American Airlines Pilot Rules

[Avtrchris]

I was told that AA pilots MUST upgrade when a seat is available. So you basically do FO on MD80 to Captain then FO on 737 etc. till you get to the top. And you have no choice in the matter?

Is this true?

 

[jke406]

I was told that AA pilots MUST upgrade when a seat is available. So you basically do FO on MD80 to Captain then FO on 737 etc. till you get to the top. And you have no choice in the matter?

Is this true?

my recommendation would be to not listen to a word your FBO "know-it-all" CFI says about the profession...

 

[bubbers44]

There is a requirement to upgrade to captain when your seniority allows it with about a year to do so. Once a captain you can do whatever you want, even go back to FO. Some of our people did it to get the Hawaii flights, etc.

 

[Avtrchris]

There is a requirement to upgrade to captain when your seniority allows it with about a year to do so. Once a captain you can do whatever you want, even go back to FO. Some of our people did it to get the Hawaii flights, etc.

Thanks, that awnsers Q

 

[AA717driver]

Yeah, it's true but unless you're in the 5,600 to 7,000 seniority range, you won't have to worry about it for the next 10 years... TC

 

[glasspilot1]

I'm too lazy to look it up in print but I think they've suspended that policy. Since AA is the ultimate bean counter company, this was a way to reduce their training costs.

I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

 

[TWA Dude]

I think the "Up or Out" policy is a good one. It prevents airlines from having tens or even hundreds (everyone knows which airline I'm refering to) of FOs that remain FOs because they're incapable of passing upgrade training. Competent FOs have nothing to fear from such a policy and as far as I've heard pilots having trouble are given ample help to make it through.

 

[bizicmo]

I don't know what airline?

 

[Jonny Sacko]

Is it Skybus?

 

[TWA Dude]

For you young'uns: UNITED.

 

[ultrarunner]

TWA dude called it. And he's exactly right!

 

[GuppyWN]

Train to proficiency at its finest!

Gup

Reminds me of a funny I heard years ago......

A United gal kept bugging center for a short cut. Finally an unknown voice chimed in - "just be patient sweetie, you're whole career has been a shortcut."

 

[ultrarunner]

And it some circles Guppy, proficiency is relative to...

...well, never mind....

"some" outfits are paying for their "hiring practices" of the past....

...Oh well...

 

[aa73]

I think the "Up or Out" policy is a good one. It prevents airlines from having tens or even hundreds (everyone knows which airline I'm refering to) of FOs that remain FOs because they're incapable of passing upgrade training. Competent FOs have nothing to fear from such a policy and as far as I've heard pilots having trouble are given ample help to make it through.

Yes and no.

For the most part, it works as advertised. However, quite a few folks who have no business upgrading, upgrade. We all know what kind of a trip that turns out to be.

"Up or out" has always been AA's way of getting around age discrimination... i.e., you don't get hired if you won't be able to upgrade. Since the upgrade is running 18-20 years now, I guess you're SOL if you're 42 or older? (when we start hiring in the next ten years..)

It also results in a lot more stagnation than other airlines... since EVERYONE has to upgrade, it creates long "waiting lists".... whereas at airlines like CAL, UAL, etc, upgrades can go very jr from folks who simply bypass for QOL.

I'd personally like to see the policy go away.

73

 

[D-Bo]

Reminds me of a funny I heard years ago......

A United gal kept bugging center for a short cut. Finally an unknown voice chimed in - "just be patient sweetie, you're whole career has been a shortcut."

Must have been about 20,00 folks on the exact same frequency that day because that's about the number of times I've heard that lame story.

But to your assertion, the number is less than 100 and from what I hear, a lot of them were scabs. Funny though, from all the bashing everyone wants to do on good old UAL, they seem to have one of the best safety records in the industry. Keep talking that BS if it makes you all feel better though.