Jet Blue Hiring Question

[Lifter]

Has anyone been hired by Jet Blue when their available date was past the next class and put in a temp pool until they were available? Or do they hire one class at a time? Thanks

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

Generally, the pilot recruitment team is pretty receptive to your availability date. A few months ago, we had a bank of military stop-loss pilots start training, which displaced those who were hired on after them... and then there are times when training slots open that produce earlier reports (on a volunteer basis, of course). The key is maintaining a good communication line with Dean. Our chief pilot stated recently that jetBlue will be hiring 180 pilots this year-- additionally, there will be a lull mid-year in training for about two months. Good luck!!!

 

[Lifter]

Thanks for the info. I'll be finishing ATP this weekend and applying Monday night. Going to Air Inc seminar just to visit with JB reps on 25th in Dallas. Is it true that the Jan 15th interview is the last until April? Timing is everyting, usually bad for me. I'm dropping my retirement papers after the seminar based on what JB reps say, should be available in May timeframe (with terminal leave) problem is if JB isnt interested in me, I'll pull papers and take another 3 year commiment. Got to love the current economic situation.

 

[chazman]

If your that on the fence for going blue now I would just take the extension for 3 years. This economy is not one that is for the faint of heart. You are going to have to be ready when they are ready. The chances of your timing working out perfectly are slim. (Not zero but slim). I am sure JB will be very positive to everyone that meets their requirements at the conference, don't be fooled.

Chaz

 

[Krunch]

Going Blue...

All things aside here is what has happened to me...

Applied online 8 August
Called for interview 25 Sept
Interviewed 2 Oct
Phase II on 4 Oct
Called by Dean and hired 26 Nov
Offered a class in Dec, Jan or Feb...
Retire 31 Jan and start terminal leave 1 February...
I fly to Miami on 2 Feb to start class...

Dean Melonas and the team at JetBlue are approachable, reasonable and all around good folks... No wonder they are making money... Only three weeks left in the mighty Viper and looking forward to going Blue...

"Krunch"

 

[CCDiscoB]

Scoff Heavily

Lifter

Sorry dude but I'm going to have to go off on a fellow military pilot. Come on show a little respect to the civilian pilots on this board. To ask when the next interviews are, so you can apply just before they make the calls, is being just a touch too optimistic. What makes you think you will stand out from the 4500 applications they have? Haven’t you been following airline-hiring recently? Obviously not, I see you’re new to this board.

I imagine you’re hoping that your next to get the call at Fed Ex too.

I can understand your need for answers trying to figure out your retirement. Tough times.

I have no idea how Krunch did it. He applied after me. Some guys are lucky, maybe you will be too.

 

[CRJFlyer]

While on the subject of civilian pilots, I've noticed that most that are getting hired at JB have been mostly Military guys.. Is this a consistant trend at JB now or is it just the way it has seemed lately. I'd love to go there in another 2000 hrs or so, especially with the drop of the 1000PIC limitation, but am skeptical that being civilian (and without any jet PIC time) that it may be along time before I can get to the "real" competative mins.

Also I've spent quite a bit of time in JB ops over at the terminal, for the most part it seemed like a fairly "young" crowd of pilots. I figure by the time I'm 27 I should have atleast close to the hours to be competative. Does anyone have an opinion of how they look at hiring in relation to "how long" an applicant can give them.

For example might they look at me and say"this guy can give us @ 33 years, even though he isn't military or have much jet PIC". If the company is around that long...etc.

thanks for any insight...

 

[Lifter]

Wow, tough crowd.
Oh F-15s thats where you get it. All I was asking was a few question to help me decide whether to take another 3 year committment or put my name in the pool of others. If I was going to put my name in and there was no chance of being looked at within the next 6 months, since they would not call someone until after there availability date, then I would just stay in the AF. Optimistic isn't the correct term. Having spent more than 20 years in the service to just end up in the worst hiring times in the airlines, I at least wanted to maximize my options.
I guess I could live on my investment portfolio, but S**T, that has been cut by over 50% in the last 2 years.
Why jump off the high dive if you know there isn't any water in the pool? I know I'm jumping into the shallow end, but I was trying to find out if I was jumping into 3 feet of water or 3 ".
Sorry if any of the civilians or military guys think I'm being over confident, I'm not, but before I take that next tour, which looks like flying a BD-7, Big Desk 7 drawers, in Korea, I thought I'd try the water if it was 3' not 3".
I would rather argue the fighter versus heavy driver thing over a beer, than whether or not I'm being too Optimistic, I have to laugh. I don't think anyone can be optimistic in this environment. I thought I was being smart minimizing my risk for my family.
Hope this isnt how you answer questions in your interviews, just jokin.
Sorry

 

[AlbieF15]

I just did some interview coaching with a young Comair Captain who interviews 15 Jan. He was a comair academy grad and had no other 121 experience. I think JetBlue looks at turbine PIC more than any other factor.

I don't claim to have all the answers, but I have seen a lot of folks with strictly civ backgrounds get interviews in the last few months. I have also worked with some guys with both civ/mil combos.--and I'd say they have the best odds.

Plato Rhyne used to say at Delta that his favorite candidate was a former military guy working at another 121 carrier. Take it for what its worth...

In the meantime, I wouldn't bum too much that you won't have a chance. There seems to be a lot civs still gettting a shot. FYI...when I interviewed in July 2001, the total time req was 3000 hours...just down from 4000 hours. I was the ONLY military guy in my session that afternoon out of about 40 guys in the room. I know a bunch of guys, including one of my best bros...who wanted to go there but didn't have time for the interview. (He's now furloughed by UAL). Point to this diatribe is now matter where you are, if you aren't "IN" then is stinks and it seems unfair. Keep charging and try not to worry about what "others" are getting...as young as you are you should definately get your turn.

Good luck!

 

[CRJFlyer]

lifter,

I just read your post, being civilian I didn't mean anything by my post. It wasn't directed at you or anybody from Mil... It was more directed at people already at JB or anybody that may have an idea about the military vs. civilian ratio at JB. I am trying to determine how possible it would be to get to JB with no military time...I'm still about a 700 or so hours from even submitting a resume that will meet the 20,000# requirement. so I'm banking on this time next year before I even start throwing an app. in .

I was just on the website at JB and I know that the 1000PIC is still on there but it doesn't say "required" like some of the other quals....Can an app. be submitted yet without the 1000PIC?

 

[fredflyer]

CRJ,
Well, speaking from what I have seen, ( I got hired in May) alot of the classes that I have seen are roughly 50/50. The problem for civ guys (that don't have A320 time) is that they are heavily weighted to those with A320 time. In my class it was either guys with no mil time but prior A320 time or at least some mil time. Although, I did have a friend of mine interview in Dec that was all civ, no A320, so it might be changing now (no word yet on whether he got hired or not). From what I have seen, they have really changed their preferences over the past year or so. I understand that about a year before I got hired, almost no mil guys got in, and it was mostly commuter folks, or mil with 121 experience. It's tough to say what it will be in a year. As for applying before you have the mins, I don't think the app. website will even let you do it. Give it a try though, and if it takes, it takes.

 

[Falconjet]

Retirement Planning

Lifter: I think the reason some guys question your preparation is because it usually takes many weeks, often many months, and occasionally years to get an interview AFTER you have applied. In other words, it would have been preferable to have gotten your ratings squared away and apps in at least year before your retirement.

Having said that, I would still retire now, because you never know when an opening will occur and you NEED to be available for the earliest class date you can get. Any airline pilot will tell you that their seniority number dictates everything about their quality of life after they get on with an airline. I don't think being current in an aircraft is as important now days because the only folks hiring don't seem to require currency (JetBlue a notable exception).

3 years is a long time and things will hopefully get better in the economy and in the airline industry. Even if it takes you a year (optimistic or pessimistic, your choice) to get hired, you will enjoy 2 extra years as a Captain (you must think of those 2 years as being added to the end of your second career) and those are going to pay a lot more than 2 more years on Active Duty minus the 35-40% you'd make anyway by retiring. (I realize its 50% of base pay, but I'm deducting for the loss of allowances and flight pay).

If your goal is to be an airline pilot, your not getting any younger and you need to get out of the military and jump into the shark filled waters of the real world. If you like your job and are comfortable with the military lifestyle, can't afford the temporary paycut, or aren't really that thrilled with the idea of being an airline pilot well then there really isn't much of a decision to make, stay in and increase your eventual retirement annuity.

I retired in June last year and had applied to just about everybody who was hiring at the time in March and April of 2001. I considered a contract to wait out the bust times but only for a second or two, and I'm glad I took the chance and started my second life even though things weren't looking that great at the time. Its like a breath of fresh air to not have to worry about anything but my family and myself now instead of Uncle Sam as well.

God Bless all of our brothers and sisters currently serving in the Armed Forces and perhaps about to go into harm's way for the rest of us.

Good luck and Best wishes in your decision.

FJ

 

[embdrvr]

Re: Going Blue...

Only three weeks left in the mighty Viper and looking forward to going Blue...

"Krunch"

Just make sure that "Finis Flight" is a safe one. I cringe when I read about some of the stuff that happens on the last one.
Congrats on going Blue.