Time to left seat in majors?

[KeroseneSnorter]

Here is a shot at a real answer for you av8.


It all depends on the cycle as mentioned. Look for the place you really really want to work, and send them your stuff, then send your stuff to everyother place you can find an address for.

Do not base your decision of where to go on upgrade times, since what ever it is now, that will change by next month.

Upgrade at a major will probably run anywhere from 4 years to 15 years(sometimes longer) depends on the cycle. Normally you would be able to hold a widebody F/O slot before you could hold any Capt. slot. But not always, since some of the wide body F/O spots pay better than some Capt. seats at the majors.

AA, DAL, United, USAir, Northwest are not hiring right now, and all but northwest still have pilots layed off (furloughed in airline speak) but not positive about Northwest, they have been recalling but dunno their exact numbers.

CAL is currently hiring as are SWA Fedex UPS AirTran and Jetblue.........no others come to mind right now.

There are widebody opportunities overseas and in the freight market hiring as well.

Base you decision on QOL. Upgrade should not be a factor. If you have a problem sitting right seat for a long time, look elsewhere for a job and not the airlines, Remember the saying, you are not an airline pilot until you have been downgraded back to F/O, and you are not a real airline pilot until you have been furloughed at least once!

Good luck in your hunt.

KS

 

[Lear Lackey]

Northwest still has about 400-500 on the street after the decision to park another DC-9's They are not hiring this year and probably now not next year either.

 

[bubbers]

Left seat at AA

18 years to left seat the way it has been going at AA. One of my favorite copilots was in the left seat for about a year after 15 years, now stuck in right seat for a long time. For me it was 5 years but that was in 85. Cycles of employment of pilots are unpredictable. Now the questionable future retirement benefits make this career not what it used to be. Good luck. Doug

 

[-9Capt]

AirTran (if you consider them a major) is running 2.5 to 3 years right now in both the 717 and 737.

 

[TurboS7]

Let me give you the real answer you are waiting for. I assume that you will have retirement from the military and stay in the reserves. If you go to SWA who happens to be hiring right now you will see anywhere from 5 years to 8 years to get to the left seat. You may not want to be a captain in OAK when you live in FLL so you wait a couple years for a slot to open up at MCO. The bottom line is this- at the majors and I will include the freight haulers( the major ones) you will make about 75K to 100K after your first year. That salary is the same that I make on a third level 121 Charter carrier as an 8 year captain. So if you are interested in the money, go for the big ones, if you want a nice little nitch with one of the boys doing CRAF work, look at the smaller carriers.

 

[Reebo]

Question from somebody who's logged most of my hours wearing nomex for Uncle Sam... About how many years/hours is a new hire FO looking at before going to the left seat at a major? Any truth to the rumor that AA is rather slow to upgrade? Also, how does progression to larger types work? Would somebody become a B737 Capt before becoming a B747 FO?

Gracias.

Info from airlinepilotcentral.com

junior captains at a few airlines with seniority, airplane, and base

AA 2/90 MD80/LGA
CO 1/98 B737/EWR
DL 12/96 MD88/NYC
NW 2/96 DC9/DTW
UA 8/96 A320/SFO
US 2/86 B737/Base unknown
WN 5/99 B737/BWI
HP 2/98 B737/PHX
AS 8/96 MD80/SEA

 

[bubbers]

Non of the majors will be hiring for a while. AA has over 2500 on furlough and most of the others have many out too and on the verge of going out of business. Congress is not letting United dump their pensions right now and fuel prices are soaring. Southwest is the only long time airline dealing with passengers who can still make a profit. Jet Blue will eventually have to pay maintenance costs on their new planes and fuel hedging will come to an end some day.


I was looking for an airline job in the late 60's and got my first real interview in 79. You really have to want to be an airline pilot to hang in there. I had a brief United interview in college in 66 and am glad they didn't hire me. Had a wonderful time flying D 18's, Lears, Jetstars and Falcon 20's until I got that perfect job in 79. Now retired I just remember the good times and how much more you can learn struggling through aviation wanting to fly something bigger and not caring about benefits and work rules. Giving flight instruction from the front seat of a J3 was also quite interesting. Doug

 

[$$$4nothin]

Stupid questions deserve stupid answers

It will take exactly 4380 days. Hey buddy do some research before asking a stupid question.

 

[YGBSM]

It will take exactly 4380 days. Hey buddy do some research before asking a stupid question.

Guess you told him.

That'll probably help you deal with the fact that he'll be on with the majors a long time before any of you bitter homos.

 

[FN FAL]

Guess you told him.

That'll probably help you deal with the fact that he'll be on with the majors a long time before any of you bitter homos.

How can you tell if a homo is bitter?