bcpilot

Hi Guys,

I am returning to flying after a long Gap in flying. I stopped flying about 12 yrs ago because of say Family reasons, and I didn't fly at all during this period, not even a minute. I have always wanted to come back but something or else kept happening on the personal side.

I am 37 now and I know that I will take a major hit in Income, Lifestyle, QOL, the cars I drive, the house I live in, etc.. And I am mentally prepared for that.....
The hiring is happening, the environment is conducive & I figure that if I don’t do it now, chances are that I will never be able to do it again…….

My Target: I want to join Eagle on the ATR’s & I have approx 740 TT /145 Multi/ 120 Multi PIC/ 560 PIC total / 400 x-country/ 110 Instrument. I have a buddy CFI who is willing to fly with me abt 2 hrs every day in a rental 172 & a twin, so he will do the entire syllabus with me for commercial, multi & instrument, just as if I was doing it fresh 1st time. He will take me to a level as if I was sitting with an FAA examiner doing check rides for each rating. I would have flown abt 60 or so hrs between now & June, so that I can get my proficiency back and also to complete my minimum TT required for Eagle.

I have been following the posts here, for a few weeks now on the APC forum & wanted to ask for advise of fellow pilots, who are senior guys working in airlines, those got just hired and anyone else who can offer some advise...

My questions:
1) My Biggest fear is How will they take my long Gap of 12 yrs at the interview, with no flying in between & just 60 odd hours recently………..
2) Will I be even called for an interview..?? Will they even consider me as an viable applicant...??
3) Do I have to be employed in aviation to get a job in Eagle or any regional. Can I have the experience & knowledge that is required and be working somewhere else & go to the interview…
4) Should I get a CFI and start working an instructor to have some aviation job history?
5) Is there a minimum # of flying hrs that EAGLE requires an applicant to have in last 6 or 12 months? Should I do more flying than 60 hrs… Should I do Glass Cockpit transition also & get glass experience.
6) Does Eagle has a training Contract or Bond for an X amount of years.....
7) Also, I have read here on APC that airframe is dependent on age, so do younger guys get ATR or do older guys get ATR. Can a new hire have a choice in what equipment/ Airframe one gets.

rickair7777

Did you ever work as a professional pilot before? If not, the gap won't really matter.

If you did work as a commercial pilot, they will probably enquire as to why you stopped. Just have a reasonable answer which will lead them away from the suspicion that you will quit again before they recover their cost of training you.

That depends on:

1. Do you meet their competitive requirements? There is a thread on eagle hiring here which should address that.

2. Sounds like you will be current, no problem there.

3. Most airlines require X number of hours in the last 6 or 12 months, anywhere from 50-200. Check out their web site for details, amke sure you will have enough. This requirement is often a round-about way of saying they want to hire people who are currently employed as professional pilots (or rich enough to own their own plane and buy a lot of gas).


See above. You don't have to employed, but many interviewers will give some preference to someone with professional (including CFI) flying experience over a private pilot with a CPL.

But there are definitely people who have gotten hired with no commercial experience. Not sure where AE is on this.



Given your relatively low hours I suspect that would be a good idea. Also a better way to get current than just burning holes in the sky turning avgas (and money) into noise. If you get your CFI, CFII, MEI that should cover all of your currency issues and set you up to get an instructor job.


See above. Check their website for minimum hours and recency. 60 hours should be enough for currency unless they require more.


Mixed feelings on jet/glass. I would say no to jet training, spend the money on your instructor ratings.

Some GA glass experience might be a good foundation for airline training...once you get your basic skills up to snuff.


All airlines sort new hires within a given class by some system, usually age or last four of social security number. I know eagle used to use age (oldest being most senior) but some airlines have gone away from age due to possible discrimination issues (youth discrimination I guess).

Somebody should know the answer, so you should be able to predict your relative seniority in your new-hire class based on age or SSN.

However as far as base and airframe goes, what they do is offer what openings they happen to have on that day...no guarantee of any particular base or airframe.

An entire class could go to the same base and airframe if that's what is availble on that day. Other times their will be some choices, with the senior people getting their pick.

Assume that you will NOT get a high-seniority base...those would have been taken by senior line pilots before they offer them to new-hires.

Basically no way to predict in advance, but you can guess based on their recent practices if you know someone who has access to their seniority list/bid system.

love2av8

I had a 7 year gap. Wasn't a big deal with them. I don't have alot of recent flight time but I am very proficient and studied hard. They are looking for proficiency in instruments. Worse case they will make you an offer and tell you to get more flight time or take a course. Now that being said I've got a bit more flight time than you and I come from an instruction background. I taught instrument, multi, multi instructors and sim. Get current, get proficient and go apply. You can always reapply in 90 days if things don't go the way you want. I am also a little older than you too so age isn't a factor with them either. Good luck!

bcpilot

Hi Rick

Thanks for taking the time to reply each issue question....

I haven't sat in a plane in 12 yrs, except an airliner as a passenger. And that's what scares me now, Have I forgotton everything.....
How much time should I need to become procifient again. Any Instrucors here may have any comments. Of course, I will know where I stand in few weeks, when I start flying again. I have started studying again though.

Lucky to have a Buddy, who is willing to take time out of his schedule & help me. Per him, I should be able to do everything in a cost effective way, just have to pay for the plane.

Yes, I am going to do the CFII & MEI, I have to fly the hours anyway, might as well get additonal ratings.

Anything else that I should keep in mind or do.

bcpilot

@ Rick

My Previous aviation Employers are in India, My last aviation job was 12 yrs ago & I am returning to flying after a very long Gap. I don't know if my old employers are still there.

Do U know If there is a certain form that needs to be signed, I can try to track my prev employers in India & try to get it from them.
Or at least track the chief pilot & get a refernce letter from him.

@love2av8

How was your experience, did they ask you abt the gap..... Did issue of Flying & job gap come up more than 1 once or was a lot of stress Laid on that issue...

love2av8

They didn't really talk about it. They just mentioned I picked a good time to come on and I mentioned I picked a good 7 years to be off. I was still employed just not flying. The employment verification forms only go back 2 years for non-aviation and 5 years for aviation. They send you these in the interview packet and you bring them filled out to the interview. If it is outside of that time frame than you don't need to do any forms for it. You do have to prepare a typed chronological 10 year history to submit with your app at the interview. If an employer is closed, they will accept paystubs, tax forms, etc.

bcpilot

@rick7777

Sir, Thanks for the advise earlier & this is the update 3 months later...

I have flown abt 54 hrs in last 3 months & there was a mistake in what I thought I had as prev Total flying, I had 698 before & not 745 as mentioned in my prev post.

I have just passed my multi commercial checkride & So Now, I have 752/140, I have applied to Eagle & am waiting to hear back from them but almost after 3 weeks, still no resposne.

I have no DUI, no negative thing except 1 speeding ticket 4 yrs ago & no aviation job in the last 12 yrs.

I am seeking some advise as to what to do from here, Is there anything that I could do more to get the interview call......

Also what can I do to be ready to for the interview. One question regarding the School transcripts, I did not go to a US school or college, My high school & college were in India, so what is the requirement for transcripts in this case.

Pls advise

globalexpress

I think I would advise that you get a job flight instructing. Check if the flight school you just trained at has any openings. With less than 800 hours you have very little experience. The more hours you gain, the more employable you will be.

bcpilot

I am already studying for FOI & CFI writtens & preparing for the ground on my own. I plan to start the CFI training in the end of Aug or Early sept.

But looking at the recent Hiring going on, I was hoping that I may also get the call. Sometimes when one sees a lot of people getting hired, then one thinks he may get it too.....

My real question is what would I need from my previous schools & college from INDIA as transcripts. I don't remember as any such thing called transcripts in INDIA.
What do airlines need in such a situation or they just don't care if I have this degree or not.

Luv2Rotate

My honest opinion... With your long gap of flying combined with low time, there's little chance you'll be called. Not impossible but "lottery odds" nonetheless. The best thing you can do to make yourself more marketable is become a CFI and close the learning/flying gap which has developed.