awax

What would you know about it anyway!

Sunvox

I personally know 3 interns who were all hired at United at the age of 23 or younger. They were all hired between '91 and '95. I do not know what the program is like today, but I can say that in the past interns were able to get hired at very young ages. The 3 individuals that I know are all among the best pilots and captains I know. 2 of the 3 were FO's for me at a regional before getting hired at United. The other is a Captain in EWR and I flew with him extensively when I was an FO on the 757 in JFK. He was one of the best captains with whom I have had the privilege of working.

Interns don't become interns because they are stupid. The individual in the article may or may not be real, but speaking from an historical perspective, I can say that hiring interns at a young age with low experience is a positive and not a negative, but I can also say that if one aspires to such a position your odds would be better at becoming a Major League Baseball player. The individuals I know all had fathers working at the airlines and started preparing for a career in aviation before they could walk.

UAL97

I did the United flight ops internship back in 2000. What Sunvox has stated is pretty accurate, at least back then. Of the 8 of us selected to do the UAL internship, all 8 had 4.0 GPA's (or very close to it) going into our senior year of college. It was highly competitive and the most coveted airline internship and I assume it's still the same way.

Airway

It was indeed a bad quote but again, he's young and excited. He'll figure it out when he has to spend a couple years slingin' RJ gear wondering what happened.

It's nearly impossible to have any real appreciation for working here until you've worked at a regional for a while. (or maybe military but I wouldn't know)

I've been here two years now and I'm still pretty stoked. Better part of a decade at a regional, my wife thinks I have PTSD

kbronc

Per a LCAL CP at a career fair, it gives a preference once you are at the interview. There is a box to check for interns on the application.

2004-2006 CAL internships were extremely competive because it could lead to sitting right seat in the 737 after spending a year and a half at the regionals, back then it was a 4 month interview which often lead to the actual interview/job with 1500 SIC turbine.

Airway

Your second paragraph invalidates the first.

Internships are the reason so many young guys I knew at my regional were the first to get interviewed when hiring began. Not all got the job though.

kbronc

First paragraph describes current conditions conveyed from a CP, and a fact regarding the application. YMMV
I have no idea what impact internships have on the current hiring practices. The second paragraph described what was going on at that time period seen from an outsider. I do not disagree with your second statement.

Airhoss

There are lots of pilots with tons of experience when they were hired who did not work at a regional or were in the military. We had plenty of appreciation for what this place is in comparison.

Previous major, ACMI, corporate, fire fighting, polar sea ice support, bush, night freight, charter, instruction, sky divers, Grand Canyon air tours and some other stuff. But not one single second at a regional.

In my new hire class of 21 there were military guys some ex TWA, SWA and a UPS guy myself ex AWA and one or two “regional” guys. That was a pretty common mix in the 90’s.

John Carr

Right.

But there was also easily half as many regional pilots 20+ years ago versus now. As well as way less jet equipment at the regionals.

So on the application scantron of yore that was filled out that had the obvious heiarchy/preference on jet PIC then other PIC, well, that’s where A LOT of it would come from. Corp CA’s, ACMI CA’s, etc.

In 2014, about 50% of civilian new hires came from just 2 regional carriers.

Times, they have a changed.

Ni hao

Speaking of interns. I was an employee trying to get on back in the mid 90's only to be told "you don't have enough experience" go fly for a regional then try and come back....... fair enough. A friend from college who interned for Hart Langer was hired with 370TT 20 Multi and was flying traffic watch in a 172 when hired. Many of us who went to college with him ended up at the commuters for 10-17 years. Funny to see him now in the crew lounge. He is like wow it took you so long to get hired.