How many Skywest Pilots

[ksu_aviator]

I have an interview on the 19th and I was wondering how many pilots Skywest has, that is the only piece of the puzzle I'm missing.

 

[Andy Neill]

Including those that are currently in groundschool, over 1300. SkyWest should be just short of 1400 by the end of the year.

Good luck on your interview. We need a lot of good pilots.

 

[Andy Neill]

In the past, I have advised people to not resign from their current job until two weeks from class date. That advice still stands.

Some CRJ folks that were in the Nov 20th class are being delayed at least 12 days. Some in other classes are being moved up two days. You should be hearing soon.

 

[Kirby]

Andy,

Care to take a SWAG at when the next newhire class in the CRJ will be?

I am one of the pilots from the Nov. 20 CRJ class that was cancelled and I have been thinking about about waiting for a jet class if it is not going to be to long.

Since it seems that classes and class sizes are changing by the day, would you post future class sizes and equipment type please. I am calculating if the luxury of the jet is worth the loss seniority.

Also, does SkyWest have minimum flight time requirments for Captain upgrade?

Thanks in advance,

Kirby out

 

[Andy Neill]

We have 17 jet classes (every three weeks beginning Dec 30th) scheduled to graduate in 2003. The question is, which of those classes will have newhires, and how many will there be in that class? Each class is scheduled for 30 with a 15-15 split for Captains and FO's as a starting point. How many newhires will be in the FO slots depends on how many SkyWest pilots are on the standing bid list that have at least a year with the company and are eligible for transition.

For instance, we currently have about 90 Brasilia FOs waiting for transition. Of those, about 60 (about 4 classes worth) will have had enough time with SkyWest to be eligible for transition. Of the top 45 of those 60, 30 have requested a transition ONLY if they can go to a specific single domicile.

You can see that the variables make this problem VERY complex. The class schedulers establish class dates (done) and size (done for the next several classes). Coordination is done with the crew planners to see how many are needed for each seat at each domicile. This information is then run past the keepers of the standing bid lists to see who is eligible from within the company. If there remain unfilled FO slots, the number is passed to the pilot recruiters with the message, "We need X newhire CRJs for the class on Y date. The recruiters then identify which of the successful candidates from pilot interviews will be sent to fill those classes with the instruction to show up for basic indoc on Y-10 days.

All I know now is that we have plenty of Brasilia FO's wanting to go to PSP, SBA, and DEN to fill all the slots for the 2 Dec CRJ class and therefore need no CRJ newhires on the 20th of Nov. If we need CRJ newhires for the 30 Dec class, we will get them into the basic indoc class that starts around 9-11 Dec.

On the Brasilia side of the house, we are running 30 in the Nov 20th class and 20-30 for the 2 Dec class.

In Jan 2003, there wil be two combined classes of 30/10 and 20/13 and a pure CRJ newhire class of 19 in Feb.

Obviously, the CRJ newhire side of these numbers are the PLANNING numbers currently being used and could change/disappear. Trying to get more specific at this point would be like trying to nail Jello to the wall.

Hope this is helpful in your decisions.

As far as minimum time to upgrade:
You will need at least 2500 TT including at least 1000 hours of "SkyWest" type time (multi-engine crew turbine in a Part 121/135 environment). As far as seniority needed, I am expecting jet seniority to stabilize near 30 - 36 months and Brasilia to stabilize near 18-24 months.

 

[Socalplt]

My suggestion is to take the first class available and get on the seniority list. You'll make more money in the first year on the Brasilia than the jet, and spend considerably less time on reserve. Additionally, the lines have been better on the EMB than the RJ lately.

 

[Kirby]

Thanks Andy. I owe you a cool beverage when I get to SLC.

 

[Turbojet]

Andy,

I am in the Nov 20th class as well, and cant wait to return to Skywest!,

Is there still a first year "seat lock" and if so how long is it? I am thinking it would be best like Kirby was saying to take the first class then put in a transfer to the RJ later, rather than defer a class for the RJ.

Thanks,
TJ

 

[sstearns2]

.....

I would absolutely take the first class available. The CRJ is a beautiful airplane, but you'll be on reserve forever and forget about SBA or PSP. I'd estimate that waiting for the jet will cost about 100 seniority numbers right now and you'll regret it a few years from now when your pullen gear for a guy who took the brasilia class three months before your jet class.

The 12 month seat lock is still on.

Welcome to Skywest.

Scott

 

[Kirby]

sstearns2 and Turbojet,

Thanks for the feedback. You are right seniority is everything. Remember it is not how many pilots are in front of you, but how many are below. Being a furlough victim that is key. I just have to think about all of the good times I had flying the Saab in PITb 5 yrs. ago. Flying an approach into Sun Valley or other backcountry airports will probably be alot more fun and challenging than the river visual into DCA and the noise abatement departure to SNA. Looking forward to 11/20 and especially the Red Iguana.

Kirby