Flight Training - January 2014 - 48

ADVANCED PILOT»

CAREER PILOT

Hiring intelligence
The scoop on airline recruitment
» By Wayne Phillips

48 /

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

PILOT INFORMATION CENTER AS CLOSE AS YOUR PHONE
The AOPA Pilot Information Center is a skilled group of pilots and flight
instructors who have more than 30,000 hours of collective flight experience
and play a pivotal role in AOPA's missions and objectives. It responds to
more than 200,000 member questions each year. The AOPA Pilot Information Center puts some of GA's most experienced pilots as close as your
phone or email. Call 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) or pilotassist@aopa.org.

AP IMAGES

IF THERE IS any doubt that the thaw
in the hiring freeze has begun, this
bit of information should do the
trick. American Airlines, the last
of the legacy carriers with throngs
of pilots on furlough, announced
it is accepting applications. The
company has been recalling about
40 pilots per month since January.
Sources indicate the first class was
scheduled to start in late fall, two
classes a month at least through the
summer of 2014.
As further proof that the turnaround is under way is this fact:
Some regional airlines, like American Eagle and Republic, are now
offering "hiring bonuses" in the
range of $5,000 or more. It doesn't
seem that long ago certain regionals
were compelling new hires to pay
for training.
For anyone yearning for a window seat on the flight deck of an
airliner, hiring intelligence is a valuable asset. Over the decades, two
firms have specialized in providing
such data to aspiring airline pilots:
Kit Darby's AIR Inc, which shuttered its doors a few years back, and
the former Future Aviation Professionals of America (FAPA).

FAPA's team provides regular
hiring updates for its membership. Here is a snapshot of what
was being reported recently. At the
very least, it shows who the players
are in the hiring game. Further,
for those cynics who say that "No
one is hiring," the facts speak for
themselves.
AMERICAN EAGLE: Started classes
every two weeks beginning January
7, 2013. Hiring had been at approximately 50 new pilots monthly.
CAPE AIR: Had been hiring and
expected to continue.
COMPASS: Reported to be hiring as
of September.
Darby continues to provide cusDELTA: Resumed hiring in late fall
tom airline industry research and
and anticipates about 300 new
analysis for select clients through
pilots, most of whom will come
The Consulting Group. FAPA has
reinvigorated itself as Future Active from furloughed returnees and the
Pilot Advisors. FAPA's guiding light Compass and Mesaba flow-through.
EXPRESSJET: Heavy hiring reported
for more than 40 years has been
recently. New domiciles were
Louis Smith, a retired Northwest
scheduled tentatively to open
Airlines captain whose avocaAugust 31, 2013. Losing about 31
tion and passion is publishing and
pilots per month from attrition.
organizing information that helps
FEDEX: No hiring reported.
current and future commercial
FRONTIER: Accepting applications
pilots succeed in their careers.
for Denver and Florida-based first
FAPA continues to offer such serofficers.
vices as interview prep assistance,
airline hiring minimums and salary GOJET: Holding classes every
information, airline application pro- month through at least May 2014.
GREAT LAKES AIRLINES: Hiring
cedures, and periodic conferences
continued through 2013.
such as the upcoming Global Pilot
HORIZON AIR: 12 hired in July and
Career Conference and Job Fair
20 in August. Applications were
in Miami scheduled for January
being accepted.
10. Hopeful airline pilots meet and
JETBLUE: Expecting to hire 200 to
greet recruiters and may be inter250 pilots in 2014.
viewed right there on the spot.

http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - January 2014

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