Piedmont Hiring!

[DASHDRIVER]

Times

Times and experiance vary with qualifications. If you have a four year degree, some decent instrument experiance, and 100 multi you may be able to get an interview with less than 1000 total. More total with less.

 

[airline mission]

Wow, this is great info, guys!

OK, I have a 4-year degree, CMEL, about 95 total instrument, 45 multi, and 920 total. I fly a Cherokee almost every day. Is this the kind of consistency you're talking about? If you were me, would you get them a resume now, or wait until I had some more multi time? I don't have my CFI, so about my only option if I have to stack on the multi time now is to spend 7-8K on the multi time and get it into the soup often, I think.

Also, I think I remember somebody bashing Piedmont as being a place where they wash ALOT of people out. Is that right, or is it somewhere else where that's a problem. I don't remember.

Thanks for the great posts, and good luck with your careers.

 

[FlyersCFI]

Website?

How come the website says 1500/250 are the mins? Is that outdated or are those preferred times? Thanks.

 

[dondk]

To answer some of airline mission's questions/statements...

First, very few wash out of PDT, the only way out is attitude. I have seen personally some guys who were very weak go many lessons to get to pass the checkride. The company believes in helping you make it. The program they use is unlike any other regionals training. I have been through 3 different airline ground schools and I can say that PDT has it together in regard to training.

Consistency is a factor, they do use many factors in there decisions. I do not think anyone can tell you all of the factors though. As for sending in a resume, what do you have to lose other than the time and the cost of the phone call of postage stamp. If YOU are serious about any regional YOU have to make it know to them. Waiting for some magic number is not going to get you an interview, nor is waiting for them to contact you.

almost a year ago I interviewed with all three Airways wholly owneds. I was actually surprised by the turnouts and experiences in each interview sesssion. They were not filled with 121 guys, nor filled with 500 hr CFI's, it was a good mix at each company in age and experience. From the 20 yr old to the 45 yr old corporate guy with 15 years experience. The market may have changed, but those guys and gals being interviewed right now are not all furloughed 121 pilots, albeit it may be slightly more than 50% but it is not 100%.

 

[DASHDRIVER]

Hire the Person not the numbers

I think dondk makes a good point here. you see such a range of people coming through our classes that there is no doubt that Piedmont hires the person not the pilot. I think this is the way it is every where. If you have a good attitude, love what you do and are willing to put the time in you can go far. As to the published min referance what we have said earlier in the message board. My advice is to go for it, why not try at least you will be on file and showing persistence by updating a resume every few months can't hurt.

 

[skydiverdriver]

I'm glad you pdt guys are happy there, as for the most part, it is a good company. But, to keep it balanced, I'm going to present the other side. I used to work there too, and I didn't like it. Of course, I wasn't a pilot, and they seemed to have the only good deal at the company. They have an excellent contract, but managers at USAir would sell their own mothers if it meant a profit for them. I think the wholly-owned regionals are their best bet for a stable future, but mailine pilots also want to restrict them too much. Also, PDT's management only treats pilots well because they have a good contract, and other employees get left in the cold. I also agree that they have good training, but as you say, some weak people are helped through. I have a captain friend there who flew a checkride with a guy, and he couldn't believe they were going to let him pass. He said "this guy is going to fly with passengers soon?" I'm not so sure this is a good idea.

I would suggest you get on with Piedmont as a last resort. Just my opinion, as I have a lot of friends who still work there, and I wish them well. I just don't think its going to work out for those guys. Thanks for your time.

 

[dondk]

Skydiverdriver has a valid point as well. Personally I am a former PDT too...

The company stong point for pilots are the work rules and pay. They do go above the norm in helping weaker pilots through, and while there is a good argument that may not be the best PDT also has more senior Captains than "most" regionals. The Dash is also somewhat forgiving. IN my PDT class we had one weak pilot, the dude had not flown IMC in over 2 1/2 years, but after a lot of work he made the checkride (an extra 10 sessions) and then SOE...

At EXA, my partner washed out after the 3rd sim session, could of he made it? mabye if they gave him another 4-5 sessions. Was he any different than the PDT guy who is employeed? So I see the argument, but it goes both ways. I think the difference is at EXA we do not have too many senior guys in the CRJ, they may have 10 years with the company but only a year or so in the jet.

I am not a major advocate for PDT, but for some people it is a great company and a good job. I do not think they will get RJ's anytime soon and being a wholly owned the only benifit I saw was a higher standing in the non-rev issues, other than that being under Airways is more headaches than it is worth as they really do not care about the regionals other than for the paycheck they write to mainline on a monthly basis.

Laslty, PDT as with most of the wholly owneds have a "attitude" that takes a little to get use to. For those who do not understand, ask ANY contract carrier for Airways and I am sure they can explain in probably 5 words or less. Again, I am NOT putting down the wholly owneds, but they are in a class by themselves at times and they are not for everyone.

Best of luck...

 

[airline mission]

Sending resume's before posted min's

On the topic of sending a resume to a company before the company's posted minimum's are reached. If they explicitly say, "Do NOT send a resume until you have the minimum's...", by sending one anyway, would I be seen as more of an irritation than a positive, persistant applicant, and therefore be 'marked'? I can see your points made about sending them in now. Should I treat this differently depending upon the airline I'm sending a resume to? Or should I just get a resume to every airline I'm interested in regardless of what they say about the minimums?

I'm going to take your advice and get my first airline resume ready for PDT. Thanks for the encouragement.

One more thing. Does Piedmont insist on hiring only those who are coming from flying jobs? Does flying a desk count?

Happy skies!

 

[dondk]

Airline mission

To send a resume or not?
First there are some issues that should be addressed...

What ever a companies posted minimums are not always the "competitive minimums". In my experience with regional's I have seen well below posted minimums get interviewed and hired.


The Major's are different, usually the posted minimum's are truly the minimums and the competitive times are the going rate to get interviewed. While some do get hired below competitive times, very few get hired at or below minimum's.

I personally do not know of any company that "marks" a persistent applicant, usually the persistance is considered a good thing. It shows that you actually may want to work for the company. That is why it is usually recommended that those that you are really interested in you send resumes monthly. Same with the major's, when they were hiring you needed to send updates usually every six months as thier process was usually just under a year, no update they would think no interest.

You should consider all airlines that may be hiring, PDT, ALO, PSA, Comair, ACA, ASA, and Shuttle America. Watch these boards for recalls as once all of get back to work those airlines may start back up the hiring process.

Flying a desk, that is a good question, I know of a few who were hired with some significant breaks from flying. I know of some who were not in a current flying job, but it all comes down to how you present yourself. Cannot help you there, other than to say to send in the resumes. Just be aware that many who are being interviewed currently sent in resumes 6 weeks or better ago.

Best of luck...

 

[airline mission]

Great info. Thanks for taking the time.