slough

I have a timebuilding job and am questioning how much better it is going to make me at passing training. It has improved confidence in general, but I did some training in a full motion sim and I got my butt kicked, with all the other stuff going on in an airline cockpit. I think the only thing that is going to really help is training in a crj/turboprop simulator going over flows, checklist, and procedures that 121 cockpits use. Going through everything as quick as the airlines would want you would just have to accept what you were susposed to do, without thinking at all in the airplane, after you got on the line seemed like when you would begin to get really comfortable. Thats probably why its compared to drinking from a firehose.

Moonwolf

oh yeah well i'm not your buddy, guy!

barabek

I have no idea who and why is spreading false information about ASA furloughing. Let me assure you that they are not. I'm with Expressjet (currently merging with ASA which will be soon operationg under one operating certificate with Expressjet name), and can confirm that ASA lost some flying on Delta side to Gojet. That caused ASA to pause hiring for their current operations (CRJ) and even contemplate COLAs (no furloughs) but nothing was officially confirmed or annouced yet. As far as I know, they have been understaffed for a while and there's a possibility the decrease of flying will just create a "correct" staffing situation. The time will show...

Expressjet (ERJ operations), on the other hand, is continuosly hiring and the interviews have been performed in Atlanta by ASA only (the one you just turned down). Since the beginning of 2011 Expressjet hired around 400 new pilots and upgraded about 250. The upgrade and newhire classes are being always annouced a month or two in advance and right now we're looking at Nov. and Dec. classes scheduled and filling up. The plans for the next year are even bigger but no official announcement is expected since nothing is certain in this business, especially during a merger of two big operations.

As far as the flow between CRJ and ERJ sides is concerned (I want to avoid using ASA/XJT terminology since they soon won't exist), I wouldn't expect too much movement in the neerest future. Eventhough we will be operating under one SOC (the "old" ASA's one with "Acey" callsign and ExpressJet name) the pilot groups will be operationg two different fleets, under two different contracts untill new bargaining agreement will have been reached and single seniority list created. Knowing the complexity of this process I wouldn't expect it to happen very quickly (USA/AWE being the horrifying extreme example).

I understand there's a lot of gossip circling around the forums so I hope this clarifies some of the questions about ASA/XJT. Feel free to add or correct my info!

As for the original topic of this thread, I would encourage anyone to gain some more experience instructing or some other 91 ops before applying at 121/135 ops. As mentioned above a failure of 121/135 training is not a joke and it not worth it. Make sure you gain some flying experience and confidence and have at least 700-1000 TT. I think the 500/50 is the bottom lowest minimum you can find in the industry anyway, and this doesn't guarantee an interview even at the most "desperate" regionals (at least yet). Many assume there'll be a lot of hiring throughout the industry in the following years so you'll have plenty of choices. Good luck!

BaronRouge380

Thanks for the info on ASA/XJ Barabek.
I only have 840/51, do you think XJ will consider me?(time built on my Cessna, I am not a CFI unfortunately) I believe a CRJ course may be beneficial, what do you think?

crflyer

You may have a fair shot, just apply when you're ready. Posted mins are 700/100. There are plenty of people going through class right now with your times. The majority of people in my class over the summer had around 700 to 1000 TT (a couple had less, some had more), although all of them had either instructed or had 135/121 experience.

I wouldn't suggest spending the money for a CRJ course.

barabek

I think you got a fair shot. I wouldn't spend the money for any CRJ course. You'll learn all you need in training and I don't think they're looking for anything like this. Moreover we don't fly CRJs, so it wouldn't make too much difference. Usually the courses are expensive and are selling as a "door opener" to the airline interview, but I'm sure the most of the pilots who are in the airlines will agree with me that the interviewers don't care about those at all, and the product is an expensive gimmick making a lot of money for flight schools while it doesn't give you too much. You either know your stuff and how to fly instruments or not. The type of airplane doesn't matter too much. I did my interview with ASA in January and had a sim ride in CRJ200. I had over 3000 hours as CFI but never flew anything bigger then a PA-44. I had fun and had no problem with the ride eventhough it was far from perfect. They are not expecting any checklists, flows, callouts or anything of that sort. Just stick and rudder, scan, tracking radials, holding altitude, entering a hold, riding a glineslope. Simple basic instrument stuff - pitch and power, scan and situational awareness. They don't expect you to be perfect. You are evaluated by experienced instructors and what the guy was looking at my ride was seeing if I'm staying ahead of the plane, learning from mistakes and improving during the flight. It was 30 min long and basically my last 5 minutes were very different from my first 5 minutes. I think they also look at how nervous you are and if you can relax under pressure.

As far as the level of experience in my class (Feb 2011) we had very experienced guys (furlough airlines including captains, long time CFIs, 135 guys) mostly but there were a few fairly low time, young CFIs. I think they all had around 1000 tt but low on multi time (I know one guy told me he had to rent a Seminole for some 10 hours before his class started to reach 50 - the minimum you need for insurance purposes). I know they did some internships at Delta or Continental though (not sure which one). They all turned out to be great and had no problems in the training. Nowasays I heard they hire people with way less then 1000 hours but 50ME seems to be enforced.

I know the ASA interviewers or the selection committee is pretty tight on checkride failures and background stuff like DUIs, drug test failures, etc. I know personally 4 people with 3000-4000 hours, ATP, and even turbin PIC who didn't even get an interview because of 3 checkride failure from a distant past.

Just apply and good luck!
PM me if you have more qeustions.

featheredprop

I had a guy who interviewed with me at a regional he paid for a crj type rating not a crj transition course . He thought he was a shoe in .He did not get the job . With 2-3 grand (spent on the transition course)you can get a nice chunk of multi time . Use that time and do some multi instrument approaches with another pilot Thats great experience for your future.

BitterOHFO

Funny I see these threads about hiring mins and I reflect on how I got hired at the regionals. Seems these days everyone thinks they can get their commercial and go fly for a part 121 carrier. I don't agree with the lower mins and I would have never changed that. Seems supply and demand drives that.

I was in the last class ever hired at comair with the mins 1200/200 back in 2006. They dropped the mins the week after I interviewed. I instructed for about 4 years. I interviewed at Eagle and Colgan at about 500 hrs. Didn't get either job at the time. Really and truly I wasn't ready. At 1200 hrs I was in better shape but not perfect. Still going from flying a seminole to a crj was quite a shock. And to top that I was thrown into JFK from day one. That was the best flying expierence of my life and I wish we were still up there. DTW sucks!!! C'mon 210kts 50 miles out!!!!

Being a flight instructor is more then just building hours. It's more about the decisions you make at any given time. It is something that follows you to the airlines and affects the decisions you make at any given time during a flight indirectly. I busted my hump to get the hours for the job that has turned into the worst job of my life. That's another story but I will say expierence is king!!! It affects your decision making.

So don't ask me if 250/50 plus some CRJ home study course is going help you in the airlines. It doesn't!!! Flight instructing shapes you in the long run in more ways then one. It becomes more apparent later on. Not a fan of the low mins!!! 4000 hrs later I have more time then most of the captains at some of my rivals. Only reason they are in the left seat is cause of seniority. Seen some poor decision making on a daily basis. I think the old days you spent about 10 years in the right seat before upgrading. Times have changed for sure.

This is what I have observed in my 5 short years at the airlines. Feel like I have been at comair for about 20 years after all the crap I have seen. So be patient and build some damn expierence. The jobs will always be there. It helps in the long run!!!! Not trying to be cocky just making an observation. I feel I have at least earned that right in my short airline career.

"You never stop learning in this profession....If you do you need to quit flying!!" Heard that from a family friend who flew for the origional piedmont then usair for 35 years. 30,000 plus hours. Words to live by and I take it seriously even though I truly hate going to work these days.

No one wants to work for anything anymore! They just feel entitled to it!!

troyb

I haven't heard those rumors about ASA or Skywest but GoJet did hire low timers a couple months back and have since raised their minimums. Pinnacle and Piedmont hired quite a few 300TT pilots over the summer but only out of particular 141 schools. Realistically the magic number seems to be 800/100 for most regionals.

IrishFlyer757

Forget it.