Many, many years ago I got hired with a Single Engine ATP. I never got a Multi-engine ATP until I checked out as a 747-400 F/O some 14 years later.

Joe

Man, you guys love talking about scraping the bottom of the barrel. Well let me tell you my short story about riding the jumpseat on Southwest.

I was a 747 FO with 5K+ 121 (1800+ 121 PIC, LCA, ERAU, no DUI and in the JS at Southwest and an app on file(for every window the past 5 years). As we pulled into the gate the FO said to the CA, "Hey have you seen who we're hiring? We're really desperate and really scraping the bottom fo the barrel." I didn't say anything, but I regretted not saying anything. It kinda pretty not great. Not saying we are hiring the cream of the crop at United, but be aware of who reads this forum and have some humility.

Maybe they didn't hire you because you told everyone you went to Embry Riddle?

When you ride on jump seats, and when you read things on the internet the first item on your preflight is “put on your big boy pants”. That’s so you don’t get your little feel feels hurt.

I usually pack a chocolate SnackPack pudding cup to hand to the blue hairs talking about scraping the bottom of the barrel. Or just ask them what it was like back in ‘Nam.

As long as you carry a portable safe space it’ll all be alright.

And honestly, I know this is the interwebs where all things are true. But in reality how often do you hear the “blue hairs” talking about bottom scraping and how often do the neophytes need to be comforted while riding the jump seat?

Remember everyone gets a participation trophy.

kind of agree. The difference between someone with 2k hrs and 10k is almost negligible. They’re guys with 10k hrs and honestly terrible pilots in either seat. There are guys with less than 2k who are really sharp. Hrs is a really poor want to judge someone’s ability and chance of success. Hiring lower time pilots is far from scrapping the bottom of the barrel. Half the people on the upper end of any company seniority list are made up of guys who got hired at 250 hrs. So yeah some humility would be nice and remember everyone was new at one point

if you are talking stick and rudder I agree, however there is huge difference in everything else from weather, to energy managment, to panic level and how they handle all these and 800 more.

ha!

I had to read that a few times thinking what certificate of endorsement is a “ERAU”, maybe he’s from Europe or something, then I got it lol

Yeah where you learned how to fly a 172 should be kinda pointless at this stage in your career