Importance of Flight Currency when Searching for a Job

[pilotyip]

You want to be a pilot you stay in a cockpit. It is 1982, there no jobs, it was as bad or worse than today. I have had three jobs in the last five years. So I start my own business. I stay current in the P-3, ck airman, now hiring starts again in 1985, I am 42, who gets hired, the 35 year-old guys in my reserve P-3 unit, less flight time. By the time my age is again attractive, I have been promoted out of the Naval Reserve flying and the airlines tell me I am not current in big airplanes. So I go to a work for a commuter, it goes out of business and the 1992 lay off period has started. Not being current in anything but a SEL hurt my chances in the late 80's to get on at a major. BTW I am also going to bet the airlines have seen a higher turnover in pilots who dropped out and now want to come back, because if you don't like flying airplanes, this job can suck.

 

[Lear70]

You want to be a pilot you stay in a cockpit. It is 1982, there no jobs, it was as bad or worse than today. I have had three jobs in the last five years. So I start my own business. I stay current in the P-3, ck airman, now hiring starts again in 1985, I am 42, who gets hired, the 35 year-old guys in my reserve P-3 unit, less flight time. By the time my age is again attractive, I have been promoted out of the Naval Reserve flying and the airlines tell me I am not current in big airplanes. So I go to a work for a commuter, it goes out of business and the 1992 lay off period has started. Not being current in anything but a SEL hurt my chances in the late 80's to get on at a major. BTW I am also going to bet the airlines have seen a higher turnover in pilots who dropped out and now want to come back, because if you don't like flying airplanes, this job can suck.

Wow. A post from YIP that I agree with 100%.

I think that happens like what, maybe once a year?

 

[Trogdor]

Thanks for all the insight everyone. That is exactly what I was looking for, real-world examples of this type of thing happening. Don't get me wrong, I am one of those who absolutely loves flying and I would really miss it if I had to get out for a few years, its just the thought of making basically no money for the next three years until things turn around that has me considering other options. Looks like I'll stay grinding it out in the Beech waiting for clearer skies. Thanks again guys.

 

[dondk]

If you look at the industry as it is right now, there are thousands of unemployed pilots. Is someone suggesting those thousands are now completely unemployable? Albeit many are furloughed, so they may or may not have a job if and when they are recalled. Then you have the masses that either the company went belly up or flight department just phased out. Again, all of them are unemployable as well?

As stated, the most difficult issue will be getting that interview. Does that mean it is impossible? I don't think so, things happen, it all starts with the opportunity to interview. Not getting too far off course, may of the interviews in the last hiring spree was less on what you knew (technical or otherwise) and more on who you were as a person. They know you can fly a plane, they were more interested in the type of person you are.

I do agree though, if you take the break, it needs to be worthwhile and reasonable. Taking a break due to family issue's or to enhance your education looks better than taking a break to work at Wally world.

The reason airlines want your last 6 months of currency? They don't want to have to retrain you to fly in instrument conditions. Ironically, at one company I worked for, they hired a guy who was current. VFR current, he had not flown instruments in years. It took him 15 sessions in the sim to get his proficiency back. So, being current is subjective at best and a astute recruiter knows that.

 

[Lear70]

No one's saying they're unemployable.

What we're saying is that, compared to someone who IS current, the airlines are going to give preference to the guy/gal who stuck with it and stayed current versus someone who VOLUNTARILY bailed when things got rough. This has been proven time and time again.

The furloughed people with recall RIGHTS are a completely different story. The airline HAS to retrain those pilots. If it takes 15 sim sessions because they are completely instrument non-current for 2 years, well, that's the price the airline pays for furloughing someone. Too bad, so sad, airline eats the $6,000 per sim session.

The people whose carriers went under who went non-current? Yeah, for the most part, unless they're carrying a Letter of Rec from the CEO or V.P. of Flt Ops? Yeah, they're going to get passed over in favor of the RJ Captains who are current and qualified. It's just the way the recruiters work. Always has been...

Once the pool of experienced RJ Captains has dried up (and that's going to be a LONG, LONG time), they'll look at the 2-3+ YEAR non-current pilots more, but again, the stigma of VOLUNTARILY leaving a flying job for a while is pretty bad.

But like the previous poster said, don't take my word for it. Give Albie a shout over at Emerald Coast. He'll likely answer your question free of charge, and you won't get a more accurate assessment of hiring issues.

 

[dondk]

This is still an industry of WHO you know, not what you know or how much or little time you have or how current you may or may not be.

Regardless, I agree it is a wall that you better have a really good reason to put yourself behind.

 

[pilotyip]

much like 1983, 1995, 2005. Those who stay in flying will be the first to be offered jobs when the hiring start picking up later this year. But as that pool drys up, then they will go down the list and fill their open slots with the best candidate available donesn't matter if he is flying or not.