Pedro4President

912 new hires in 2017. Crazy I know. My only point is when Envoy calculates flow it's from 0 outside attrition. PDT seems very eager to calculate attrition in there and compare apples to oranges when talking flow. Also, just like Envoys ballooning flow time PDT is also going to have a ballooning flow time because of NH classes are more than 4 times the flow rate.

Quick questions. How many pilots are on property? How many bypassed the flow?

Newstick189

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Our flow time if you base it on your DOH versus YOH doesn't have anything to do with ballooning numbers. The recruiting department may be happy to use YOH numbers but my calculation is based on my seniority increasing 10 per month which is the average I calculated over 8 months on property.

We have 661 pilots, roughly 60 of which have bypassed. We flow 5 per month at this rate, and will flow 6 pilots upon reaching 750. It's very easy to calculate for us since the numbers are so linear. Our most junior flow is #83 on the list (you are placed on the inactive list in case you decide you want to come back), so 661-83= 578/5=115.6/12= 9.6 Years if you were to be hired RIGHT now with 0 attrition. That number can be cut in half including a conservative estimate of there being 5 additional pilots who are lost to retirement or outside hiring beyond the flow.

If you come here for the flow I think you are doing yourself a disservice. It's nice to have as a backup plan but there is plenty of opportunity here to build a great resume and move on even quicker than the flow.

67Creek

Excuse my ignorance, but how is it that 60 are bypassing, but the junior flow is 83?

Newstick189

The remainder of that seniority list is currently "inactive" which means they are currently in AA class. We have it in our contract that when you are flowed up you keep your seniority at PDT by being marked inactive just in case you flunk out of training at AA or you decide you want to come back.

It's pretty easy to see who is currently in AA class because we have like 20 pilots in a row who are inactive.

67Creek

Thanks for the explanation.

Side question: how is seniority determined among the new hire class.

Newstick189

Date of birth. Older=more senior.

MKUltra

Wee also have the handful of management pilots who are still here and so far not flowing at the time.

67Creek

Keep in mind that as you rise in seniority, an increasing amount of the attrition takes place from the pilots behind you in seniority. IOW, outside attrition effects those at the bottom of the seniority list more than those at the top of it.

Question. What kind of opportunities? Sim instructor, recruiting, anything else?

Do those jobs take away from your flying hours to the extent that they could actually do more harm than good?

Newstick189

I can agree that the attrition does not benefit you linearly as you become more senior, but I do believe that the potential for growth for of this airline and the opportunities to leave for better jobs are at an all time high, which could benefit all of us immensely. That being said, that is merely speculation for the most part. I don't place much value on the flow other than the fact that it creates steady movement in the seniority list of this company which opens up options for new hires.

First and foremost, our reserve is shorter than anywhere else I've ever seen. Right out of training I had a build up line. The award for captain went junior to me one month ago. The opportunities are pretty wide ranging. You can become a captain quickly here, which TPIC 121 time is worth its weight in gold when it comes to resumes. This what sold me personally. However, the training department could have a bunch of openings which range from sim instructor to SOE captain which wouldn't impede your hour building. That being said, the upward movement due to the flow keeps new positions opening which can help add a little spice to a resume.

Of course, these are not opportunities exclusive to PDT. However, they are here and are some of the reasons I chose PDT over all my other options.

AZFlyer

Don't forget that nothing stops you from applying to AA outside of the flow. Nothing prevents them from hiring you off the street if you are a solid candidate. It happens.