ASA pilot to be?

[AMCKLC]

I interviewed with ASA and was given the letter of acceptance. Anyone know how and when they let you know about your class date? Also do I need to kept my first class privledges current or just renew it before the start of class?

 

[sweptback]

They will call you when you have a class date.

Keep your first class current, definitely have a new one before you walk in the door. You only need a second class to fly the line, but they like to see a new one the first day.

 

[avpro91]

Yeah, they said bring a first class to class...also....took about 4 weeks from the letter to the call....but have heard 3 weeks and 3 months as well..if that helps at all. Congrats. see you there.

 

[flyrunner80]

AMCKLC, Do you really have only 300 hrs?

 

[AMCKLC]

Plus or minus a few hours but yes.

 

[dueguard1]

Hey...........................What kind of total and Multi Times did U have getting on with Them??????

 

[AMCKLC]

CAPT Program at ERAU

 

[Palerider957]

300 hrs???? WTF? I guess it's not like there are qualified people on the street or anything.


There is a lot of grumbling about babysitting new hires, I guess this is the state of ASA.

 

[mnalpha]

"Effective Summer 2004, the tuition for the complete CAPT Program is $80,000."

**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** thats a lot for one year

 

[sweptback]

"Effective Summer 2004, the tuition for the complete CAPT Program is $80,000."

**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** thats a lot for one year

Especially since it will take you at least three years to make anywhere close to $80,000 total. But hey, whatever floats your boat.

 

[Typhoon1244]

300 hrs???? WTF? I guess it's not like there are qualified people on the street or anything.

It's expensive to hire a furloughed pilot, train them, then have them recalled by their carrier after a year.

At any rate, I've heard from a couple people involved in the hiring process that we're having trouble finding qualified applicants. (Guess they heard about Willie...)

There is a lot of grumbling about babysitting new hires, I guess this is the state of ASA.

Our newhires are pretty sharp, actually...at least the ones I've flown with. No babysitting was necessary.

However...

...when I transitioned to the CRJ in '01, I was paried up with a 300-hour guy from the infamous Airline Training Academy. That was, indeed, babysitting. And as hard as he tried, he didn't make it. Nor did four of his five classmates.

(I think that was an unusual situation, though. I don't know the details, but apparently those guys got royally screwed.)

 

[patriotflier]

People have to be crazy nowadays to pay that type of money to get training. Especially, now even if you get to a major the pay has been substancially reduced. One can hope the pay will rebound in the future.

I am just going to hold my opinion about most riddle pilots.

Best of luck to you in this industry, I hope it was money well spent.

 

[pooter]

unbelievable,$80,000 for a $20,000 a year a job.that should be a red flag for lack of intelligence.

 

[boxjockey]

I have a hunch that they may not be paying for this education themselves. Most people who are, shop around for a much better deal than that.


box

 

[flyrunner80]

AMCKLC..... not gonna bash you, but you must have also did an internship with ASA?

I heard ASA was having problems with finding qualified peeps too. Hmmmm, I faxed my stuff to Pilot Recruiting and had a friend walk my stuff in.3weeks ago.....still no word. 1600tt 340multi 290turbine. Not a Riddle grad though.

If anyone can direct me to someone who is hiring qualified peeps PM me.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

please...please...please stop saying "peeps". Does it really take that much longer to type "people"?

 

[patriotflier]

AMCKLC..... not gonna bash you, but you must have also did an internship with ASA?

I heard ASA was having problems with finding qualified peeps too. Hmmmm, I faxed my stuff to Pilot Recruiting and had a friend walk my stuff in.3weeks ago.....still no word. 1600tt 340multi 290turbine. Not a Riddle grad though.

If anyone can direct me to someone who is hiring qualified peeps PM me.

You are probably better off! I hear Coex and Chataqua are both hiring with short upgrade time.

Good luck!

Most Riddle guys are silver spooners if you know what I mean. Very few pay thier own way and are very spoiled little Mama or Daddy's boys/girls. THey come out as pretty good stick and rudder pilots but don't have a clue about how an Airline operates outside the flightdeck. I have flown with very few Riddle pilots who had worked any other jobs and had everything handed to them. So they don't have a concept of work, especially for the people who are working outside the flight deck like Flight Attendants, Rampers, Gate agents and the list goes on. In all fairness, I have also flown with some Riddle guys that are good pilots and have a very good handle on the world outside the flight deck including one of my closest friends. So a majority of Riddle guys are spoiled rich kids and then there are the working class Riddle guys who are in the minority but are just your average pilot like you and I. As always it is not what you know, but who you know or what school you attended.

Oh by the way I turned Riddle down and decided to attend a local aviation college...That was a great choice!

 

[av8tor4239]

You are probably better off! I hear Coex and Chataqua are both hiring with short upgrade time.

Short upgrade times? Who is feeding you this info.. YOu pepole dont have a clue..

 

[CF34-3B1]

FWIW,

One of the best FO's I ever flew with was a low time ERAU direct hire type, one of the worst was a high time ex freight guy.

You just can't generalize about what kind of an FO a person will make based only on his/her background.

It's very much an individual thing.

Whether or not our current contract situation, perceived very long upgrade times, and the Crew Reaction Follies have anything to do with the average newhire flight time dropping I can't say.

 

[Cardenal]

AMCKLC:

Congratulations and welcome aboard!!

This is not as bad a place as it is made out to be by some in this board. Yes, it is a regional, with all that entails. No, it's not the major airline lifestyle. That being said, it is one of the better places to be right now. Yes, things will get tough as we transition into the difficult negotiating part with mgmt, but remember: "All things must pass". It will be tough, but then it will be better. And remember that our present contract, old as it is, is still better than the majority of the more recent ones out there.

People here are nice, and you will enjoy it. People, equipment, training and maintenance are all outstanding. Crew Sched is definitively in major need of improvements, and addressing this is a priority in our negotiations.

I also second what CF34B1 says...it's not where you come from, but above all it's your attitude. There is a LOT to learn, and there are a lot of people to learn from. And glad to share it. So be humble and work hard, and you will be fine.

The only piece of advice: Don't commute. You will be happier and stress free. We must have a commuter clause in the next contract. Until then, live in ATL.

Also, some of the people in this board seem socially resentful and, generally speaking, envious of others' good fortune, good choices or good luck. Relax. They are a minority.

Look forward to flying with you

Cardinal (the finch, not the cleric)

 

[LoneStarFlyer]

Thank You...

Cardenal,

It's guys like you I look forward to flying with whenever I get through training at ASA. AMCKLC posted just looking for some information on what to expect as far as wait time for a class date and ended up getting flamed for his background. You, on the other hand, offered a fair opinion of ASA with both the positives and the negatives, without judging the guy for how he got the interview. I'm playing the waiting game myself not knowing how long it's taking to get called for a class (I interviewed in December and got the conditional employment letter about 4 weeks ago), so I was interested in hearing the answer to his original question before the thread was hijacked. Thanks for cutting through the BS that can sometimes cloud this forum.

 

[Cardenal]

LoneStarFlyer:


Great!!! Thanks.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

No disrespect Lonestar, but he needs a thick skin if this bothers him. He will have to expect that people will be nervous and mistrusting about his relative lack of experience.

It wasn't that long ago that the minimum hiring requirements for regional airlines were over 3000 TT and over 500 ME.

It is up to him to prove himself on the line.

 

[PalmettoPilot]

Fly Runner...

ASA does seem to lower the minimums for graduates of places like ERAU and Delta Connections Academy; also for company employees. I think that the reason may have something to do with getting a known quantity. Those schools have a reputation for producing pilots who can complete training, and right now that's what they need to fill the seats in new hire class. ASA Employees who are invited to interview with lower time are also "known quantities". Interns probably fall into both categories. Either way, it is the company's prerogative to invite those applicants they feel will be successfull in training.

I was in your shoes. Good multi time, internal recommendation and no phone calls. When I added some 135 time and 500 multi to my resume (after I flew it of course!) I got the call. Be ready, Capt Skoglund called me at 7pm on a Friday night, I certainly wasnt' expecing that, and she asked me to answer some systems questions about the aircraft I flew.

Keep the resume on file up to date, every 6 months or whenever you reach a milestone like 500 multi, 135 time or ATP. The best way to do that is to have your friend walk it in again. Continue to do anything you can to make your resume shine a little brighter and to make yourself a more marketable pilot.

Good luck, don't give up!

 

[LoneStarFlyer]

Getting back to AMCKLC's original question, has anyone else who has recently interviewed with ASA and gotten the acceptance letter heard anything about a class date? I've heard that the Feb 7th class is full and that they are starting to fill a March class, just wanted to see if anyone else had heard anything...

 

[AlwaysLearning]

It is up to him to prove himself on the line.

Spoken like a true asshole. Where do you get off having people "prove themselves" What do you do sit back and hope someone makes a mistake or makes a wrong decision so you can go to the crew room and bitch about this "low time" new hire you have to babysit. Your probably the type of guy who always does the opposite of what your copilot suggests. I can see it now, a build up ahead and your FO wants to go left, upwind lets say, no no you say go right, all the time thinking what an idiot.
I'm sure you're a nice person outside of flying but, jeesh man leave the ego at the airstairs. You have experience, he doesn't, be useful for once in your glorious 9000 hours and teach a new guy the ropes.

 

[asarjfo]

Spoken like a true asshole. Where do you get off having people "prove themselves" What do you do sit back and hope someone makes a mistake or makes a wrong decision so you can go to the crew room and bitch about this "low time" new hire you have to babysit. Your probably the type of guy who always does the opposite of what your copilot suggests. I can see it now, a build up ahead and your FO wants to go left, upwind lets say, no no you say go right, all the time thinking what an idiot.
I'm sure you're a nice person outside of flying but, jeesh man leave the ego at the airstairs. You have experience, he doesn't, be useful for once in your glorious 9000 hours and teach a new guy the ropes.

Well said!

 

[OPECJet]

What's the gouge on reserve at ASA. How long, days off, movable days, etc...

Thanks!

 

[Typhoon1244]

[P]lease...please...please stop saying "peeps". Does it really take that much longer to type "people"?

Those are the same guys who say "P.D." and "on the hold..."

 

[Seahawker01]

I interviewed beginning of Dec. and got a letter in two weeks. Got a call for Feb. 7th class middle of Jan but failed to get the message for a few days. When I called back the class was full and they put me into the march 7th class.
My question to you guys is. What are the chances of getting stuck in the ATR and is there and up side to being back in a prop such as quicker upgrade? I am young, 21, so my seniority will be low. Does experience play a factor with my prior 121 experience when they assign the type? And before you guys start bashing me for learning at a pilot factory. Let me preempt you, I was the kid that grew up washing airplanes for rides and trained part 61.
Also any tips for making training easier would be greatly appreciated.