PilotBrandon07

I'm currently a student at a university in Oklahoma and I have a few questions about internships and how they can affect interviews for jobs both positive and negative.

1. Would it be better to do an internship at a regional or major?

2. If I do an internship at a major airline, will a regional airline look down on this and believe that I'm just going to be there for a couple of years and then leave them?

3. Would an internship make an interview easier or harder? Would I be expected to know more than others my age that did not do an internship?

Any feedback from anybody on these forums will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time.

rickair7777

1. MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR. It's easy to get hired at a regional, don't waste an internship there.

2. A regional will assume that you will leave for the major in a few years...that is what they WANT you to do. It is cheaper to keep training pilots than a have a bunch of senior captains at a regional. Having done an internship at a major will not hurt your chances at a regional.

3. An internship at a major is a golden ticket. Assuming you don't get any DUI's or FAA violations, you will most likely get called for an interview when you meet the minimums...which is far earlier than most pilots get called. You will most likely get hired too.

I know several ex-interns who spent 18 months in the right seat of an RJ and then got hired by CAL.

Also try to pick a major which might be hiring when you will want to get hired. AA and UA might not be hiring this decade...or next decade.

PilotBrandon07

Thanks for the advice. Are there any majors you would recommend? I've been to the Continetal training center in Houston and it was really nice. Would Delta be hiring in about 6 to 7 years? What are some things that I can do to set myself apart from others trying for the same internship? Thanks again for everyone's help.

rickair7777

Nobody can say for sure who will or will not be hiring that far out. AA might even be hiring then. I guess I would look at the domicile locations for all the majors with which you might have an internship opportunity and pick one that has a pilot base somewhere you might like to live. I'd avoid UAL, they will not be hiring for a long time, if ever.

ysslah

I picked the company based on the location of the domiciles and the company culture. I know I won't like Southwest culture too much for example.

PilotBrandon07

Where are Delta, American, and U.S. Airways pilot bases at?

SiShane

I was recently approached by a Delta FO about their Flight Operations Internship. He made it sound great but I'm a little cautious in stopping my flight training and classes for a semester to do it. A retired CAL Capt who is a flight instructor at my school advised me not to do it because of my age. Im 27, Junior in College and currently in the middle of my Commercial License. My goal is Regional FO by 30. Are internships worth the trouble? Im trying to weigh my options.

SiShane

Delta in Atlanta and American is Dallas, I forget where US Air main hub is....

Bri85

Dont waste your time doing an internship with a regional- Do it with a major, I know someone who did a intership with continental when to fly at the regionals for just a year; and got hired with NO turbine pic time nor having the mins at the time for Cont. The internship he did opened a lot of doors, he said the recruiters remembered him, the interview was just a catch up conversation very informal and what he has done after he did the internship, and talked about baseball, etc. What helped is that he stayed in touch with the whole dept after the internship was over. At the time he got hire with CONT he was just turning 23. This is going back to 06'.