Horizon Pilot Development Plan Update
02-10-2023, 05:37 PM
#56
On Reserve
Joined APC: Sep 2021
Posts: 18
Can someone in this thread give me a better understanding of the PDP? It's not too clear on the website how this program works, but here is my understanding as someone that is looking into potentially applying.
I am a 100 hour pilot must starting their instrument ground school. If I get my first class medical and then apply for the PDP program and accepted, I would receive $5k from the program and another $7,500 once I complete my commercial. I can use that money to fund my studies, flying, etc as I work up my hours. If I went the CFI route after to build up my hours to 1500 I would have to find employment and take care of all that on my own while providing updates to Horizon on my progress. They would have no other part in this until I reach my 1500 hours and outside of the stipend they provide, this would all be on me to get the work done, build the hours and pass the check rides, etc?
Once I get my 1500 hours and all other required ratings and endorsements I would apply for Horizon. Upon completely and interview and being "hired" I would want until they gave me a class time to start my training.
I would not do any training with Horizon until I am in a class.
The 2 year timer doesn't start until I am hired. So if I get to 1500 hours and go a different direction 3 years later after waiting I would have to pay the money back.
is this how it works?
From my understanding Horizon is virtually hiring only from the PDP, so if you want to fly with them, this is the best route?
I am a 100 hour pilot must starting their instrument ground school. If I get my first class medical and then apply for the PDP program and accepted, I would receive $5k from the program and another $7,500 once I complete my commercial. I can use that money to fund my studies, flying, etc as I work up my hours. If I went the CFI route after to build up my hours to 1500 I would have to find employment and take care of all that on my own while providing updates to Horizon on my progress. They would have no other part in this until I reach my 1500 hours and outside of the stipend they provide, this would all be on me to get the work done, build the hours and pass the check rides, etc?
Once I get my 1500 hours and all other required ratings and endorsements I would apply for Horizon. Upon completely and interview and being "hired" I would want until they gave me a class time to start my training.
I would not do any training with Horizon until I am in a class.
The 2 year timer doesn't start until I am hired. So if I get to 1500 hours and go a different direction 3 years later after waiting I would have to pay the money back.
is this how it works?
From my understanding Horizon is virtually hiring only from the PDP, so if you want to fly with them, this is the best route?
02-10-2023, 07:19 PM
#57
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2020
Posts: 34
Can someone in this thread give me a better understanding of the PDP? It's not too clear on the website how this program works, but here is my understanding as someone that is looking into potentially applying.
I am a 100 hour pilot must starting their instrument ground school. If I get my first class medical and then apply for the PDP program and accepted, I would receive $5k from the program and another $7,500 once I complete my commercial. I can use that money to fund my studies, flying, etc as I work up my hours. If I went the CFI route after to build up my hours to 1500 I would have to find employment and take care of all that on my own while providing updates to Horizon on my progress. They would have no other part in this until I reach my 1500 hours and outside of the stipend they provide, this would all be on me to get the work done, build the hours and pass the check rides, etc?
Once I get my 1500 hours and all other required ratings and endorsements I would apply for Horizon. Upon completely and interview and being "hired" I would want until they gave me a class time to start my training.
I would not do any training with Horizon until I am in a class.
The 2 year timer doesn't start until I am hired. So if I get to 1500 hours and go a different direction 3 years later after waiting I would have to pay the money back.
is this how it works?
From my understanding Horizon is virtually hiring only from the PDP, so if you want to fly with them, this is the best route?
I am a 100 hour pilot must starting their instrument ground school. If I get my first class medical and then apply for the PDP program and accepted, I would receive $5k from the program and another $7,500 once I complete my commercial. I can use that money to fund my studies, flying, etc as I work up my hours. If I went the CFI route after to build up my hours to 1500 I would have to find employment and take care of all that on my own while providing updates to Horizon on my progress. They would have no other part in this until I reach my 1500 hours and outside of the stipend they provide, this would all be on me to get the work done, build the hours and pass the check rides, etc?
Once I get my 1500 hours and all other required ratings and endorsements I would apply for Horizon. Upon completely and interview and being "hired" I would want until they gave me a class time to start my training.
I would not do any training with Horizon until I am in a class.
The 2 year timer doesn't start until I am hired. So if I get to 1500 hours and go a different direction 3 years later after waiting I would have to pay the money back.
is this how it works?
From my understanding Horizon is virtually hiring only from the PDP, so if you want to fly with them, this is the best route?
Horizon doesn’t seem to really care where how you get the hours, just that you get them eventually and are making progress to ATP mins. They don’t have a set timeline for you to get 1,500.
yes, CURRENTLY Horizon is only hiring from the PDP because they are virtually not hiring at all, only taking about 4 new hires a month it looks like.
Your only interview is to get into the PDP, once you hit hours they schedule you a class date there are no more interviews. You ‘apply’ in a sense at that point for them to get all the info to do the in depth background checks. It’s just paperwork, you’ve been given a CJO when you entered the PDP.
The 24 month timer doesn’t start until you’re hired and the bonus payback is pro rated, so let’s say you go to horizon, work there 12 months, you’ll only need to pay back half of that ‘stipend’.
overall IMO, if you want to potentially work for horizon I’d definitely sign up. Put the money if you can in an interest bearing account and if it makes sense to work somewhere else then you give it back. If not you get a bonus down the road and/or cash reserves for a rainy day.
02-10-2023, 10:49 PM
#58
On Reserve
Joined APC: Sep 2021
Posts: 18
I joined the PDP as a CFI so got the $12.5k in a lump. I believe it’s once you complete your IFR rating you get $7,500 then another $5k upon completing your commercial. But I’d confirm that with them.
Horizon doesn’t seem to really care where how you get the hours, just that you get them eventually and are making progress to ATP mins. They don’t have a set timeline for you to get 1,500.
yes, CURRENTLY Horizon is only hiring from the PDP because they are virtually not hiring at all, only taking about 4 new hires a month it looks like.
Your only interview is to get into the PDP, once you hit hours they schedule you a class date there are no more interviews. You ‘apply’ in a sense at that point for them to get all the info to do the in depth background checks. It’s just paperwork, you’ve been given a CJO when you entered the PDP.
The 24 month timer doesn’t start until you’re hired and the bonus payback is pro rated, so let’s say you go to horizon, work there 12 months, you’ll only need to pay back half of that ‘stipend’.
overall IMO, if you want to potentially work for horizon I’d definitely sign up. Put the money if you can in an interest bearing account and if it makes sense to work somewhere else then you give it back. If not you get a bonus down the road and/or cash reserves for a rainy day.
Horizon doesn’t seem to really care where how you get the hours, just that you get them eventually and are making progress to ATP mins. They don’t have a set timeline for you to get 1,500.
yes, CURRENTLY Horizon is only hiring from the PDP because they are virtually not hiring at all, only taking about 4 new hires a month it looks like.
Your only interview is to get into the PDP, once you hit hours they schedule you a class date there are no more interviews. You ‘apply’ in a sense at that point for them to get all the info to do the in depth background checks. It’s just paperwork, you’ve been given a CJO when you entered the PDP.
The 24 month timer doesn’t start until you’re hired and the bonus payback is pro rated, so let’s say you go to horizon, work there 12 months, you’ll only need to pay back half of that ‘stipend’.
overall IMO, if you want to potentially work for horizon I’d definitely sign up. Put the money if you can in an interest bearing account and if it makes sense to work somewhere else then you give it back. If not you get a bonus down the road and/or cash reserves for a rainy day.
I am in a good spot financially where the stipend isn't a make it or break it, so I could use it to leverage my income a bit more. Interest account isn't a bad idea as long as it's okay on all ends.
I haven't seen it posted, but this PDP seems like a potentially more "direct" way into Horizon for whenever you get hired and a class date versus getting to 1500 hours and then applying to a bunch of airlines.
I could be missing it, but the requirement is 1500 total hours, but how you get those hours doesn't have requirements outside of ATP minimums? No multi-engine hours/rating required?
For me and my situation applying to this program seems like a no brainer outside of the commitment to stay with Horizon for 2 years and risk the "penalty" of paying a prorated portion of the stipend if I use it and go in a different direction. I guess the one workaround with that would be if I didn't take the stipend. But it gets your foot in the door from a much earlier standpoint building a relationship with them versus trying to start with them at 1500 hours with no previous experience and not being part of the PDP.
02-11-2023, 07:01 AM
#59
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2020
Posts: 34
Yeah I wasn't too clear on my understanding with the stipend and how it was paid. They mentioned partner schools, so I was curious if I would receive the stipend directly in my personal bank account and could use it however I wanted, or would I need to show invoices for training, or would the school give me credit, etc.
I am in a good spot financially where the stipend isn't a make it or break it, so I could use it to leverage my income a bit more. Interest account isn't a bad idea as long as it's okay on all ends.
I haven't seen it posted, but this PDP seems like a potentially more "direct" way into Horizon for whenever you get hired and a class date versus getting to 1500 hours and then applying to a bunch of airlines.
I could be missing it, but the requirement is 1500 total hours, but how you get those hours doesn't have requirements outside of ATP minimums? No multi-engine hours/rating required?
For me and my situation applying to this program seems like a no brainer outside of the commitment to stay with Horizon for 2 years and risk the "penalty" of paying a prorated portion of the stipend if I use it and go in a different direction. I guess the one workaround with that would be if I didn't take the stipend. But it gets your foot in the door from a much earlier standpoint building a relationship with them versus trying to start with them at 1500 hours with no previous experience and not being part of the PDP.
I am in a good spot financially where the stipend isn't a make it or break it, so I could use it to leverage my income a bit more. Interest account isn't a bad idea as long as it's okay on all ends.
I haven't seen it posted, but this PDP seems like a potentially more "direct" way into Horizon for whenever you get hired and a class date versus getting to 1500 hours and then applying to a bunch of airlines.
I could be missing it, but the requirement is 1500 total hours, but how you get those hours doesn't have requirements outside of ATP minimums? No multi-engine hours/rating required?
For me and my situation applying to this program seems like a no brainer outside of the commitment to stay with Horizon for 2 years and risk the "penalty" of paying a prorated portion of the stipend if I use it and go in a different direction. I guess the one workaround with that would be if I didn't take the stipend. But it gets your foot in the door from a much earlier standpoint building a relationship with them versus trying to start with them at 1500 hours with no previous experience and not being part of the PDP.
Nothing additional than ATP mins. Which includes a multi-engine rating and at least 25hrs MEL. And all the other hour requirements like XC, night, sim
05-07-2023, 06:37 PM
#60
On Reserve
Joined APC: Sep 2021
Posts: 18
The recruiter mentioned that when you apply to the PDP, you are flown down to Seattle for an interview and that is really your only interview. I failed to ask and after thinking about it was wondering what that initial interview covers? Since they are taking on people at the PPL level for this, I would assume the initial interview is more general questions versus pilot specific situations, knowledge questioning?
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