How I got hired by DAL, the good ole days

[tomgoodman]

You will be assimilated...

I think my class of 36 new hires was about 50% Marines, 30% Navy, 2 civilian pilots and the rest, Air Force.

My 1979 class had 1 Marine, 1 civilian, and the rest split about evenly between AF and Navy. By the time I retired, around half of the new-hires were civilian. My uninformed guess is that changes in the number of qualified applicants from each source had more effect than any change in management preferences. As far as I could tell, differences in "prior service" faded away after a few years with the Widget.

 

[pilotyip]

another thought

My 1979 class had 1 Marine, 1 civilian, and the rest split about evenly between AF and Navy. By the time I retired, around half of the new-hires were civilian. My uninformed guess is that changes in the number of qualified applicants from each source had more effect than any change in management preferences. As far as I could tell, differences in "prior service" faded away after a few years with the Widget.

The military trained less and less pilot, and the airline hired more and more pilots over the years. So s smaller percentage of military. In 1967, my year the Navy trained 3600 pilots, today they are doing around 700. I sure Air Force numbers reflect a similiar trend. Plus military pilot don't fly as much anymore. I came out of my first tour in 1971 with 2200 hours in five years. Today I see resume from guys who have spent 10 years and have less than 2,000 hours. BTW You know why DAL liked Navy pilots? They could button a double breasted uniform coat.

 

[crj567]

Still living in the past huh? Welcome to 2010. Delta has a fair number of black pilots. I don't care when the first one was hired, I only care that they have been given the opportunity to compete. That is fair. In the future, I see more black pilots - male and female - being hired. You sir are a moron. Remember the past; live in the present.

Why does God let idiots like you exist?

-"Well, if your buddy is a gay combination of a black, melato, puerto rican from mexcali, he would skate right into the #1 slot in ANY class-just welcome to the future!"

-What a silly, petty society we have created! No longer is it enough to hire good people because they are good people, they have to fall into narrow and arbitrary categories of race, creed, and national origin just to stroke your ego....

-Go away.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

please splain

You started a thread with a story in an effort to create a Norman Rockwell euphoric feeling of the "good ol' days". Reminiscing about the good ol days is an emotional desire that many have that provides a reassuring feeling of comfort. Like Rockwell paintings, it appears this story isn't truly representative of the times and is seriously lacking. It is not factual.

In addition, it is a great story, regardless of reality, if you are a white male, preferably USMC/USN not AF. I am sure if Sam Grady hung around the Chief Pilots office (presumably in ATL) for a few days, that would not have gone over as well or someone might've thought the janitor wasn't doing his job. Regardless, he would've been invited to leave. This isn't a dig on Delta, rather a recognition of our culture and times.


So when we talk about the good ol' days.... they might be good for some and not so good for others. I probably would have not said if anything if your original post wasn't debunked. Something about the truth and being free.....

 

[Tweaker]

We are going to get THE TRUTH from Miss Rez? She is prolly a 9/11 troofer, in addition to her many and other varied anti-social tics.
FAIL

You are not the arbiter of what is and what is not FACTUAL or REALITY. What you have is your opinion, which like your bung o-ring is something we all have and entitles you to nothing.
FAIL

Each and every one of your posts has the effect of a ceaseless dreary rain on otherwise sunny landscapes. I don't know if you are more reminiscent of SNL's "It's Pat" the yucky shemale/shim or Debbie Downer. I will let others decide, but that is what is in my mind whenever I see your drivel appear.

 

[pilotyip]

not for Rez

So when we talk about the good ol' days.... they might be good for some and not so good for others. I probably would have not said if anything if your original post wasn't debunked. Something about the truth and being free.....

Still a good story, two vets getting together after 40 years, sharing a couple bottles of wine, talking about the most formative years of their lives, looking up other crew members, and just being thankful to be alive today. The DAL story came up because of all rituals everyone seems to go through today to get a job, and how it was different. After some PM's it was pretty well established he most likely interviewed and then as his release date came up he did the sit-in routine someplace at DAL and got put in a class when someone dropped out. BTW Rez please do not response, you are CD it is a waste of time.

 

[waveflyer]

I've heard of stories of Lakers getting class dates at Frontier that way-
if so, good!
Tenacity is part of it -

it's the rest of the b!tching about the airline process that's really a waste of time. You want the job- become a student of your career- do your research- make flying your art- hire Albie, and go get the job(!) be relentless. It's really not that hard, unless you suck and have no desire to improve and refine yourself- which includes interview skills.

In the end, you're not applying for a pizza delivery position- you're airline pilots with a lot of money and lives at stake.

 

[densoo]

Yep, I got that same treatment both as a new hire and during captain upgrade class. It might've even been the same plastic bag recycled...

Since we can't name the outfit, let's just say it's a Texas based airline, not Southwest or American.

It is also an airline that is publicizing its hiring of a pilot whom they had at first refused to hire due to discriminatory hiring practices whom the Supreme Court later ruled that they must hire due to the illegality of such hiring practices. Got to admire the chutzpah of a company like that. They are real trailblazers.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Still a good story,

So is Star Wars, but that doesn't make it true.

two vets getting together after 40 years, sharing a couple bottles of wine, talking about the most formative years of their lives, looking up other crew members, and just being thankful to be alive today. The DAL story came up because of all rituals everyone seems to go through today to get a job, and how it was different. After some PM's it was pretty well established he most likely interviewed and then as his release date came up he did the sit-in routine someplace at DAL and got put in a class when someone dropped out. BTW Rez please do not response, you are CD it is a waste of time.

Glad you were able to clear it up.

 

[GuppyWN]

Son you need to get that chip off your shoulder. Life we be a much happier place for you.

Gup