Internships

[Crizz]

Howdy all. I am a Junior in college and trying to fly as much as possible. As part of my business degree I am required to do an internship. I have been looking around at several airlines. I have found this forum a very useful tool to educate myself about the airline industry, so I figured it wouldnt be a bad idea to ask you experts about internships.

I would like to go somewhere that would likely turn into a job after graduation. I plan on graduating next fall, and at my current rate of flying I should have 800-1000 hours. Where would be a good bet if I am looking for an interview afterwards?

Some arilines I have been looking at include:

Chautauqua - They seem to only like graduates from certain schools

Comair - Same as above

Mesa - They have been very receptive and seem interested. Now, I know the opinions that many have about them, so lets keep this about an internship, not how much vasaline JO would stick me with.

Chicago Express - I have heard of interns getting hired with as few as 350 hours here, but other than that I dont know much about this airline.

Skywest - Dont know much about these guys



Any other suggestions would be awesome. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.

 

[RiddleRat]

Internships...

Also Try ACA, ASA, Alaska who I heard has connections with Horizon, I applied to every internship possible. I am not going to say which one I did on this post, but if you want to PM me I can talk to you more about it. Good luck with getting an internship, I think its the best thing out there in this day in age to get to the airlines...

 

[8HourPilot]

PM me and I'll tell you about my internship.

 

[VFR on Top]

ACA hires their interns at 600 TT, so they'd be a good choice; there are a few dudes on here that got their jobs that way.

 

[Crizz]

I am very familiar with ACAs bridge program. I live with a CRJ FO for ACA that got his job at 650 after an internship. One of my former flight instructors got a job at ACA forllowing an internship, just to be furloughed before training was over.

ACA isnt hiring, so I havent really considered them.

 

[DoinTime]

I have found this forum a very useful tool to educate myself about the airline industry,

This is your first problem. The airline industry is very little like Flight info posters proclaim.

 

[Crizz]

I was hoping you'd chime in FlyChicago - I assume you were an intern?

I am at MSU, Mankato

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Tug Driver]

I think that you can drop ACA from your options. I spoke with the chief pilot last week, and he said that the days of the 600 hr brigde program were long gone.

!poop!

 

[BoilerUP]

I also have applied for many different internships, here are a few of my experiences.


AStar Cargo: Toured their CVG facility last fall, met the internship coordinator, but have not heard anything back from them in regards to my application.

Alaska: Many Purdue students get this internship; I know an intern from last spring, last summer, and one going this spring. My friend there this past summer lived with a line captain and another intern from Parks College. They take people from all over.

ASA: Seems to be going to college seniors these days...I didn't get it, but my friend who is a senior did get it for summer. I also know interns from this past summer, this fall, and the upcoming spring.

Comair: Applied and went to CVG for an interview, but no dice. Two Purdue and one ERAU-D in my interview group. CMR was going to Grand Forks to interview a bunch of UND students. Current intern was from Jacksonville Univ/Comair Academy. Very nice operation, and did the interview with a line captain and Sharon Jones, who is in charge of pilot hiring. That experience was priceless within itself.

Chicago Express: Would have applied but don't have anywhere to live in Chicago. Know of a former intern (and Purdue grad) who got hired on this past summer after graduation, with less than 1000 hrs.

UPS: Professor dropped the ball for me on this one. Pretty nice gig, and for your one-year commitment pays about $2500/month.

Other options may be NWA, SWA, American, American Eagle, Skywest, Mesaba, Pinnacle, ACA/Indy Air, ATA, Air Wiskey and a few others...I'm told DAL and UAL internships are suspended indefinately due to "industry turmoil".

I interviewed with and was accepted for a Chautauqua internship for Summer 05. CHQ takes alot of Purdue people, but the guy who interviewed me was an intern from Southern Illinois. You never get an internship if you don't apply, so good luck!

 

[halfmoon]

Have you thought about an Internship at Colgan. They will hire you after you graduate, even at 400 hrs!

 

[Crizz]

I dont know much about Colgan. I will have to do some looking. Are there any colgan pilots here?

 

[ChadCRJ]

Flight Options??

I really don't know much about internship but I was curious if Flight Options had any internship programs where they will hire you in the end with less time. Anyone know anything about this?

 

[Trash8Mofo]

I dont know if the UAL program is still going, but I was an UAL intern. I highly recommand it. not only for the 2x almost gaurenteed interviews, but the experience of learning the ropes of becoming an airline pilot was awsome. There is alot more to it than just flying hrs when it comes to being a good captain.