Republic to hire 1,000 pilots

[YourPilotFriend]

Just check Embry-Riddle, Phoenix East, ATP, Inc and you will see lots of kids ready to go to work.

These kids are already being sucked up to the max. If you have the ME time, you can go anywhere. It's just going to get worse.

 

[Minimaniac]

According to their press release the new aircraft are: 24 CRJs, 17 170s, 30 175s. That makes 71. Assuming 10 crews/plane, I don't know what the other 290 would be for. Attrition maybe? Is there much attrition at RAH?

The other 290 include replacing Jets for Jobs pilots who are expected to accept recalls at US Airways, and about 100 or so pilots per year getting hired at greener pastures. There are currently about 75 J4J captains, and about 15 FO's. Add in the two full calendar years between now and the Dec. 2008 goal date of 1000 new hires (with 100/year leaving) and you have your 290ish.
Of course, the Delta RFP is still out there... At least it seems there is no expectation of loss of flying for Delta at this time.

 

[Minimaniac]

Also, don't expect the 1500TT to drop anytime sson for new hires. Insurance mins aside, 2500TT is required to upgrade here. With 1000 pilots being added to the 1600+ on property now in short order, pilots being hired now are likely going to be eligible for upgrade after 1.5 years. As RAH nears its 1000 pilot goal, the 1500TT figure may drop because it is likely later hires will sit as FO's for quite a while. We need eligible upgrade candidates in order to achieve this growth forecast. So, 1500TT is gonna be the rule for now.

 

[info]

Mack82/anyone else - proper training and guidance

1500/300 is set and stone because of cheaper INSURANCE. Its ashame because there are many qualified applicants below these mins, even below 1000 hrs. there are MANY qualified applicants. With proper training and guidance, a pilot with average skills is perfectly able to make the transition to the RJ, or even the vaunted E-170, at or below 1000 hrs.

with "proper training and guidance" where do we get that - RAH/CHQ? This is a genuine question from a potential interviewee/new hire. Are you at CHQ and is the training good - how does it compare to that elsewhere? Do you have any info on other training?

 

[ERJpusher]

with "proper training and guidance" where do we get that - RAH/CHQ? This is a genuine question from a potential interviewee/new hire. Are you at CHQ and is the training good - how does it compare to that elsewhere? Do you have any info on other training?

All of CHQ training is conducted by Flight Safety. CHQ submits the program that they want taught, and Flight Safety takes care of it from there. Checkrides are done by in-house Check Airman. Don't let that fool you into thinking it is easier, thought. Some of the check airman feel the need to be exceptionally particular during the rides. At one point, we were running a fail rate of 12-13%, about double the national average. The training we are provided is good, very thorough. But I would have to say it is too thorough. Our training program dictates that we learn way more than we need.

The E-170 program started out as a "need to know" training program, developed for the USAirways J4J guys that were coming over from Mid Atlantic. However, I hear that the program is slowly being infected with "CHQ Syndrome."

 

[trainer8]

with "proper training and guidance" where do we get that - RAH/CHQ? This is a genuine question from a potential interviewee/new hire. Are you at CHQ and is the training good - how does it compare to that elsewhere? Do you have any info on other training?

Flight Safety does all the RAH Initial training. Overall, it is quite good. I recently went through STL FSI for LOFT and there is a strong emphasis on High Altitude operations. Seems the Pinnacle event has spurred it (training) into more than just a hand-out in class and two questions on the final.

My opinion, there is no substitute for new hires with previous experience. What we are seeing now is minimal to no air carrier experience in the right seat of large and small regional jets, and at turbo-prop carriers. We have Captains who got their Private Certificate in this century. We have FO's who are college interns with ink still wet on their Commerical certificate temps and not a single day of commercial flying experience, not even CFI's.

"Proper training" while good in theory, does not occur in the class room. The class room is where you cram the Ops Specs and Systems into your brain.

"Guidance" takes place in the cockpit or Sim with competent Captains and instructors. It is where you use the practical head knowledge from the classroom and you learn technique and skill from the hopefully experienced grizzled 4-striper next to you. That's why your POI will renew the CFI or CFII certificate your captain has without a blink when he asks. He knows that he is teaching and emulating, even if he isn't a Check Airman.

It occurs decending into in icing conditions while at flying night, with an upcoming non-precision approach to a circle-to-land.

It occurs shooting minimum low approaches with the potential of missing or having to miss and go to your alternate, while managing your minimal fuel.

It occurs interacting with the two-crew concept with good CRM, coordinating with dispatch and ATC and interacting cabin crew and passenger issues during "non-normal" events.

It occurs in the right seat in real conditions. Take a look at NASA ASRS or your company ASAPs and you will see what I mean. There is no substitute for experience.

Evidence of what potential exists is the Pinnacle event. If that were not true, you would not see the emphasis now exerted in new hire Initial training and recurrent training.

This is the world we live in. Be careful out there.

T8

 

[DieselDash]

Hey any former Piedmonsters at Republic, how do you like it? I know it can't be any worse. Are you glad you made the move? I feel like a Rat trying to get off a sinking ship at Piedmont. Maybe Trainer8 could give a little advice to an abused dash driver.

 

[trainer8]

All of CHQ training is conducted by Flight Safety. CHQ submits the program that they want taught, and Flight Safety takes care of it from there. Checkrides are done by in-house Check Airman. Don't let that fool you into thinking it is easier, thought. Some of the check airman feel the need to be exceptionally particular during the rides. At one point, we were running a fail rate of 12-13%, about double the national average. The training we are provided is good, very thorough. But I would have to say it is too thorough. Our training program dictates that we learn way more than we need.

The E-170 program started out as a "need to know" training program, developed for the USAirways J4J guys that were coming over from Mid Atlantic. However, I hear that the program is slowly being infected with "CHQ Syndrome."

I hear horror stories of the "infection" but to date have yet to be "infected." I have been repeatedly told that the CKAMs are fighting to keep the program "US Airways style" but are having to fight to do it. So far, they have been successful.

T8

 

[trainer8]

Hey any former Piedmonsters at Republic, how do you like it? I know it can't be any worse. Are you glad you made the move? I feel like a Rat trying to get off a sinking ship at Piedmont. Maybe Trainer8 could give a little advice to an abused dash driver.

Run Forrest, RUN!

Your training experience at RPA will be a breath of fresh air. No more Jay Keene, no more knowing how to "build the airplane." So far, Republic and Flight Safety for the most part, have held to the US Airways philosophy on the Initial training of this aircraft. Your training will be good, and you will only be required to know the important stuff, not the minutia of Jay's crap that you're used to. There is a lot to know about the E170, but the resources are plentiful and the airplane is easy to learn. "Use of automation to the fullest extent" is the policy here. 180 degrees from Jay's program. I'm disappointed in Scrubby for not changing that when he came over to PDT from MDA.

Republic has its warts. It a big airplane company with a little airplane mentality. Their lower management knows that, but it's hard for the upper management to change 30+ years of commuter mentality. THe company is also growing so rapidly, they are having a difficult time keeping up with themselves. If you get over here, expect a lot of dumb looks.

T8

 

[Sticky]

I get a lot of dumb looks already as it is.........wonder what that means.....