Hiring at Mins?
 

Word on the street is that UA is still hiring at ATP Mins? I have 1527 hours, mostly military turbine. I have been reluctant to go pay 10K to get my ATP but also don't want to go to the regionals. If I feel confident I could get hired at UA, American or another legacy, I'd spring for it.

If you’re military, United just started a program that doesn’t require you to have an ATP

https://careers.united.com/us/en/uni...-pilot-program

I did read about that new program - sounds great, except I'm in the reserves and it's only for active duty pilots who are more than 6 months from separation. I guess the main question is whether they'll waive the ATP practical (I'll have my written) for me or not.

Go get your ATP and spend 10K for a multi million dollar career.

"speaks the truth, shrek does"
Yoda

I agree with the above, go get the ATP. No legacy will touch you without one. I know you said you didn’t want to go to a regional, but honestly I would save the money and have have a regional without a training contract pay for it for you. While they are hiring a few around that TT, it certainly is not the norm. Plus a little bit of 121 experience on your part will only help you be successful at United.

Delta will hire mil pilots with only the written ATP, and several of my friends took advantage of that policy and it's why they're at Delta and not United.

That being said, not having the full ATP only limits you. Yeah paying 10k on a plastic card to re-prove you are capable of flying a complex aircraft around the world is dumb, but you need it to get hired. Going to the regionals may save you 10 grand, but a 6 month stint at the regionals will also cost you 1,000 seniority numbers and 6 months of legacy airline pay, which is *just a bit* more than $10,000. From that limited information you seem competitive if you check the other boxes and depending on what skeletons you have in your closet. Also if you go to the regionals you likely won't be quickly hired by whatever legacy is partnered with that regional, and I've heard a lot of regionals aren't hiring FO's because they don't have enough captains on hand to justify bringing more FO's on board.

Sandman2,

$10,000 is chump change to what you will earn at any major carrier. If the carrier where you want to work has the requirement, go get it. If it doesn’t don’t. (Frankly I would get it any way, looks good on the resume and the carriers you interview with which don’t require it know you can always interview with those that do)

I am sort of surprised that you even have to ask the question. This is the golden ($$$) age for commercial airline pilots. I am sorry I have only a few years to enjoy it. Good luck.

You are going to need an ATP one way or another. Every month you spend thinking about this means ~200 more people hired that will always be more senior than you. It's also not going to cost 10k. Get the test-prep app from Sheppard Air. Use your GI Bill to take the ATP/CTP class (I did mine at CAE). Then go to any of the ATP diploma-mills that cater to military and spend less than 5k. But make your reservation for the ATP now since they have a long waiting list.

LoL 😂

🍻

Apply to Delta then, they’ll take you with an ATP written.

But seriously if you’re a reservist and had already been at a regional this probably wouldn’t even be a conversation. You’d probably already be at a legacy. Same for an ACMI etc.

Out of curiosity, how many months of eligibility did you burn to get your ATP/CTP? I’ve heard it’s a bad ROI if you have children that would be eligible to use it, but only know what it was worth for my kids.

Thanks for all the replies. I have already scheduled the ATP CTP course for December, I guess I should just go ahead and get my full ATP. I didn’t know that about Delta - I’ve had a few friends in the military apply and they got the cold shoulder. It might be lack of recent turbine time, I don’t know. My turbine time is all over ten years old. The military moved a lot of us over to drones.

That’s another issue

Are you current in anything?

Still? Gonna be that way for the foreseeable future.

FFS, a couple premium/PPU/SRM will pay for that in NO TIME.

Youll have ample opportunities to be a cheap pilot afterward, as mentioned, on a multi million dollar career.

It was probably better to lead with that info. Not sure if you would find many people that have been hired without flying a turbine aircraft in 10 years. The fasted route to a major/legacy would probably be through the regionals; you probably have a better sense of how they are hiring with that background, but I’m guessing that it would be ok. 6 months later you’d probably have a class date at a destination carrier.

And a more salient one at that, which is why the OP didn't open with it.

Those who hesitate are penny wise and pound foolish.

You were focussed on the ATP issue when you first posted, but the currency issue you just divulged is much more pressing. What’s your plan to get current?

Was in same boat 5 years ago- Retired mil out of flying for about 5 years. A friend said go jerk gear at a regional & let them pay for the ATP.

It’s some @ss pain, but you’ll be on with a Major within about a year.

With your currency issue the fastest route (and cheapest) is a regional. Have three close ex Military friends doing same recently. - two had not flown in 5 years, one for 10. Two hired with united & one at Delta after their regional gigs.

Best professional / work decision I ever made.

Not having manned aircraft flight time in the past ten years is probably going to be a hinderance for you. You’ll need 25-50hrs in the last 12 months to peak a regionals interest. Cessna/Piper time is okay for that though. The AA Wholly owned regionals (Envoy, Piedmont, PSA) are supposed to pickup on FO hiring after Jan. I’d build some flight time doing a instrument work and apply to them, Endeavor, Breeze, Frontier and Spirit etc. basically anyone who competes with United for business, then go over from there.

Only one regional out five cared that i had ZERO time in last 5 years when i applied. Within one hour of submitting my apps (was waiting to upload my medical) i had a call. Within 24 hours 3 interviews scheduled. I no kidding have a friend who last month had a CJO from envoy within one day of submitting without an interview or talking to anyone.

Ok, I’m going to try Charter first, then the regionals. I do have 25 + recent hours in 172/182s. Looking at Global X, Flex Jet.

If you mean “my first preference is charter, second choice the regionals” yes
If you mean fly charter then fly regional then fly major, no. Any fresh turbine time should get interest from the majors. Make sure you don’t get anything with onerous training contracts

Quick question, what’s with the hesitation about going to get current at a regional?

IMO A great call. I'd much rather be at a place like flex jet or net jets when the music stops vs at a regional. Plus at least flex Jet's organic or confirmed ticket commuting could prevent another move to a hub.

But this was in 2018 when you applied to the regionals?

was going to suggest same thing, spirit or frontier also might take you

The main reason I don’t want to go to a regional, and prefer fractional or 135, is because I’m not within commuting distance and the reserve time would suck. Plus I’m close to a city that is a domicile for both Flex Jet and Net Jet. So that schedule works way better for me.
I did apply with Frontier but they said to get my ATP and then they’ll take another look.

Airline Interviewer: “Show us how you’ve been willing to invest in your transition from the military to a lucrative airline career.”

You: “I’m not.”

Airline Interviewer: “mmmmkayyyyy”

Ego/ unwilling to pay dues

Understandable, but you are willing to entertain commuting for a legacy or ULCC carrier? Because, commuting is commuting rather it’s a legacy, ULCC or regional…

Since you are military, I truly do believe that a touch n go at a regional for currency is the smart play. You literally will not spend much time there.

Once you are current, you will literally have your pick of the litter….

What dues? It's not a country club

Lol yeah I don't think that's a very mature position to take. To go from my current grade in the military to first year pay at any airline is a 50% pay cut. Some of us have things like college tuition for the kids, bills, child support, etc. It can be done but it's not an easy transition. Not having the commute time allows me to work odd days for the reserves and make up for some of that lost pay.

You should apply at DAL and accept nothing less

Any shot at an interview for someone who started with RATP at 1000 hrs & currently has 1600 TT / 600 turbine? Or keep plugging away to 750-1000 turbine? At an LCC, degree (if that matters anymore) and no checkride failures... Thanks

‘Not with a R-ATP you don’t……

Always apply, always update. Get as many hours asap.

Now unrestricted, started with RATP. Just figured my TT was still on the mins side.

No one works in HR here.