Counter-point
I completely disagree. They were 1 of the three that invited me to interview and it was hands-down the hardest. Not only was it hardest, but the longest and most stress-inducing - the latter I believe is on purpose. I've heard so many people inside and outside of Pinnacle that the FAA came down hard on them after the MO crash, particularly in the hiring department. My interview class consisted of 13 people. 4 including me made it through all four parts and 2 that I know of were given offers. You do the math and if they only hire at that percentage then you can see why they interview so many people and so often. Last I read they were booking interviews well into September. I believe that they push you to your limit and are mostly concerned with your decision-making skills during the situational-based portion of the interview. They try to get in your head and are looking for your breaking point.
Do I agree with low-time pilots in the right seat? Not particularly, but it's up to each individual airline to make those minimums. They will either live or die by that ideology. I firmly believe there is nothing anyone can provide that will substitute for experience; and that translates into many hours. I was hired at my regional at just over 1000TTL 6 months ago. Some would say that's too low; others that I could have started accruing seniority somewhere much sooner than I did. Too many people are impatient and take the first thing that falls in their lap. For me, I knew the path I wanted to take and it involved much more time than 500 hrs. I pray the day never comes that I open a morning newspaper and read that a 500 hour pilot was responsible for an accident. That will be the straw that breaks the camel's back - or this debate's "9/11;" the event that changes it forever.
I also disagree with another's post that 500-1000 hours is only VFR time-building. For some that may be the case, but you cannot stereo-type everyone into that category. CFIs, particularly the devoted ones that work at busy flight schools, are not worthy of that statement. Instructing offered me so much and IS the reason why I have succeeded at my airline.
SEVEN said:
I completely disagree. They were 1 of the three that invited me to interview and it was hands-down the hardest. Not only was it hardest, but the longest and most stress-inducing - the latter I believe is on purpose. I've heard so many people inside and outside of Pinnacle that the FAA came down hard on them after the MO crash, particularly in the hiring department. My interview class consisted of 13 people. 4 including me made it through all four parts and 2 that I know of were given offers. You do the math and if they only hire at that percentage then you can see why they interview so many people and so often. Last I read they were booking interviews well into September. I believe that they push you to your limit and are mostly concerned with your decision-making skills during the situational-based portion of the interview. They try to get in your head and are looking for your breaking point.
Do I agree with low-time pilots in the right seat? Not particularly, but it's up to each individual airline to make those minimums. They will either live or die by that ideology. I firmly believe there is nothing anyone can provide that will substitute for experience; and that translates into many hours. I was hired at my regional at just over 1000TTL 6 months ago. Some would say that's too low; others that I could have started accruing seniority somewhere much sooner than I did. Too many people are impatient and take the first thing that falls in their lap. For me, I knew the path I wanted to take and it involved much more time than 500 hrs. I pray the day never comes that I open a morning newspaper and read that a 500 hour pilot was responsible for an accident. That will be the straw that breaks the camel's back - or this debate's "9/11;" the event that changes it forever.
I also disagree with another's post that 500-1000 hours is only VFR time-building. For some that may be the case, but you cannot stereo-type everyone into that category. CFIs, particularly the devoted ones that work at busy flight schools, are not worthy of that statement. Instructing offered me so much and IS the reason why I have succeeded at my airline.
