Airtran Hiring F.O's

[skyaddict]

Not quite. The PIC time illustrates an applicant's ability to command the airplane in a safe, incident-free manner. Not to minimize the role of the SIC, but the airlines that have a PIC requirement have that requirement because they want to hire people who have proven themselves to be able captains. Captain and First Officer are not the same job, although the vast majority of F/Os out there are more than qualified for the left seat. Trust me, you will understand the difference when you upgrade.

Yes and no. Being PIC without any accidents/incidents does demonstrate some minimal level of good judgement. However, outside the U.S. legacies and LCCs, the turbine PIC thing is NOT a big deal at all... Airlines like Cathay, Emirates (and Air Canada and European carriers for those with the appropriate nationality), as well as all the U.S. fractionals are all looking for Captains, not SICs, yet they hire lots of US pilots with plenty of SIC jet time and not one hour of turbine PIC- and not because of any shortage of applicants, either.

They are savy enough to have an interview process designed to cull the herd for the right PIC qualities.

If you can get turbine PIC through a quick upgrade someplace and get the ticket stamped, great-- but if not, it isn't the end of the world anymore unless you can't consider life complete without flying for a US legacy or LCC.

 

[⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐]

Their 121 PIC time requirement is ridiculous.

737 type to start a class at SWA is ridiculouser.

I just luv to come up with new words like that!

 

[⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐]

delete

 

[learflyer]

I would make the argument that 500 hours pic 121 is less experienced than 500 hours pic 135. Primarily because the preflight workload in 135 is 10 fold the preflight workload at a 121 carrier.

For example:
135
1. Captain must pull up and print weather
2. Captain must file flight plan
3. Captain must check aircraft performance (can be up to 5 or more charts for t/o then ldg, then t/o again.
4. Captain may or may not have any one to double check his decissions

121
1. Weather printed before the captain arrives
2. Flight plan is canned and available
3. Performance is precalculated and printed in nice little books
4. Dispatchers check everything prior to realising the flight

I'm sure you could come up with hundreds of examples and by no means does that mean a 121 pilot is less qualified. It does mean, however, that a 135 pilot should be considered to be just as qualified as any RJ driver. I only made that argument to prove a point, putting a higher value on 121 time is not accurate.

AMEN!

 

[-9Capt]

I would make the argument that 500 hours pic 121 is less experienced than 500 hours pic 135. Primarily because the preflight workload in 135 is 10 fold the preflight workload at a 121 carrier.

And Airtran would make the argument that they are hiring you to operate under part 121, not 135.

The reason for the 121 requirement, from what I've been told by guys in the training dept., is because pilots with prior 121 PIC time have less training issues. Not trying to hurt anyones feelings, just repeating information. if you have a problem with it, contact our VP of Flt Ops, it's his policy.

 

[ksu_aviator]

They need to look again, 121 and 135 regs are almost identical now.

 

[B190Captain]

Don't feel bad guys I meet and exceed all requirements and can't even get an interview.