spooldup

This is EXACTLY the hole that the regionals are in right now. My friend at SkyWest was forced to upgrade from #2 in base on the FO side to #2 from the bottom in base and back to a terrible QOL because they couldn't staff the airline with a bunch of 1000hr pilots.

The cadet thing is cool and is a neat opportunity, but it never should be focused on being the sole pipeline for newhires.

There are A LOT of people bypassing upgrade in order to maintain their QOL and remain in base, no one in TPA, ATL, DEN or PHX want to upgrade and be stuck in displacement limbo and go to CHI, CVG, CLE, PHL or SJU.

If we maintain 20-30 upgrades a month + 50-60 new hires a month, I think it will be interesting, but until then, upgrades are for suckers and people who don't care about their QOL or their base commute since they are probably commuting anyways.

I really hate the idea of 40-70 pilots in a base and I hope that doesn't happen with us, Ask Allegiant pilots how crappy it is trying to get and move up seniority in a certain base. I REALLY hope that we see a few more bases and staff and grow what we currently have to 90+ pilots a base at least, for me, I have shot up 20% seniority in 3 months and the last 2 months I have lost 20% and that feels absolutely terrible.

loganeich

The cadet program is having significant delays for people that had minimums and signed late last year. I know half of my interview class is flying 121 now and the rest are at 135 carriers. A number of the cadets will come over that are well on there way to 1000 hours 121/135 PIC. I signed Sept. 2023 mins satisfied and I'm now expecting a class date March-May 2025.

Stayontarget

Im sorry…2025?!

loganeich

Unfortunately, 2025 is correct
1. Signed September 2023 with mins and was told to expect Febuary/March in 2024, but we were not allowed to take a 121/135 job.
2. March 2024, letter sent that I should expect 6-7 months additional time for a class date. Ok to take 121/135 jobs for a year.
3. May 2024, letter sent to expect 10-12 months for class date. Expectation is now March to May 2025. Encouraged to take another job and they would hold you a spot.

Positive News, I'm still getting $1000 a month. The $1000/month goes away with 121/135 job.

I'm heading to PAPA conference in Vegas on Monday to see about getting a flying job. Skywest just emailed me 5yr/$80K contract that I won't be signing. I'm in a pretty good spot with non-flying job, but hopefully a decent flying opportunity comes along.

LifetimeCFI

Yes, and I believe that this is due to over-hiring near-mins Cadets but ALSO I suspect that the powers that be have received feedback on how the cadet hires are doing and have decided to cut back on % of new hire slots allocated to cadets. This would explain their shifted timelines to being hired significantly later than originally expected.

In my class, cadets made up nearly 40% of the class, with cadet + university hires from ERAU/Purdue making up >50% of the class. I can't confirm but I've heard of about 7 failures in the March class and personally know of two that failed in the March class. AFAIK they ultimately made it through but it's not hard to imagine the feedback from the schoolhouse/LCPs perhaps causing those in control of hiring to shift the numbers a bit.

Also in my class are a not-insignificant number of cadet on cadet sim pairings.

So yes, many of them are being told that they can expect classes in 2025.

LifetimeCFI

You, me and many others. I actually went down a few spots at SJU of all places on this last bid. Personally, I chose SJU assuming it would be super junior on the FO side. Think that might have been a dumb*** guess because it seems that SJU is chock full of Florida FOs either too junior to hold a FL base, or chasing a line in SJU.

I guess I will see a small artificial bump in seniority for being based on the island vs commuting but damn that was disappointing lol.

APC1

This is here at Frontier? I know one of the comments was directing at United. I wasn't sure if this is regarding here or at United.

Shrek

Since UA doesn't have "cadets" I think you have your answer.

AutoBrksMedium

How do cadets that signed in late 2023 have 1000hrs 121/135 PIC already at another gig?

LifetimeCFI

They didnt, but now that they're waiting til 2025 at this point, many will have jobs at regionals and/or 135s building qualifying time while waiting for their F9 class date (if it ever comes).