How I Wish I Got To 1,500 Hours

How I Wish I Got To 1,500 Hours​

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With the FAA counting time "serving the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada" as 1:1 prior military.
 
brien23 said:
Stay away from anything that might get you in trouble, if your going for the airlines keep your record clean.
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Yeah, never do anything interesting. Be boring... or be careful, get good training, and try stuff.
 
Florida Flyer said:
Flying 1000 plus hour in the patten teaching is the last pilot I would consider for a job. 1000 hours in your own plane flying cross countries to different airports and airspaces is the pilot I want!
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I would generally agree. In fact have said exactly the same before. Now I find it more important to find the 1000 hour pilot that knows two things: they don’t know everything and how to turn off their cell phone.

Oh three things: having a type rating doesn’t mean you’re ready to be a captain.
 
brien23 said:
One black mark on your record you will never get past the airline pilot interview.
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And you know this, how? I've been told otherwise and I've definitely got a record, but it depends on how and why you have them.
 
EvilEagle said:
That is no longer the case and hasn't been for at least the 11 years I've been at Delta.
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"Airlines generally avoid hiring pilots with significant negative history, but the impact of past issues depends on their nature and severity. Factors like criminal records, checkride failures, and FAA violations can be disqualifying." Guess it depends on what your idea of significant negative history or black mark is.
 
EvilEagle said:
That is no longer the case and hasn't been for at least the 11 years I've been at Delta.
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"Delta Airlines, like all major airlines, has strict hiring policies for pilots, particularly concerning their background and history. These policies are in place to ensure the safety and security of passengers and crew
.

  • Criminal Background: Delta conducts criminal history record checks as part of its background investigation for pilots. Certain serious felonies, regardless of when they occurred, can be permanently disqualifying for TSA approval, which is a requirement for pilots. Other felonies can be disqualifying if they occurred within the last seven years or if the applicant was released from incarceration within the last five years.
  • Driving Record: While a single minor speeding ticket years ago may not be a major concern, BogiDope notes that a DUI/DWI can be problematic, and a pattern of repeated or serious driving infractions could raise concerns for the airline.
  • Training Failures: Delta specifically asks applicants to disclose any training failures, emphasizing that honesty and candor are crucial in the application process.
  • Drug and Alcohol History: Delta has a strict anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention policy, and a history of substance abuse or dependency could disqualify a pilot candidate. There is a zero-tolerance policy for using unlawful substances or reporting for duty with alcohol in the system.
  • Medical History: Pilots need a Class 1 Medical Certificate, which has strict standards regarding physical and mental health. Certain conditions like psychosis, substance dependence, epilepsy, or certain cardiovascular conditions can be disqualifying, according to the FAA.

Key takeaways
  • Transparency is vital: It is crucial for applicants to be honest and upfront about their past history, including any criminal convictions, driving infractions, or training issues.
  • Safety is paramount: Delta's policies are designed to prioritize safety and ensure that pilots meet the necessary physical, mental, and professional standards.
  • Context matters: While a "bad history" can impact a pilot's eligibility, the specific nature of the issues, how long ago they occurred, and whether they demonstrate a pattern of concerning behavior will all be considered.
It is recommended that individuals with concerns about their background consult with Delta's pilot recruiting department for personalized guidance and clarification on specific situations. "
 
None of that changes what EE said. You said "One black mark on your record you will never get past the airline pilot interview." That is not necessarily the case.
 
brien23 said:
"Airlines generally avoid hiring pilots with significant negative history, but the impact of past issues depends on their nature and severity. Factors like criminal records, checkride failures, and FAA violations can be disqualifying." Guess it depends on what your idea of significant negative history or black mark is.
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There is a MONUMENTAL gap between "significant negative history" and a "one black mark on your record".
 
None of this is to suggest that someone should go out and get a DUI, but I'm a big believer in the journey being an important consideration in how to play an aviation career. If you're working your way up the ladder and decide, say, you want your SES - I think it's absolutely silly to not do it because you're worried about the possibility of a checkride bust (I use this example because I've heard it personally).
 
I don't know anything about how airlines hire. But I do have some insight into how large corporations hire. What you or I consider "significant history" may be different to them. They aren't worried as much about protecting people as they are money, in general. So a violent crime may or may not be a problem, but I'd bet lunch that "embezzlement" showing up on your record wouldn't go over well. That said, theft isn't a mistake, it's a character problem. Sometimes folks conflate those things.

Along the lines of "might steal gas" is probably worse to them than "might not be able to fly plane".
 
Albany Tom said:
Along the lines of "might steal gas" is probably worse to them than "might not be able to fly plane".
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I know of somebody who was fired after being accused of stealing 100LL. Apparently, he figured out the lowest consumption rate for each flight and stole the corresponding difference from the "normal" numbers most pilots employed at the same place used while logging their faster times. I doubt that anyone who heard / hears about it will hire him.

"People will sooner forget the death of their father than the loss of their inheritance." -Niccolo Machiavelli
 
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I didn't read all the replies but I just hit 1500.
500 of that is in PA44,SR22,PA46,P32R,C421 and I am still not getting anyone to look at my resume.
 
ahmad said:
I didn't read all the replies but I just hit 1500.
500 of that is in PA44,SR22,PA46,P32R,C421 and I am still not getting anyone to look at my resume.
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you've had 1500 hours for what, 4 days now?
 
ahmad said:
I didn't read all the replies but I just hit 1500.
500 of that is in PA44,SR22,PA46,P32R,C421 and I am still not getting anyone to look at my resume.
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Nobody cares about the SR22, PA46, or P32R time. :dunno: How much multi time do you have?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Nobody cares about the SR22, PA46, or P32R time. :dunno: How much multi time do you have?
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52 hrs of multi time in the Seminole and dutches.

Couple of years ago when I started i was being told go buy yourself a C150 and just get hrs even if its just in the pattern. lol

Now, the recruiters are asking for 300-400 turbine time and 2500 hrs total.
 
ahmad said:
52 hrs of multi time in the Seminole and dutches.

Couple of years ago when I started i was being told go buy yourself a C150 and just get hrs even if its just in the pattern. lol

Now, the recruiters are asking for 300-400 turbine time and 2500 hrs total.
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The market changes.
 
MauleSkinner said:
The market changes.
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It has changed for sure.
I'm planning on getting the ATP/CTP and continue to build hrs to 2k or more.
Some recruiters are telling me 50 hrs of multi is good while others say they want more.
 
ahmad said:
It has changed for sure.
I'm planning on getting the ATP/CTP and continue to build hrs to 2k or more.
Some recruiters are telling me 50 hrs of multi is good while others say they want more.
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Are you only looking at 121 jobs?
 
ahmad said:
52 hrs of multi time in the Seminole and dutches.
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OK, that at least puts you over the limit for the ATP, which is good.

ahmad said:
Now, the recruiters are asking for 300-400 turbine time and 2500 hrs total.
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I have 2900 total and nearly 600 turbine PIC and I'm struggling because I don't have enough multi... And the twins I've been trying to get more in keep breaking! Grrr.

ahmad said:
I'm planning on getting the ATP/CTP and continue to build hrs to 2k or more.
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It seems that ATP/CTP and written are now becoming a pre-interview thing instead of a "get it done before your class date" thing.

ahmad said:
Some recruiters are telling me 50 hrs of multi is good while others say they want more.
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25 gets you to the "I can do the rest in the sim" stage. 50 total multi is the number you need for ATP (with up to 25 in the sim).

Insurance drives some limits higher than that, but usually only for PICs (250 hours multi is pretty common for insurance). And I've seen 500 multi for single-pilot ops. But most of the limits besides those above just make it really easy to cut down the number of resumes that get reviewed by a human, and that's based on market conditions.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
(M)ost of the limits . . . just make it really easy to cut down the number of resumes that get reviewed by a human, and that's based on market conditions.
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Which IMHO is why networking is the singular most important part of getting any job. (Or buying a nice used anything.)

Then you might be "Bob from Kokomo", not the 23rd piece of paper in a stack.
 
billsgs126 said:
Which IMHO is why networking is the singular most important part of getting any job. (Or buying a nice used anything.)

Then you might be "Bob from Kokomo", not the 23rd piece of paper in a stack.
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Abso-freaking-lutely.
 
billsgs126 said:
Which IMHO is why networking is the singular most important part of getting any job. (Or buying a nice used anything.)

Then you might be "Bob from Kokomo", not the 23rd piece of paper in a stack.
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I agree completely. Most of the ppl i know getting jobs have strong ties and networking connections.
 
I don't do airplane related hiring. I have done a bit of IT hiring over the years. I don't know if they're similar processes is my caveat.

It might help to have someone else take a look at your resume and make sure it's good. In my experience that means two separate things, or really two audiences. The first level screener and the person reading for detail.

For the first group, make sure that it clearly indicated in an easy to find way that you mean the minimum qualifications for the job, and that it's not really bad/goofy. That's to give you the best chance of getting past the first level of screeners. Those folks, in my experience, can be lazy. So make it easy for them to see "us citizen, ATP qualified, X hours", whatever it is that you have to have to get in the door. And don't make the resume weird of many pages long.

For the second part, it might not hurt to have some other stuff in there that might make it interesting for the interviewer. This may not apply for airline jobs, I don't know. An example, that section that people probably don't do anymore about other experiences, if you volunteer for something. Or if you've had military service. Not a lot, just a line or two so you don't sound like a robot. For a fortune 500 it might be nothing, but if the same guy is reading the last cut of resumes that also interviews, it might be enough to catch their eye. Also in second is to make sure it looks professional. Some people...not me, but some...will toss out a candidate just because they have a spelling error or poor grammar. They believe it's a reflection on the seriousness of the candidate.

I don't think it's possible to get a good feel of how your own resume looks.

Maybe last tip, I'd avoid anything that directly speaks to age if you're over 30. Age discrimination is probably illegal in many places, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
 
ahmad said:
I'm looking anywhere and everywhere I can send an application to and anywhere I meet the minimums.
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Have you used Airlineapps.com?
I know that some companies, such as Plane Sense, now only use that for their applications.
 
TCABM said:
What are you doing to build your network?
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Admittedly, I am failing terribly in networking attempts. I have gone to several job fairs now and will continue to go to more. I missed a great opportunity to go to OSH because I was busy working.

I know I have got to do better and more.
 
jayhawk74 said:
Have you used Airlineapps.com?
I know that some companies, such as Plane Sense, now only use that for their applications.
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Yes. I have sent applications to everyone i could through the airlines apps and have been updating it every month. I haven't gotten any response back unfortunately.
 
ahmad said:
Yes. I have sent applications to everyone i could through the airlines apps and have been updating it every month. I haven't gotten any response back unfortunately.
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Keep at it, and as others mentioned, never stop networking! The post-covid wave is over, but hiring is still happening. I updated my apps every two weeks for three years before getting a call from my current gig.

Good luck. It's worth it. ;)
 
ahmad said:
Admittedly, I am failing terribly in networking attempts. I have gone to several job fairs now and will continue to go to more. I missed a great opportunity to go to OSH because I was busy working.

I know I have got to do better and more.
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Have you tried other forums like Jetcareers? Lots of possibilities over there, to include potentially finding a mentor in/near your local area.
 
ahmad said:
Admittedly, I am failing terribly in networking attempts. I have gone to several job fairs now and will continue to go to more. I missed a great opportunity to go to OSH because I was busy working.

I know I have got to do better and more.
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On the corporate side all I can say is network, network, network! I have close to 40 years of corporate flying and had 4 jobs. In every one of those jobs, it was who I knew that got my foot in the door. My dad flew for the airlines and his best friend flew corporate. What "Uncle Ray" did sounded more fun to me. Ray got me in touch with another pilot that knew what was going on in the corporate side for DFW, a wealth of information. That pilot ended up being my Chief Pilot in two of my jobs.

I have had my current job for 18 years and at age 63 it will be my last one and the best one out of the 4. I know internet job searching is the thing now, but nothing beats face to face meetings. Try and find out if there are any local pilot meetings and go to them. I know here in the DFW area there are 2 different organizations that have a meeting each month for corporate pilots. Even EAA and AOPA meetings may help. You may not meet the person that can help but you may meet a person that knows that person.
 
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