jetblue

[propjok]

i have heard that jetblue is going to start hirring lower time guys (no jet or airbus exp) like commuter guys to mix up the pilot group any truth or just wishfull thinking

 

[jointops]

The latter. I think initially, there were pilots hired without jet experience period. I've flown with a few of those captains as well.

Contrary to what may be the rumor, no Airbus experience is a prerequisite to being hired. We had 7 US Air furloughed pilots in my class and only 4 of them had Airbus time. 5 of the total 16 had Airbus time. In the class behind me, 2 of 20 had Airbus time.

Hope that helps. Happy Landings

 

[ACWild]

I really don't understand why there is a requirement for jet time. Having flown jets and turboprops, I'd have to say jets are alot easier. Why is there such a big stigma with props? Are the JetBlue pilots with only prop backgrounds doing a poor job? Seriously.
This isn't just JetBlue either. The company I'm at just recently decided that they want to hire people with jet experience too. I don't understand why, especially because all of the prop guys who were hired passed their type rides on their first try. Three "jet experience" pilots (two of which have time in Boeings) didn't pass their type rides. Two did so poorly that they were terminated. And now they want people with jet experience only?

 

[JayDub]

I really don't understand why there is a requirement for jet time. Having flown jets and turboprops, I'd have to say jets are a lot easier. Why is there such a big stigma with props? Are the JetBlue pilots with only prop backgrounds doing a poor job? Seriously.

ACWild,

Basically, it all amounts to supply and demand. There are so many qualified guys out there with PIC jet time that would die to work for us, the company can really be picky.

With that said, they have noticed a few trends in training. Initially they hired a lot of guys that had lots of heavy time in old generation airplanes. Occasionally they'd find one of these guys couldn't open a lap top, let alone read the manuals on one. Because of this, they steered more towards guys with a fair amount of glass time, like when I was hired.

Then they noticed they were having problems with guys busting upgrade training. A lot of these folks were people straight out of the commuters. A fair number of these people had only turbo-prop time. As a consequence, they have steered away from these types and have focused on people that have 1) Jet PIC and 2) international time. Right now, the only corporate people that have a chance are guys that have flown Gulfstreams and the like to exotic locales.

I agree that guys with turbo-prop time are trainable. Unfortunately, with nine month upgrades and the company in expansion mode, I think they feel they don't have the time to spend the extra resources required in training these folks. You have to admit, going from a Dash Captain to Airbus captain with seven months of actual line experience is a daunting task to ask of any one. I think they'd rather spend their resources on people that are already qualified in the airplane, if possible. However, they have found some fine exceptions to this statement.

Let me say this is MY opinion. In no way does this reflect actual jetBlue policy, nor should it be taken that way. I may be totally off base, but this is what my observations from the inside have led me to conclude.

I think eventually you'll see guys with back grounds like me and commuter guys back in the fold. It'll just take a while. In the mean time, I am just tickled pink to be a part of such a class operation as this.

 

[side stick-n]

Uh oh, get ready to be flamed.....

Not by me... but I will say that going from Dash Cap to Bus Cap can be done with no additional training. The key is being a dumb ole country boy like myself. Having lots of experience making decisions as PIC helps a lot too. I must be the luckiest fellow in the whole USA. (see, there goes that country side again)lol

 

[temcgrew]

where did the international operations come in? I haven't seen that on their website. Gulfstreams definatley weigh in over 20,000 pounds but so does the hawker(ithink) i am banking on the fact that my lear 55 is as well, If that won't do it should I go somewere and get some gulfstream time?
fill me in on the stuff that i missed! 'cause i thought it was just 1,000 hours turbine PIC AND
1,000 hours over 20,000 pounds.

thanks.

 

[JayDub]

UEJ500,

If you like your job, stay where you are. All I am saying is the last guy I knew that got hired from the corporate world had only about 5000 total time. Of that, a lot was Gulfstream captain time flying all over the world. 5000TT is not a whole bunch of time, unless it is military.

As far as whether or not my impression is fair, let me pose this question. How can Comair take people that couldn't spell turbine and make them a jet captain in two years and still be a darn safe airline? The answer is in the training syllabus.


The only thing I am saying is IN MY OPINION, the company doesn't feel like re-vamping their syllabus right now. Especially when there are so many qualified folks that can do the job on the street right now.

How would you sift through the thousands of applications? I don't know either. All I now is the guys in my class were darn good, as well as loyal. I just don't think we'll ever find another group like that hired together again. That, I think, is a shame.


JayDub

 

[temcgrew]

at least until they hire me!!!

I can wait it out for a while anyway. I don't see myself going anywere for two to three more years anyway. maybe by then things will have changed again.

 

[side stick-n]

pylut,

No resumes are normally accepted via mail or fax. The best and preferred way to apply is via the web site at www.jetblue.com. Follow the links to find the application. Good luck.

StickN