Alaska Airlines increases hiring minimums.

[Ih8AFYesmen]

I feel inferiority complex floating around amongst SOME of the civ pilots. I am not saying one or the other background is better for the airlines. As the previous post states, airline flying is really not that difficult; it's just point A to point B flying. Sure, there are challenges at times due to weather, inflight emergencies, dealing with passengers, etc. but pound per pound, airline flying is no where near as complex as any sort of military flying. I'm sorry folks, but that's way it is, having done both. Those who want to challenge this statement only do so if you've done both. I'm in no way putting down the civilians. I fly with many of whom are great pilots and are fun to hang out with.

Okay, time to enjoy a meal that my wife slaved over all day. Everybody, happy Thanksgiving!

 

[BlueTop]

Baze,

I'm going to hold you to that ditch digging comment!

Congrats on AS.

 

[Baze]

BlueTop,

Thanks...

Actually, ditch-digging can be a lot of fun. I'd also get some much-needed exercise out of it.

 

[fly-n-fish]

AV8
Unlike you and I, those who don't know what "leading a 4-ship of Vipers on an opposed SAT ride" means will never understand that it's the quality of the flying time that makes the pilot what he/she is, not the total hours one has amassed. We all paid our dues in one way or another to get to the majors ...

 

[bustinmins]

I don't even know where to begin.
I'm assuming that since I started this thread those last posts were for me. I'll just make it as simple as possible. Since neither of you have flown fighters and I have I guess that sorta qualifies me to say this:
Flying for the airlines is EASY. I flew for a commuter airline in ALASKA for years before even getting in the military. Let me just say that taking a 4 ship of vipers into the airspace to lead an opposed SAT ride is ridiculously more challenging than taking a cargo airplane off, cruising for 1-3 hours, and shooting an approach in icy, windy conditions.
I've done all of that. The stress that you feel during the .2 takeoff phase and the .3 landing phase is high in civillian ops. The stress you get from the same phases in the fighter world is low compared to the hour of tactical maneuvering in between the takeoff and landing. OBTW, leading a 4 ship uses plenty of CRM to qualify on the same lines as "how do you feel about gear down, landing checklist?"
I'm already with the airline. So the mins don't affect me personally, except that now I have a lot of buddies that would do a great job that will not get to prove it for several more years.

Let me reiterate - I've done both. Flying a 121 Jet is EASY. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. And the competitive edge a commuter guy has is gone after the non-commuter types read the FOM/FAR 121/ have a sim.
I'm not trying to take away anything from the non-mil types, just saying that there's no friggen way you can say that 3000 hours total time, of which 90% of it is in cruise is better experience than 1500 hours of actually moving the jet. Believe it or not, a guy with a better instrument cross-check has a HUGE advantage in a dogfight.

For the record, I didn't have an auto-pilot until I hit 5500 hours.

 

[bustinmins]

I feel inferiority complex floating around amongst SOME of the civ pilots. I am not saying one or the other background is better for the airlines. As the previous post states, airline flying is really not that difficult; it's just point A to point B flying. Sure, there are challenges at times due to weather, inflight emergencies, dealing with passengers, etc. but pound per pound, airline flying is no where near as complex as any sort of military flying. I'm sorry folks, but that's way it is, having done both. Those who want to challenge this statement only do so if you've done both. I'm in no way putting down the civilians. I fly with many of whom are great pilots and are fun to hang out with.

Okay, time to enjoy a meal that my wife slaved over all day. Everybody, happy Thanksgiving!

On another note about weather - Civy pilots can still fly into a WW box in peacetime.

Just kidding you guys - seriously - I don't care which background you have. Like it was said, we've all put in our time in our own way.

 

[regionaltard]

For the record, I didn't have an auto-pilot until I hit 5500 hours.

I'll see your 5500 hours and raise you 4500 autopilot-free hours just to get hired into 7 years of Metroliner wrangling. I'm guessing 11K or so before I ever said the word "push" in an airplane.

 

[scoreboard]

I don't know one good reason an airline would hire a military guy out of a single seat fighter.

I guess your gonna stay an RJ FO for quite a few more years with that attitude bucko. So, what are you gonna answer when the HR lady asks you if you would have any trouble working with an ex-mil Captain? Things that make you go hhhhhmmmmm.....

 

[ERJFO]

I guess your gonna stay an RJ FO for quite a few more years with that attitude bucko. So, what are you gonna answer when the HR lady asks you if you would have any trouble working with an ex-mil Captain? Things that make you go hhhhhmmmmm.....

I'll tell her than I can't wait for the chance, and then smile. I fly with x-mil guys now, thats not the point the point was I don't see the how the experience benifits and airline. Anyway, the place I work now is based on senority not attitude.

 

[ferlo]

Anybody who thinks Alaska is concerned with pilot attitude is sorely misinformed.

 

[dillfer]

The ego's on this thread are nuckin futs. Flying is not rocket surgery. Nasa's taught monkeys to fly.

But in all seriousness, could the minimums just be posted as a way to narrow down the amount of applicants that the airline receives. Kind of like the college degree requirement. Everybody knows that you don't need a college degree to fly an airplane but it sure cuts down the number of guys applying when you require one. I always thought the two most important questions in a new applicant would be: Is this person trainable? Does this person have the personality to get along with the rest of the pilot group?

As far as the military vs. civilian portion of the thread. I've never flown for the military so any comment that I make would be suspect. I can say that I'm flying 121 now and it's not very difficult. 135 single pilot in a multi piston aircraft in the weather (below the flight levels) is some of the more difficult flying that I've done. Maybe that should be listed as a requirement.

 

[av8instyle]

The ego's on this thread are nuckin futs. Flying is not rocket surgery. Nasa's taught monkeys to fly.

But in all seriousness, could the minimums just be posted as a way to narrow down the amount of applicants that the airline receives. Kind of like the college degree requirement. Everybody knows that you don't need a college degree to fly an airplane but it sure cuts down the number of guys applying when you require one. I always thought the two most important questions in a new applicant would be: Is this person trainable? Does this person have the personality to get along with the rest of the pilot group?

Yeah, my guess is it's just to whittle down the number of candidates. It just seems a little short sighted to me, that's all.

 

[Wingsweep]

Let's settle this for all time...

Ok, let's get this straight for all time! Military is better than civilian, er, I mean civilian is better than military, ah, what I mean is fighter is better than transport, darn it, bomber is better than fighter, ok, ok, Navy is better than Air Force, or maybe the other way around. You know what I mean, one is better than the other--isn't it? Ok, ok, I know it for sure... anyone who takes any of these positions is a dumb @ss. Questions? WS

P.S. When you demean a person for flying a particular type of airplane you're also a dumb @ss. PPS Trying to explain why any type of flying is better than another is even more dumb @ss. IMNSHO

 

[bustinmins]

I'll see your 5500 hours and raise you 4500 autopilot-free hours just to get hired into 7 years of Metroliner wrangling. I'm guessing 11K or so before I ever said the word "push" in an airplane.

Good luck getting there my friend. Just remember, each day you stay in the game, two quit. Keep the faith and see you on the line soon!

 

[regionaltard]

Good luck getting there my friend. Just remember, each day you stay in the game, two quit. Keep the faith and see you on the line soon!

Uh, I'm already "there." Thanks for the concern.

 

[ExAF]

Uh, I'm already "there." Thanks for the concern.

I think he meant at a major vs regional.