the published minimums will go a little lower. For the military guys, I think we'll see the number of hours they come to the party with will be lower still. I'm guessing guys entering UPT today will really struggle for cockpit time and will barely have ATP mins by the time their 10 year commitment is up. I hope I'm wrong.

Don't forget ATP mins for miltary guys is soon to be 750 hours.

Obviously you can't paint everyone with one brush to answer that dudes questions, but with the money getting turned off I'd venture to say you're not only the exception but guys like you will be like unicorns here soon.

Very true, but didn't it say something about a "restricted" ATP license? Not sure what "restricted" would entail, but 750 should be attainable in a 10 year career.

Getting a RPA assignment, a 179 non-flying TDY and an increased reliance on simulators might make it tough to accrue a whole lot more.

I really think I retired right at the right time! :eek:

Yes, unless of course you're an NK pilot doing an ERO. Once the door opens, engine running or not, you're off the clock.

This smelled of delta before you even mentioned it. I can assure you that finding folks that are a good fit is the number one priority at Spirit and not 4000 hrs. Remember we are all on the same team as ALPA pilots and your "better than you" attitude doesn't help unity.

If you don't know already, delta pilots have that reputation and you are feeding that bad stereotype because there are in fact great guys there. Although, i have sat on more than a few DAL jumpseats where all i heard for three hours was sortie this and squadron that. I know you guys must have hobbies and families right?

By qualified guys do you mean the kind that chase code enforcement officers around the airport tarmac with their DC-3 or the kind that lock their wives' up and use as sex slaves? That shrink eval sure has helped you guys find your share of nut jobs...but they're the best of the best!

CNBC just had a quick story on Asiana 214, how inexperienced the pilot was in the 777 and how the flying public can be assured their pilot is experienced.

Maybe Spirit should tout their 4000 hour minimum for its pilots and how it's higher than other airlines.

But he did have over 10,000 hrs in other aircraft. How is the training coming along?

Wow! I knew it was low, but I had no idea how low.

Thanks for the info, and good luck!

Woops....Looks like I stumbled too far into your cave. I did not mean to upset you. I certainly did not mean to represent the DAL pilot group in a negative manner. Apparently you don't think we look good in our cute double breasted jackets and WWII era hats. :D I can honestly say our pilot group is a terrific group of folks. I would love to buy you a beer and apologize for my remarks, but I am stuck in Afghanistan. See you on the JS some time....

By chance....did you interview and miss the cut because of the shrink eval? That was a strange experience and in my opinion all pilots are nuts.:rolleyes:

Thank you for your service, hope you have a safe an speedy return back to the States!

Thanks Lobaeux! I can't wait to get home. I am dying to have a giant ice cold BEER!:D

Well, if you go through Manas, they've got some great Russian beers there.

I haven't made it up there yet. Those are good beers. I spent the night with a broken plane in OASL the other day. I can't say I am going to miss that dirt LZ.:rolleyes:

I remember OASL quite well, glad I no longer have to return there or OASA. OASA was just plain crazy getting into at times. :eek: