How I got hired by DAL, the good ole days

[Rez O. Lewshun]

The race issue seemed to be the only factual information...

 

[pilotyip]

WTF does that mean?

The race issue seemed to be the only factual information...

please splain

 

[GuppyWN]

The race issue seemed to be the only factual information...

What in the heck is your major malfunction? And where did you get permission to play the race card on this thread?

Gup

 

[retired guy]

We were drinking a lot of wine, perhaps, I missed some of the fine point, but I know he got hired in about week, said he was driving up to ATL, a week later he was in class. Perhaps he had done the application prior to the drive, perhaps he had taken the tests, perhaps it was the hiring director and not the CP. Would that HR guy hang out in the CP's office? I wasn't there. But I know he disappeared from the squadron on 60 days terminal leave and was working for DAL. Bob is a great guy; I don't think he would make this stuff up. BTW they may have had 15K applications, but I bet not many were Navy pilots; the Navy guys did seem to get head of the line privileges. I know a bunch of guys from my squadron (VP45) got hired over a three year period at DAL between 67-70

HR (then personell) didn`t hang around the chief pilot`s office. No one did. The chief pilot couldn`t hire or fire anyone. He/they could put in a bad word, and probably keep someone from getting hired however. In the "old days" the CP had quite a bit of pull, but by the mid 60`s they were called (behind their collective backs) "hall monitors". The decisions, then and now, come from the fabled "fourth floor". You are correct, Delta was a "Navy (and Marine) outfit". It has, in my opinion digenerated into an Air Force outfit..."Let`s have a meeting and talk about it". I think my class of 36 new hires was about 50% Marines, 30% Navy, 2 civilian pilots and the rest, Air Force. The Marines (myself included) were all "regulars' who were allowed to resign on 1 September `66. That`s why the class was full of Marines. I don`t want to start a pi$$ing contest with Air Force guys. I promise to play nice from now on. My origional senority number was 1386. My son is a Delta MD88 captain with a senority number of 6000 (out of 12,000). Hard to imagine that many Delta pilots. Use to know most of the ATL guys, I hear that there several thousand there now. Well, back to my rocking chair.

 

[Benjamin Dover]

deleted

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

The new hire party was done away with around May or June of 07. I hear things "got out of hand" a few times and they didn't want to condone it.

That's about 3rd hand info- take it for what it's worth.


Rocking chair...didn't have that. I got to choose from a sofa and a regular arm chair. Recline on the sofa, sit back and stick my right hand part way down my pants, or what? It was a tough decision.

I actually did ask the shrink (upon walking in the room and seeing my chair selections, I'm just that much of a moron) where the rocking chair was. He immediately started talking about superstions and some other stuff that I don't remember. Just saw my career flashing before my eyes...

It all worked out...so far.

 

[Patriot328]

I cannot say. No, really, I cannot say. New policy directive from legal and HR.

Well played densoo.. well played...


I, too, noticed the way newhires were treated at the airline that cannot be named.. What a joke...

 

[skywav8r]

Fall of 2007 still had the excellent dinner with spouses flown in. We had our own party.....every night. What's up with this Rez yahoo pulling out race in a cool history thread? What a tool....heck, my family even owns a house in Africa but I am just AMERICAN. Thank you to this great country that has given me so much opportunity. No rocking chair, just a nice leather couch to chill out on. Yes, a class pic is still taken either with the 767 or dc-3 in the background.

 

[jbDC9]

I, too, noticed the way newhires were treated at the airline that cannot be named.. What a joke...

Yep, I got that same treatment both as a new hire and during captain upgrade class. It might've even been the same plastic bag recycled...

Since we can't name the outfit, let's just say it's a Texas based airline, not Southwest or American.

 

[Going2Baja]

My fathers story is from the 'Original School.'

In 1941 he was talking to his guidance counselor regarding dental school and they were interrupted by a recruiter from Pan Am. The recruiter was dropping off flyers for interviews in San Fran. My dad always was interested in flying and sold his bicycle for a train ticket from So Cal to SFO. The details of the interview are fuzzy & I should ask to hear it again, but the one part I do remember is during the physical the doctor noticed a broken ear drum and told him "Son, I was going to roll you, but I think you'll be a good addition here at Pan American." He was hired onto the the Clippers, upgraded @ 22 in the DC-3 and retired on the 747 in 1980 @ age 60. No strikes, no furloughs, one pay cut his last year I think.

As for me - to get my 1st job I called the CP's secretary weekly and sometimes sent flowers & pizza, hired. Next I showed up uninvited to a CP's office and turned out I knew one of their Capt's I flew the Canyon w/...Hired. Next made a few trips to St. George (again uninvited) and got he interview & hired. I did try showing up to a ground school of a Skywest Metro spin-off in UT...everyone showed up and I went home. Beyond that it was all the same game.

From what I've seen I like the old days much better. Much more personal.

Baja.

 

[tomgoodman]

You will be assimilated...

I think my class of 36 new hires was about 50% Marines, 30% Navy, 2 civilian pilots and the rest, Air Force.

My 1979 class had 1 Marine, 1 civilian, and the rest split about evenly between AF and Navy. By the time I retired, around half of the new-hires were civilian. My uninformed guess is that changes in the number of qualified applicants from each source had more effect than any change in management preferences. As far as I could tell, differences in "prior service" faded away after a few years with the Widget.

 

[pilotyip]

another thought

My 1979 class had 1 Marine, 1 civilian, and the rest split about evenly between AF and Navy. By the time I retired, around half of the new-hires were civilian. My uninformed guess is that changes in the number of qualified applicants from each source had more effect than any change in management preferences. As far as I could tell, differences in "prior service" faded away after a few years with the Widget.

The military trained less and less pilot, and the airline hired more and more pilots over the years. So s smaller percentage of military. In 1967, my year the Navy trained 3600 pilots, today they are doing around 700. I sure Air Force numbers reflect a similiar trend. Plus military pilot don't fly as much anymore. I came out of my first tour in 1971 with 2200 hours in five years. Today I see resume from guys who have spent 10 years and have less than 2,000 hours. BTW You know why DAL liked Navy pilots? They could button a double breasted uniform coat.

 

[crj567]

Still living in the past huh? Welcome to 2010. Delta has a fair number of black pilots. I don't care when the first one was hired, I only care that they have been given the opportunity to compete. That is fair. In the future, I see more black pilots - male and female - being hired. You sir are a moron. Remember the past; live in the present.

Why does God let idiots like you exist?

-"Well, if your buddy is a gay combination of a black, melato, puerto rican from mexcali, he would skate right into the #1 slot in ANY class-just welcome to the future!"

-What a silly, petty society we have created! No longer is it enough to hire good people because they are good people, they have to fall into narrow and arbitrary categories of race, creed, and national origin just to stroke your ego....

-Go away.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

please splain

You started a thread with a story in an effort to create a Norman Rockwell euphoric feeling of the "good ol' days". Reminiscing about the good ol days is an emotional desire that many have that provides a reassuring feeling of comfort. Like Rockwell paintings, it appears this story isn't truly representative of the times and is seriously lacking. It is not factual.

In addition, it is a great story, regardless of reality, if you are a white male, preferably USMC/USN not AF. I am sure if Sam Grady hung around the Chief Pilots office (presumably in ATL) for a few days, that would not have gone over as well or someone might've thought the janitor wasn't doing his job. Regardless, he would've been invited to leave. This isn't a dig on Delta, rather a recognition of our culture and times.


So when we talk about the good ol' days.... they might be good for some and not so good for others. I probably would have not said if anything if your original post wasn't debunked. Something about the truth and being free.....

 

[Tweaker]

We are going to get THE TRUTH from Miss Rez? She is prolly a 9/11 troofer, in addition to her many and other varied anti-social tics.
FAIL

You are not the arbiter of what is and what is not FACTUAL or REALITY. What you have is your opinion, which like your bung o-ring is something we all have and entitles you to nothing.
FAIL

Each and every one of your posts has the effect of a ceaseless dreary rain on otherwise sunny landscapes. I don't know if you are more reminiscent of SNL's "It's Pat" the yucky shemale/shim or Debbie Downer. I will let others decide, but that is what is in my mind whenever I see your drivel appear.