1200-1500hrs For Minimum Requirements

[Freight Dog]

One of ALPA heroes - Rick Dubinsky was hired with 277 hours.
Times change.

 

[Sppedmode]

To be honest guys, I don't think the minimums have changed. The regionals are still 1000/100, 1200/200 or 1500/300 for the most part. However, the competitive times are up significantly due to all the furloughs.
So, if you are asking when will the mins change, my answer is they haven't.
If you are a CFI with 1000/100 and asking "When am I going to get hired?" I would have to say possibley 3rd to 4th quarter of this year and things will definately pick up in 2003. Just keep flying and building time so you look that much better to the airlines when they do start hiring again.

 

[bobbysamd]

Spam 'em

I always heard that it's a good idea to start sending in stuff when you are at or near the PUBLISHED mins, so, if, e.g., Mesa is (still) hiring at 1000/100, send in your resume. It has always been true that the actual competitive times deviate from the published times. In that regard, send in stuff, but don't expect much interest until you are at least 1500/500 with your ATP. In addition, 135 PIC will give you a real advantage over the flight instructors. It goes without saying that a little legit turbine will be icing on the cake.

My favorite examples of unbelievably low mins always were Aloha Island Air or whatever it was called in the late '80s, which at one time had something like 500/50, and Scenic, which were just as ridiculous.

 

[bigD]

Hey! There ain't nothing wrong with 500/50!

Yeah yeah I know - I have more work to do. Heh!

 

[Freight Dog]

Re: Spam 'em

I always heard that it's a good idea to start sending in stuff when you are at or near the PUBLISHED mins, so, if, e.g., Mesa is (still) hiring at 1000/100, send in your resume. It has always been true that the actual competitive times deviate from the published times. In that regard, send in stuff, but don't expect much interest until you are at least 1500/500 with your ATP. In addition, 135 PIC will give you a real advantage over the flight instructors. It goes without saying that a little legit turbine will be icing on the cake.

My favorite examples of unbelievably low mins always were Aloha Island Air or whatever it was called in the late '80s, which at one time had something like 500/50, and Scenic, which were just as ridiculous.

Bobby, we were hiring with 250 hours up until 1999 and it was pitiful. But then again, you'd go into a Twin Otter, and back in the 80's, that's all we flew. FO in the Twin Otter... you don't need more than a warm body. Since the Twotters are gone... and now all we fly are Dash 8's... the mins have gone up, so most people hired these days have over 2000 hours with 300-500ME which is more in line with the rest of the industry.

 

[bobbysamd]

Freight Dog:

That makes 100% sense to me. 2000/500 were par ten years ago as well for the Dash and others.

My Citation type examiner is also a Twotter examiner and expert on the airplane. He told us tales about the multiple fuel tanks in the aircraft. I don't remember exactly every thing he said, but it sounded something like a cow's stomach(s) to me.

 

[surplus1]

One of ALPA heroes - Rick Dubinsky was hired with 277 hours.
Times change.

Another famous UAL MEC Chairman and 1st VP of ALPA (who nearly became President) was also reportedly hired with a PPL.

The success of both these gentlemen is just more proof the the number of hours of flight time is not really relevant. It is just one method of controlling supply. Whenever demand warrants, the rules will change again.

Same thing happens in the military. Today, you must have a degree to become an officer and to fly. When we are in the middle of a war and pilots are needed, the degree goes away. Many of our great leaders gained battlefield commissions and did quite well.

One of our WWII Presidents did not hold a degree, yet historians think he was among the "best". If I'm not mistaken, AL had no formal degree either.

Bottom line = we all have to meet what ever requirements exist on the day we apply. As in most walks of life, who and what you are as a person will determine your ultimate success.

 

[bobbysamd]

Scenic mins

I remember the Scenic mins in the late '80s-early '90s were 50 hours of multi. That's where I was coming from. I sent them stuff for six years-plus and never even received a postcard.

By the way, what happened to the Ford Tri-Motor Scenic owned?

 

[OtterFO]

The Ford

Bobby,

Last I saw the Scenic Ford is still owned by Siebold, and is either parked on display at KGCN by the Grand Canyon Airlines terminal, or at the Muesum at a small airport a few miles south of GCN. I can't remember the airport name. Do you remember it Jim?

 

[FamilyMan]

I flew with an old CAP instructor up in North Dakota, his late 60s. Currently works for the state of North Dakota pushing paper. He told me when he was young he was offered a pilot job with United Airlines; they offered to pay the remainder of his training. The didn’t even have a commercial back then.

He chose not to pursue the United job. He was happy with his job, and still is. He still fly’s with CAP, and from looking at him he probably has another good 20 years of flying. Unites would have forced him to retire a long time ago, but he’s still going at it.

I hope I can last as long as he has, and still flying when I’m that old.

FamilyMan

 

[bobbysamd]

Scenic Ford

Thanks, Otter. I tried running an internet search on Fords this morning and couldn't find it.

Maybe twelve years ago, Scenic used to sell type training in their Ford. An AOPA staffer took the training and did a nice writeup on it. Said the airplane was as easy to land as a Cub, if I recall correctly.

 

[OtterFO]

Thanks Jim, my brain has been a little frozen since moving to the artic.

Our friends R. L. and A. G. are doing great, We're all flying our butts off.

 

[Draginass]

You guys keep your jets cool, your resumes updated, and your experience current. My personal opinion is that in addition to our guys in uniform kicking the long-term snot out of the islamic nutcases, the airline industry is going to come back strong, probably sooner than people think. The pool of military pilots is all but dried up, some of us are getting better, (errr. . . I mean older = I'll be happy to get the hell out of 'your' seat at the big 6-0.). Hang in there, the best is yet to come.

 

[Wiggums]

What happened to all the military pilots? Did they decide to stay in instead of seperate?