Spirit of NKS
11-30-2013, 01:42 PM
#6701
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
100% in-house. That said, all 'classroom' instruction is done by non-seniority list Spirit employees who have no airline flying or actual Airbus flight experience. A professional ground instructor does our re-current. We hire Embry Riddle grads to teach new-hire in-doc and systems (they teach for 2 years, then get to interview for a Spirit pilot position). All flight training device and sims are taught by line pilots pilots on the seniority list, and all orals and check-rides are done by seniority list pilots who fly the line.
11-30-2013, 01:51 PM
#6702
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: Flying a desk, for good.
Posts: 208
Base Seniority: The latest vacancy bid (pilots bid for open positions based on seniority) shows you can hold FLL before you even finish new-hire training, and FLL is the second most junior base (the 3rd most junior pilot in the entire company - hired in November and still in training was awarded FLL).
Currently, DTW, FLL, DFW, and ACY can be held directly out of training, LAS takes 1 month to hold (you'd have to be based somewhere else for 1 month), and ORD is the most senior FO base, taking 1-2 months to hold.
Health care = good. United Health Care for medical, VSP for vision, Aetna for Dental.
In general, lines are not assembled to be 'commutable', per se, but most trips are commutable on one end or the other, and some are commutable on both, or neither. Seniority makes everything better, of course. Currently, LAS trips often start with a red-eye flight shortly after 0000 (good = commutable on the front end, bad = red-eye), ACY has the fewest 4 day trips, and FLL, DFW, and ORD all have similar trips, though FLL also has 'stand-up' or 'continuous duty over-night' turns down to everywhere we fly in the Caribbean/Central America that is 3.5 hours or less flying time from FLL.
Commuting policy (official policy, in the contract) is 2 options arriving prior to your showtime on any airline. If you miss the first, call scheduling. They have the option of buying you a ticket, releasing you from duty (without pay), or telling you to try the next one and call back (this is what they do EVERY time it seems). Unlimited use, no penalties. We're professionals here. Pilots make every effort to arrive on time, and call in honest when they can't make it as soon as they realize it's hopeless. The company understands pilots make every effort to get to work, and doesn't waste their time with empty threats and hot air.
What specifically do you want to know about pairings and commuting?
Currently, DTW, FLL, DFW, and ACY can be held directly out of training, LAS takes 1 month to hold (you'd have to be based somewhere else for 1 month), and ORD is the most senior FO base, taking 1-2 months to hold.
Health care = good. United Health Care for medical, VSP for vision, Aetna for Dental.
- Medical: Two PSO plans, an EPO plan, and a Healthfund plan
- Vision: 1 plan
- Dental: A PPO and a DMO
- Health Care FSA
- Dependent Care FSA
- Company Life Insurance (no cost) + additional life insurance from Company and/or ALPA
- Disability (LT Care and Buy-up, both Company and ALPA)
In general, lines are not assembled to be 'commutable', per se, but most trips are commutable on one end or the other, and some are commutable on both, or neither. Seniority makes everything better, of course. Currently, LAS trips often start with a red-eye flight shortly after 0000 (good = commutable on the front end, bad = red-eye), ACY has the fewest 4 day trips, and FLL, DFW, and ORD all have similar trips, though FLL also has 'stand-up' or 'continuous duty over-night' turns down to everywhere we fly in the Caribbean/Central America that is 3.5 hours or less flying time from FLL.
Commuting policy (official policy, in the contract) is 2 options arriving prior to your showtime on any airline. If you miss the first, call scheduling. They have the option of buying you a ticket, releasing you from duty (without pay), or telling you to try the next one and call back (this is what they do EVERY time it seems). Unlimited use, no penalties. We're professionals here. Pilots make every effort to arrive on time, and call in honest when they can't make it as soon as they realize it's hopeless. The company understands pilots make every effort to get to work, and doesn't waste their time with empty threats and hot air.
What specifically do you want to know about pairings and commuting?
Perfect, exactly what I wanted to know. Now all I have to do is get an interview
11-30-2013, 06:09 PM
#6703
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 217
This is why I want to fly for Spirit. It's guys like you that go out of their way to help or fellow aviators. Thank you
11-30-2013, 06:30 PM
#6704
First Rule of Fight Club
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: My seat smells like cat pee
Posts: 1,536
Thanks for typing that up Ned, a lot of guys looking to get on will appreciate the information.
11-30-2013, 07:44 PM
#6705
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: Switch, Lever & Light Specialist
Posts: 1,065
………….
In general, lines are not assembled to be 'commutable', per se, but most trips are commutable on one end or the other, and some are commutable on both, or neither. Seniority makes everything better, of course. Currently, LAS trips often start with a red-eye flight shortly after 0000 (good = commutable on the front end, bad = red-eye), ACY has the fewest 4 day trips, and FLL, DFW, and ORD all have similar trips, though FLL also has 'stand-up' or 'continuous duty over-night' turns down to everywhere we fly in the Caribbean/Central America that is 3.5 hours or less flying time from FLL.
Commuting policy (official policy, in the contract) is 2 options arriving prior to your showtime on any airline. If you miss the first, call scheduling. They have the option of buying you a ticket, releasing you from duty (without pay), or telling you to try the next one and call back (this is what they do EVERY time it seems). Unlimited use, no penalties. We're professionals here. Pilots make every effort to arrive on time, and call in honest when they can't make it as soon as they realize it's hopeless. The company understands pilots make every effort to get to work, and doesn't waste their time with empty threats and hot air.
What specifically do you want to know about pairings and commuting?
In general, lines are not assembled to be 'commutable', per se, but most trips are commutable on one end or the other, and some are commutable on both, or neither. Seniority makes everything better, of course. Currently, LAS trips often start with a red-eye flight shortly after 0000 (good = commutable on the front end, bad = red-eye), ACY has the fewest 4 day trips, and FLL, DFW, and ORD all have similar trips, though FLL also has 'stand-up' or 'continuous duty over-night' turns down to everywhere we fly in the Caribbean/Central America that is 3.5 hours or less flying time from FLL.
Commuting policy (official policy, in the contract) is 2 options arriving prior to your showtime on any airline. If you miss the first, call scheduling. They have the option of buying you a ticket, releasing you from duty (without pay), or telling you to try the next one and call back (this is what they do EVERY time it seems). Unlimited use, no penalties. We're professionals here. Pilots make every effort to arrive on time, and call in honest when they can't make it as soon as they realize it's hopeless. The company understands pilots make every effort to get to work, and doesn't waste their time with empty threats and hot air.
What specifically do you want to know about pairings and commuting?
11-30-2013, 07:48 PM
#6706
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Posts: 122
100% in-house. That said, all 'classroom' instruction is done by non-seniority list Spirit employees who have no airline flying or actual Airbus flight experience. A professional ground instructor does our re-current. We hire Embry Riddle grads to teach new-hire in-doc and systems (they teach for 2 years, then get to interview for a Spirit pilot position). All flight training device and sims are taught by line pilots pilots on the seniority list, and all orals and check-rides are done by seniority list pilots who fly the line.
11-30-2013, 07:52 PM
#6707
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Posts: 122
100% in-house. That said, all 'classroom' instruction is done by non-seniority list Spirit employees who have no airline flying or actual Airbus flight experience. A professional ground instructor does our re-current. We hire Embry Riddle grads to teach new-hire in-doc and systems (they teach for 2 years, then get to interview for a Spirit pilot position). All flight training device and sims are taught by line pilots pilots on the seniority list, and all orals and check-rides are done by seniority list pilots who fly the line.
11-30-2013, 08:06 PM
#6708
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: Switch, Lever & Light Specialist
Posts: 1,065
How does one get to become one of the instructor pilots? All training is done in FLL, right? Do you need to be a Captain first or are there FO instructors? Is the position senior or could one become an instructor relatively quickly with an instructor background? Thanks in advance!
Not yet, but heading that direction.
11-30-2013, 08:21 PM
#6709
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Posts: 122
Well, it's not a prerequisite, but if you're local to FLL it helps tremendously. Spirit, being as cheap an organization as they are, doesn't want to pay their instructors to travel…..so being in FLL makes their costs go WAAAAY down. Sucking up to the DO helps too, from what I've heard……YMMV.
Not yet, but heading that direction.
Not yet, but heading that direction.
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