Flight Training - June 2019 - 51

THE EXPLAINER

"I LEARNED TO TIE
THE ONLY OTHER TIE
I OWNED, THREW THE
SAME SUIT ON FROM
BEFORE, INTERVIEWED,
AND FOUND OUT
SHORTLY AFTER THAT
I WAS SELECTED TO BE
BASED AT DULLES IN
VIRGINIA."
The internship has been the greatest
opportunity of my life and I have never
been around so many people who want
me to succeed and are all willing to offer
help and advice."
The only negative aspect of Hall's
internship was the difficulty of continuing to build flight hours while working
so many hours per week. But internships
at major airlines are a coveted slot and
in the long run, likely well worth the lost
flight time: "I think that the ability to
interact, for 16 weeks, with people who
could be the ones interviewing you in the
future is extremely valuable. Additionally,
you are able to be engulfed in the company culture for months and know what
to expect if you are given an interview.
Lastly, you know whether or not the company is actually a good fit for you and you
know what happens behind the scenes.
I can confidently say that people with an
internship with a major airline on their
résumé have a leg up on the competition."
In the case of United Airlines, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited
university and pursuing a bachelor's
degree in aviation. Recommendations
also help. For more information, check
out the websites of the airlines that interest you for internship opportunities. FT

RESERVE
READY, SET, WAIT
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY

EVERYONE DOES IT AND FEW LOVE IT.

Flying a reserve schedule is a rite of
passage for new airline pilots. Depending on when the pilot is hired, it can
either be a comfortable gig or a wreck
to her personal life.
When a pilot creates a schedule
each month, she has various options
based on her seniority within the
pilot group. Since most pilots want a
predictable schedule, what's left for
the new hire is generally only reserve
flying-a series of days where she
will be scheduled, but without flight
segments defined.
When airlines are hiring like crazy,
a pilot may only be required to be on
reserve for a month or two. When things
slow down, as they did after the 2008
financial crash, reserve can last years.

FLYING A RESERVE
SCHEDULE IS A RITE
OF PASSAGE FOR NEW
AIRLINE PILOTS.

PETER A. BEDELL is a pilot for a major airline

Every airline is different, but it
usually works like this: The schedule
will specify which days the pilot is on
reserve. During those days she must be
able to report to the airport within about
two to four hours for a short-call reserve,
and 12 to 24 hours for a long-call reserve.
If the phone doesn't ring, she doesn't fly.
If it does, she's gone. It's impossible to
predict whether the phone will ring, so
most pilots keep their bags packed and
their uniforms pressed and ready to go.
If she lives close to the base, reserve
could mean extra days off with virtually
no impediment to a normal life. But if
she commutes, reserve means going to
the base city and sitting-and waiting-to
be called, which may or may not happen.
You're living the dream now. FT

and co-owner of a Cessna 172 and Beechcraft
Baron.

ian.twombly@aopa.org
WWW.AOPA.ORG/FT  51
http://aopafinance.org/firsttimebuyer http://WWW.AOPA.ORG/FT
Flight Training - June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - June 2019
