CAL hiring pilots with 1500TT?!

[Kingair1181]

I have a friend who flys for Continental right now and he said that lately he has seen a few pilots in training who have around 1500TT and no turbine PIC. He said a few came from Express as FO's, but another he ran into another who was hired from Great Lakes where he was just an FO on the 1900! How are these guys getting interviews much less hired at CAL or he is just greatly mistaken about their time? I have heard rumors on this though for a while and figured I'd ask.....

 

[GogglesPisano]

When they first began hiring last year some sons and daughters of CAL pilots made it in ahead of the pack.


Or so I hear.

 

[Kingair1181]

Goggles - could be that but from what I heard it is still going on even right now... are they all just sons/daughters of senior pilots/mgmt?

 

[turbinej]

read the time requirements, no pic turbine required as far as I remember it. I think there is a couple of way the time is looked at. You can have 500 S.E. PIC and so much SIC turbine.

I had a First Officer in my class that had about 2200tt and no PIC turbine, just SIC turbine w/ S.E and M.E PIC.

 

[turbinej]

The following are the minimum qualifications to apply for a pilot position:

• 1,500 hours fixed-wing total flight time
• 1,000 hours fixed-wing PIC time, or 500 hours PIC time and 500 hours SIC time in a turbojet
• 1,000 hours fixed-wing turbine time
• 1,000 hours fixed-wing multi-engine time (civilian or military) or 1,000 hours single-engine military fighter jet time
• A current ATP written exam
• A current first class FAA medical
• A current passport
• A Bachelor's degree is highly desired

 

[FreightNazi]

You high time guys/gals are now going to accuse those low time CAL newhires of stealing "your" job! You "deserve" that job more than they do because you have more time than they do.

 

[pkober]

Good on em'. Everyone of us would have taken that job.

 

[OverspeedCowboy]

I have a friend who flys for Continental right now and he said that lately he has seen a few pilots in training who have around 1500TT and no turbine PIC. He said a few came from Express as FO's, but another he ran into another who was hired from Great Lakes where he was just an FO on the 1900! How are these guys getting interviews much less hired at CAL or he is just greatly mistaken about their time? I have heard rumors on this though for a while and figured I'd ask.....

I assure you that no FO from Lakes has been hired by CAL!

 

[Green]

I have a friend who flys for Continental right now and he said that lately he has seen a few pilots in training who have around 1500TT and no turbine PIC. He said a few came from Express as FO's, but another he ran into another who was hired from Great Lakes where he was just an FO on the 1900! How are these guys getting interviews much less hired at CAL or he is just greatly mistaken about their time? I have heard rumors on this though for a while and figured I'd ask.....

are you really surprised by this? Hiring low time pilots at the legacies is actually pretty common in this industry. Like many things in life connections/networking can accelerate your career progression.

 

[Kaudbron]

internships

 

[Truckdriver]

Interns or guys and gals who have relatives or very close relationships with the right people. We would all do the same thing if we could so good for them. I know some XJT FO's who have went over there without any turbine PIC and they are great guys. Sure I'm jealous, but I just wasn't one of the lucky ones to be born into references. All of the low time guys and gals going over there are top notch or CAL wouldn't hire them. Good for them and that's awesome that someone can snag a job like CAL with 1500TT!!

 

[Captainzero1]

Wait a cotton pickin minute, I have been on this board enough to realize if they had said minority/women with such low times, you all would be howling about meritocracy. Not that such a thing ever existed in this country. You are all hypocrites,

 

[SWA/FO]

CAL the new UAL

 

[jtm2222]

Its who you know!!! Good for them! I know a few guys with low time at CAL and they are great guys.

 

[Palomino]

CAL the new UAL

 

[Thebadcat1313]

why do you keep refering to them as guys? I am thinking of getting black breast implants

 

[Scrapdog]

I have a friend who flys for Continental right now and he said that lately he has seen a few pilots in training who have around 1500TT and no turbine PIC. He said a few came from Express as FO's, but another he ran into another who was hired from Great Lakes where he was just an FO on the 1900! How are these guys getting interviews much less hired at CAL or he is just greatly mistaken about their time? I have heard rumors on this though for a while and figured I'd ask.....

Come on brother - I'm sure you already know the answer to this...all that matters is who you know! That's true in all of life. Even a clown can get hired if they're buds with the right people.

 

[Master Shake]

CAL the new UAL

Maybe, but I'd bet UAL will be scrambling soon to reclaim their title. Just a hunch.

 

[Cardinal]

I assure you that no FO from Lakes has been hired by CAL!

I'll reitterate that. No person has been hired from Lakes to CAL since 9/11 period.

 

[AuburnRedneck9]

I assure you that no FO from Lakes has been hired by CAL!

The 1900 guy you are talking about was in one of the first couple of classes, he knew a few chief pilots and had been an intern. Not a bad guy, I think his brother works for cal as well.

 

[Flyby1206]

I have been told that there have been a few newhires with low (under 4000TT) who havent been performing as well on the line as they hoped, so they were going to cut back on the number of low time guys coming in. Whether they are sons, daughters, interns, etc.

 

[ReportCanoa]

I have been told that there have been a few newhires with low (under 4000TT) who havent been performing as well on the line as they hoped, so they were going to cut back on the number of low time guys coming in. Whether they are sons, daughters, interns, etc.

Well what did they expect, that because you're a nepot that gives you magic flying ability? They can hire with 8,000 hours and still get a crummy pilot.

 

[FreightNazi]

I have been told that there have been a few newhires with low (under 4000TT) who havent been performing as well on the line as they hoped, so they were going to cut back on the number of low time guys coming in. Whether they are sons, daughters, interns, etc.

So what? He will still be an underperforming pilot for CAL. What airline do you grace with your stellar performance?

 

[BigShotXJTdrvr]

Of the 500 or so new hires at CAL in the past year, there have been maybe 60ish of the lower time types hired, interns or close friends of someone high up in CAL management. Most of the the others have been men in their mid 30's with either a military background or regional captains with 4000-7000 hours. I have seen a bunch of captains junior to me go over as well as a small handfull of FOs. Yes these were low experience people with very good connections. So what? Somehow they did something to meet the right people and say the right things to get them the job they sought. You make your own luck in life whether you have 1500 hours or 5000. It does little to help your situation to be angry/jealous of someone else's good fortune.

I had a XJET jumpseater a couple weeks ago who's dad is a 737 check airman at CAL, and would like to get hired there before his dad retires next year so his dad can do his IOE, well, he was still waiting for a call too. So, just being a son/daughter will not help 100% of the time either. Just keep trying if that's the job you want.

 

[FreightNazi]

Of the 500 or so new hires at CAL in the past year, there have been maybe 60ish of the lower time types hired, interns or close friends of someone high up in CAL management. Most of the the others have been men in their mid 30's with either a military background or regional captains with 4000-7000 hours. I have seen a bunch of captains junior to me go over as well as a small handfull of FOs. Yes these were low experience people with very good connections. So what? Somehow they did something to meet the right people and say the right things to get them the job they sought. You make your own luck in life whether you have 1500 hours or 5000. It does little to help your situation to be angry/jealous of someone else's good fortune.

I had a XJET jumpseater a couple weeks ago who's dad is a 737 check airman at CAL, and would like to get hired there before his dad retires next year so his dad can do his IOE, well, he was still waiting for a call too. So, just being a son/daughter will not help 100% of the time either. Just keep trying if that's the job you want.

Well said!

 

[capt. megadeth]

Wait a cotton pickin minute, I have been on this board enough to realize if they had said minority/women with such low times, you all would be howling about meritocracy. Not that such a thing ever existed in this country. You are all hypocrites,

You said it! The end of the world would be here.

 

[SuperKooter]

There were a few in my class too. They obviously knew someone.

 

[COpilot]

Every hiring spree, at every airline, for every position has this occur for some of the newhires. It shouldn't be a shock.

 

[CALnTX]

I have been told that there have been a few newhires with low (under 4000TT) who havent been performing as well on the line as they hoped, so they were going to cut back on the number of low time guys coming in. Whether they are sons, daughters, interns, etc.

This has lots of merit since it starts off "I have been told....." by whom?

So what if guys are hired with lower time than others, if they pass the training so be it. It does help to have connections in this industry.

I remember at AA when guys use to camp out at Cecil's parking spot to get hired.

How about UAL and their huge female/male intern program....

SWA-- 3 guys I know got on all had internal recs from other than just line pilots....and they had their $8000 types before the interview

Point is it had lots to do with who you know and how you do it not just at CAL........but good for those that got on cause of their "connections"

 

[whatitdoing?]

CAL has several pilots hired with LESS than 1500TT. One in particular had around 900 hours, prior intern, and his brother was a Captain. So, it's all who you know, not what you know. Good for them.....damn it....