It's not a bad thing. You just have a lot of competition who have a 4 year degree and plenty of flight hours.

Great! Now how can someone score an interview? :D

The good news is that you are almost half way to getting a bachelors degree.

Yup.

Student01, just because you keep asking the question it won't change the answer. ;)

If you want to fly for United, get the 4-year degree...and even then it will still be EXTREMELY competitive. The minimums are the minimums.

Several months ago I met a regional pilot who was about my age (late 40s) on the same commute flight. He was quite upset with UA that he could not get an interview after flying at a regional for nearly 20 years. He was particularly unhappy with the company's preference for a 4-year degree---which of course he didn't have.

I asked him point blank, "Well....hasn't that always been the case with UA?"

He mumbled something about dropping out to take the first regional job (to get "hours") and the hope that UA would have changed their preference by now.

Meanwhile, pilots 20 years younger with a tenth of his "experience" (cough) are getting hired.

Your call.

The take away: there are many paths to UA and many different ways to get an education and experience. You need to develop a strategy that works for you to achieve your goal.

Many people have asked this question before. You need a 4 year degree. There are ways to get a four year degree faster than others but you have to have it. With current FAA regulations certain schools get you 750 hours instead of 1500 so that actually saves time.

If I were you and in a hurry I'd start looki at what university you wish to attend and make sure you can get in. Some state schools have flight programs, this will be far far less expensive than Riddle. Make sure your school meets the 750 hour requirement. Then start working with an advisor at the school to find out what classes you can test out of or take at a community college RIGHT NOW.
Either way. Get a 4 year degree and don't major in aviation.

Like many have stated, it's a law of numbers. 95% plus of new hires have a bachelors degree. If you like putting your whole bank on just one number at the roulette table then you have better odds of winning than get hired by United without a four year degree.

I've had casual conversations with young RJ F/O's on the employee parking lot bus. Twice now I've been informed by these guys that they didn't need a four year degree because the "pilot shortage" is going to make that requirement obsolete. I also heard the same from a young flight instructor not too long ago.

It's a beautiful rationalization folks but reality is very different. The big three have more current and highly qualified apps on file than they could possibly need. I don't think we'll see that change in the near future. In fact I don't think we'll see that change in the next decade. If it does change you'll see the airlines go to a flight academy style hiring model like Lufthansa. When that happens all of the no degree guys will still be sitting on the sidelines rationalizing about why they never got hired.

Want work for the big airlines? GET THE DEGREE.

I believe the 750 hours is for military only. It's 1000 hours for approved part 141 University programs.

Anyone idea what the drop was like on today's new hire class? (7 Feb. 2017)

I was told by a hiring guy that 7 new hires in the last 2,000+ did NOT have a 4 year degree. Even if its 10, that's still 99.5% of all new hires have a 4 year degree.

Get the damn degree.

United Training Classes
 

6 x 737 DCA
3 x 737 SFO

3 x 320 SFO
3 x 320 LAX

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0e6cd42e62.jpg



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Also, make sure your GPA is better than a 3.0. It gets extra points on your app, as told to my Indoc class by the senior manager for pilot hiring (BK).

Thanks Bro. Looks like SFO cooled off a bit.

How many of those 15 were new hires vs. people coming back from furlough or other leaves?

For those folks that got LaX or SFO is it fair to say they could get back to the east shortly after training ? Or how long ?

ERW or IAD / DCA

oh yeah... DCA and EWR are pretty junior overall... DCA is growing on the 737.

Probably on the next bid.

I am hoping for SFO in April :D

It depends on if a bid falls while you are in training. Bids stagnate over the summer but come more frequently in the lulls before and after. Most only spend 2-3 months on the west coast before being activated on the east. Some are only out there for less than 30 days.

In the last vacancy there were 68 unfilled SFO 737 FO positions and 21 on the 320.

You're good.

I was ask about why I failed a college class called "Morals and Ethics" during my interview.

Guess it was a good thing to have happen. They hired me.. :eek:

I failed Golf in my last semester of senior year. They got a kick out of that in my interview.

Basically everyone that plays golf fails at it, so you were definitely good to go!

I know what you mean....

Any idea what the drop was today (14 Feb)?

Forgot to buy a card, got the last wilted yellow roses, started making dinner reservations to late so can't get into any place nice. Just me and my hand tonight.........

737: 3 ewr, 4 lax, 2 sfo
320: 4 ewr, 3 lax

Drop Today:

737: 3 ewr, 3 lax, 3 sfo
320: 4 ewr, 3 lax

Looks like more getting hired into the A319/320?

This is why you need that 4 year that you have been questioning about! Run the numbers for both fleet assignments from the previous class drops and then answer your own question.

In Common Core...7 can be more than 9 if it makes you feel more comfortable.

Somehow, I'm sure that was a racist remark!

Does United plan to stop new hire classes for the summer?

I haven't seen anything official but they usually slow down a bit in the summer for the busy schedule. They only have classes posted/scheduled through the beginning of May but that is normal and should be updated before too long.

Good morning. I was recently extended the CJO (yeay!!!) and told to expect a late May/early June class. I understand that domiciles & equipment may/will change by the time I start, but let's assume for a moment that EWR is in my future:
If possible, I'd love to hear pros and cons about the A320 vs. B737.
I'm trying to gather as much info as I can, so that I can make a somewhat educated decision the first day of class. Thank you for your help!

~S

EWR 737 is the best flying in the entire company. Did it for two years. 24 hour beach all inclusive layovers, transcons with one leg a day and long layovers. On the Bus now at a different base where I live, and while the bus is a much better plane to fly, the layovers on the 73 in EWR would have kept me in that tight cockpit if I lived near that base.

EWR 737 has great trips with a lot of nice Caribbean layovers. Without actually looking at the data, I would guess better seniority progression on 737 (Although that is ALWAYS subject to change). My impression is that a typical 737 pairing has typically longer legs with fewer legs per day. (Again this is just my basic anecdotal observations, may not be technically true).... But the Airbus is a much more comfortable aircraft for pilots. Lots of room and very quiet. The 737 flight deck is cramped and noisy.... That being said I'm on 737 and love it. Either way if you want EWR you won't have any problem on either aircraft. Congrats and welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard! GStB!

Bid for the airplane you want first, base second. Once you get in the airplane you can bid to other bases as you have the seniority to hold them.

Once you get the 737 or 320 you're locked out of bidding the other for two years (though you can always bid up to larger airplanes at any time). If you take the 756 initially, it isn't unusual to have 756 slots in new-hire classes, you are locked out of the 737 and 320 for two years.

I agree with what has been posted above. The 737 is your better shot at better schedules and faster seniority progression. I took 737 EWR two years ago and did only two months of reserve. Now I'm up to 55% in that seat.

The A320 fleet in EWR is tiny compared to the 737. The guppy flying out of EWR is great.

And a large portion of EWR 320 flying is LGA.