Kit Darby says pilot hiring is going strong

[A Squared]

From Avweb:






[FONT=arial,helvetica,geneva]The Pilot Hiring Market, 2006[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Plenty Of Flying Jobs Available[/FONT]

http://www.avweb.com/newspics/airline_pilots_cockpit2.jpg So, Independence Air is going out of business today, most of the big airlines are in bankruptcy or close to it and thousands of airline pilots have been furloughed, but the job market for pilots hasn't looked this good in five years. Kit Darby, who runs Air, Inc., a publishing company that tracks pilot employment, says more than 10,000 jobs will open up this year. He said experienced pilots looking for work can probably find it but a few of them might need an attitude adjustment. "Whatever it is, you just have to get over it," said Darby. "Then you've got to get yourself up and get back to the marketplace. There are a lot of quality jobs out there." Darby said there are a lot of unemployed pilots who have a hard time taking a pay cut, a smaller airplane or a demotion but he urges them to look at the larger picture. Just about any steady flying job is going to pay more and be more satisfying (to a pilot) than just about any other type of career. He said he's had numerous clients that have left the industry in disgust, become successful at something else and then come back begging for a flying job. "It's a lifestyle. It's not just a job," he said.
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[Erlanger]

Kit is always going to say that. His business survival depends on it.

 

[Diesel]

Just to show you what type of person kit darby is:

He sat on the company side during our negotiations (NJ) and was paid by the company for his expertise which was to provide information to negotiate against pilots.

A real scumbag.

 

[labbats]

People who listen to Kit Darby are the same ones suckered into some PFT scheme. Look at the big picture indeed.

 

[enigma]

Same self serving puffery, different day.

 

[FN FAL]

The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it.

 

[Bjammin]

As far as Air Inc goes, I went to the LAX seminar and had 4 interviews lined up within a week. 2 with regionals 1 with SWA and one with Cathay. He may be a scumbag, but at least I saw results.

 

[:-)]

As far as Air Inc goes, I went to the LAX seminar and had 4 interviews lined up within a week. 2 with regionals 1 with SWA and one with Cathay. He may be a scumbag, but at least I saw results.

Do you think that maybe your success might have something to do with your resume, instead of Kit's seminar?

 

[Junkflyer]

Yes there are plenty of pilot jobs available paying up to $18,000 a year. He's a blood sucking idiot who is helping bring wages down by flooding the market with starry eyed wanabees. There's been a pilot shortage for the past 20 years according to Darby.

 

[C77MD80]

As far as Air Inc goes, I went to the LAX seminar and had 4 interviews lined up within a week. 2 with regionals 1 with SWA and one with Cathay. He may be a scumbag, but at least I saw results.

Hey Benji,

With your quals you could have gotten the interveiws without going to the seminar. You could have saved the $. I met Kit Darby at an Airinc seminar, prior to 9/11 when hiring was actually at the peak. He is an arogant a$$ with no clue regarding customer service. He won't admit when he's wrong. He runs a big business that feeds on young, wet, new pilots. I've spoke to a lot of folks in the military who said the same as you, that he has good information. If you'd just network a little bit harder with your buds, you wouldn't have needed Kit the d1ck.

 

[RichardRambone]

So essentially hes an aviation pedophile. He feeds on young, new, wet pilots. What a perv.

 

[pilotyip]

Too many negative vibes here if you like to fly please disregard. This is still a great career if you like to fly airplanes. Many pilots have posted here, that the Job Fair got them the interview by having the face to face time. For military guys going once is a really good idea. I wish Kit had been around 30 years ago.

 

[Bjammin]

Bottom line, I truly believe the interview prep seminar and the "meet and greet" helped my chances. I met the recruiters for SWA at Air Inc and got an interview 2 days later. At the interview I interviewed with the same people. I just can't see how face time with these people or getting some help with interview prep is bad.
The military to civilian cource also taught me alot I didn't know about bidding, reserve, vacation time, etc.

A couple of my inreviews were with regionals, but they were good back up's to keep in the cockpit if I didn't make it with the majors and it was awesome interview practice at the very least.

I know not many people like Kit, but if for a couple of hundred bucks it betters your chances of getting hired even a little bit, what's the harm?

 

[Publishers]

I think Kit is alot of things and maybe most of them not very good. The point is that his job meets can do you a good bit if you have the credentials and if you know who you want to meet and go for the goal well prepared. If not, you have wasted your money.
As to his numbers, they are correct. I have hired one pilot this year, am looking for 2 more including a D/O. When you look across the spectrum he looks at, there may be that number.

 

[Daveman]

......

 

[ozpilot]

Hmmmm.... The article continues:


Where To Look
Most of the new hires are with regional airlines, fractional operators and charters, which, despite the widely publicized problems of the big airlines, are, according to Darby, doing just fine, thank you. "They're growing, they're profitable and they're hiring," he said. But it's not only the bottom half of the market that's looking for pilots. Darby said Continental and Alaska Airlines are both in the market and freight carriers like UPS and FedEx have been unscathed by recent downturns by big iron operators. While it's true that wages are being cut and pension plans restructured, Darby said they're still a pretty good deal. Despite the rollbacks, the average top salary for airline pilots is $168,000 a year and for cargo pilots it's $193,000. (Good luck at the negotiating table.) While some pension funds are in well-publicized trouble, others are fully funded and will supply a secure retirement for thousands of pilots. Others are being replaced by new types of plans based on profit-sharing and 401(k) contributions. "Some of the replacement plans are pretty good," Darby said.


Jobs: The Long Term Outlook
And while such unpredictable events such as 9/11, SARS or even avian flu could sewer the industry again, if things keep on a reasonably even keel, there should be above-average hiring for years to come, according to Darby. That's because over the next 10 years, tens of thousands of airline pilots will hit the mandatory retirement age of 60. However, there are about 9,600 fully qualified pilots currently on furlough and if they start pounding the pavement, how are young, inexperienced pilots supposed to compete? The key word is enthusiasm. "Airlines don't hire the best people, they never have," he said. "They hire people they like." He said a lot of old hands resent having to go through the interview process and may be broadcasting negative vibes loud and clear. An eager, respectful and enthusiastic pilot, even if he or she has less experience, is going to look better to the recruiter.


Note that it says:

... the average top salary for airline pilots is $168,000 a year and for cargo pilots it's $193,000....

hmmmm thats after a 30 year career ... amazing how that man can manipulate the english language ....

hmmm a 5 year captain at NJA makes close to $100K with overtime, working 7n7 with no commuting - and he considers fractionals 'the bottom half of the industry' ...

 

[ozpilot]

Bjammin

Looks like you went to CX. I interviewed in HK years ago, great people and a great airline.

For better or worse, I was unsuccessfull but was fortunate enough to be picked up by Netjets...

Are you on the cargo fleet or pax? How is it working out for you?

 

[Bjammin]

I'm on the cargo side, but was doing PAX for 6 months out of HK. I LOVE IT!!! You spend alot of time in ANC, but with a good book or laptop it can be very relaxing. They do a very good job making sure you get the proper crew rest. I get 6 weeks of vacation a year plus a bookable free of charge round trip ticket for my entire family every year. I make more money then I did as an Lieutennant Commander over 18 years of service, the medical is better then I had with the military, and starting out as a 744 F/O is pretty cool.
The company has just put in a huge new order for 777's and A330's so I should move up the ladder pretty quick and obviously the company is doing very well.

The downsides:

Long, very hard training cycle (at least for me)

Some anti-Americanism from the Brits and Aussies, not the Chinese.

No bidding for trips, just days off and that's way in advance.

Clock can get way meesed up if you are not careful.

All in All, I think I'm much happier then I would be with any other airline.

 

[some_dude]

I thought the last we heard of Kit, he was having to sell his girlfriend's car because of pay cuts at United!

 

[ozpilot]

All in All, I think I'm much happier then I would be with any other airline.

Good to hear! They did offer me a second interview, but I decided that Netjets offered me more time at home with the family. Now if I was single, that would be another story ....

Sorry to hear about the anti-Americanism especially from the Aussies (I am one). For some reason pilots outside the US think our training here is sub-standard. Granted our written exams are a joke compared to the bar exam you have to pass to get an overseas ATP, but they forget that US pilots fly in the most challanging weather and the busiest airspace in the world.