Growing Pilot Shortage

[bafanguy]

I took my Zantop buddy's app in and sat across the desk while Mr. Hiring Guru went over it line by line:

"That looks good."

"OK, that's fine."

"Uh huh, good."

"Oh !! Sorry, we can't hire him. Our minimum height is 5'6" and he says he's 5'5.5". [paper apps contained such questions at one time]

My jaw must've hit the desk. He said:

"Flight Ops did a study and found there are controls that can't be reached from the LHS of the L-1011 if a person is less than 5'6"?"

So, if a 5'5.5" guy was on the property when the L-1011 was introduced, they'd tell hm he couldn't bid it ? Sure they would?:nuts:

We had guys so short they practically had to stand on an orange crate to reach the sequence reports hanging on the ops counter.

I exercised more self restraint than I can usually muster, thanked him for his time and left.

 

[pilotyip]

I took my Zantop buddy's app in and sat across the desk while Mr. Hiring Guru went over it line by line:

"That looks good."

"OK, that's fine."

"Uh huh, good."

Oh !! Sorry, we can't hire him." Our minimum height is 5'6" and he says he's 5'5.5". [paper apps contained such questions at one time]

My jaw must've hit the desk. He said:

"Flight Ops did a study and found there are controls that can't be reached from the LHS of the L-1011 if a person is less than 5'6"?"

So, if a 5'5.5" guy was on the property when the L-1011 was introduced, they'd tell hm he couldn't bid it ? Sure they would?:nuts:

We had guys so short they practically had to stand on an orange crate to reach the sequence reports hanging on the ops counter.

I exercised more self restraint than I can usually muster, thanked him for his time and left.

So you are a Zantop Alumn? Me too, when and what equip, I drove the L-188. Have you read Peter Fusco's Book "Moondog's Academy of the Air and Other Disasters" He is an ex-Zantop guy who tells stories similar to yours. A good read.

 

[bafanguy]

yip,

I'm not a Z alum but knew a couple of guys who were. One of them made it to DL but he was fortunate: he didn't have my "help".

When I was a DC9 capt, I worked with a retired USAF guy who had taken a shot at the airlines after his first tour when he was 31 y/o. Result ? He was TOO OLD.

But when he was 41 y/o...HE WASN'T !!!

 

[pilotyip]

yip,

I'm not a Z alum but knew a couple of guys who were. One of them made it to DL but he was fortunate: he didn't have my "help".

When I was a DC9 capt, I worked with a retired USAF guy who had taken a shot at the airlines after his first tour when he was 31 y/o. Result ? He was TOO OLD.

But when he was 41 y/o...HE WASN'T !!!

yea the old joke. If you were over 30 to get an interview at a major in 1977 you needed two logged lunar landings ?

 

[bafanguy]

Any search for logic in the airline hiring process will only find frustration.

Of course, the HR types all think they have a scientific process producing the perfect new hire. If it's so infallible, why do they change it...and change it...and change it ?

I suppose one could cite changing circumstances and demographics to support the need for occasional change. Mmmm, maybe...

The current process at the legacy level is a good example. Much more subjectivity than science.

Yet they have 10s of 1000s of seat to fill and they want to see the applicant reading Dr. Seuss books to blind orphans on his days off ?

Or, want to know what he'd do as captain if the FO refused to wear his hat. As if any answer to that question meant anything.

Flight time...professional history ? Not so much.

Prediction: sub-750 hour r-ATPs coming to a legacy near you. :laugh:

 

[tomgoodman]

yea the old joke. If you were over 30 to get an interview at a major in 1977 you needed two logged lunar landings ?

NASA didn't schedule anyone for two lunar landings, but I bounced and in the low gravity came down a mile away, so I logged one touch & go and one full stop.

 

[bafanguy]

I wonder if they're getting nervous about pilot supply.

This from Frontier Airlines. A new pathway for college students from college to Frontier. Not much detail but it appears to leave out the intermediate step of regional flying between CFI and the airline...or maybe I've overlooked something:

The careers page at Frontier specifies this:

"500 hours jet/turbo-prop"

Pilot

"Prior to employment with Frontier Airlines, program participants will also need to be employed by Embry-Riddle as a flight instructor and must obtain the R-ATP required experience."

https://www.airlineapps.com/jobs/det...le-Pilot-Cadet


https://news.flyfrontier.com/frontie...al-university/