What Airline?

flyingpilotman

flyingpilotman

Filing Flight Plan
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flyingpilotman
I am working on my hours now and looking into my future. I can not decide what Airline though!! I was interested in Southwest, however they only have 1 plane and don't fly international. United seems too big to be fun. So, I ask all of you...What airline should I fly for?
 
Whomever calls first.
 
The choice is not yours until the offer is tendered. I'd apply to most everyone.
 
flyingpilotman said:
I am working on my hours now and looking into my future. I can not decide what Airline though!! I was interested in Southwest, however they only have 1 plane and don't fly international. United seems too big to be fun. So, I ask all of you...What airline should I fly for?
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How many more do you need for the ATP requirement?
 
Hate to burst your bubble. If your building hours towards your ATP mins Majors won't even look at you. You'll need to start at the regionals and stay for a few years or decades. The majors want Turbine Multi PIC and lots of it. So kick back, enjoy the ride, and hope you get there in the next decade or so.

I'm not trying to bash your goals. I am in the same place dude.
 
Southwest has been pretty stable over the years and they pay well. The rest of the legacy carriers have had their problems.

It really is kind of a crap shoot. The airline that hires you may not be the same airline you retire with, even if you don't change companies.

IOW, the "good" airlines now may not be so good in the future, or may not even exist.

All you can do is your research, pick the one that looks most promising, and hope for the best.

But, as others have said, sometimes you just have to go with the one that hires you.
 
Don't do that - get an office job with a nice cubicle. You'll think it pays better and it's way more secure. Plus then you can get a crappy Cirrus and think your cool.
 
Would be nice if you really got to choose. Take the airline that offers you a job.
 
Anyone that will have you is the best answer. When you get simultaneously two offers, then there is a decision.

There are many ways to skin a cat. There are many professional piloting jobs out there. Most you don't know anything about yet. Keep your eyes open and you can work for your entire career. Fixating on one or two is counterproductive at this time. Think internationally too. Some of the best jobs out there are not in the US.
 
Southwest flies international, now. It's the only place they have left to expand, and they acquired Airtran (in part) for that reason.

Of course, you are right - they only fly one type of airplane, but then again, you can only fly one airplane at a time.

Plus, if you lower yourself to flying for Southwest, you have to endure being one of the best-paid airline pilots.

There's a reason SWA only hires type-rated pilots. They are very picky.
 
ARFlyer said:
Hate to burst your bubble. If your building hours towards your ATP mins Majors won't even look at you. You'll need to start at the regionals and stay for a few years or decades. The majors want Turbine Multi PIC and lots of it. So kick back, enjoy the ride, and hope you get there in the next decade or so.

I'm not trying to bash your goals. I am in the same place dude.
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That's not entirely true. Look around at the majors that are hiring, how many of them actually list a TPIC requirement? Southwest, is about it.
 
Judging from my two best friends at the airport, Southwest or FedEx. I'd choose FedEx if I were a young man and had the choice.
 
Picking an airline is like picking a girlfriend-you never know what you're going to get and you could wind up unpleasantly surprised at the results.
 
Old Geek said:
Judging from my two best friends at the airport, Southwest or FedEx. I'd choose FedEx if I were a young man and had the choice.
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FedEx

Alaska

Virgin

DELTA (top pay for now)

Or maybe look outside of the 121 world, there's quite a bit of good stuff outside the airlines.

Ether way you're getting ahead of yourself and planning too far into the future. I'd worry about right now and plan maybe 6mo ahead.

Hope you got your ATP written done
 
I love how many people like to say FedEx and UPS, because they pay so high. They pay high for a reason, because you'll be working at night for a majority of your career. Depending on how you deal with that, it can be great or can be terrible. I will say this, the UPS guys I see in SDF during sort, don't seem to be too happy
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
I love how many people like to say FedEx and UPS, because they pay so high. They pay high for a reason, because you'll be working at night for a majority of your career. Depending on how you deal with that, it can be great or can be terrible. I will say this, the UPS guys I see in SDF during sort, don't seem to be too happy
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Exactly. I've mentioned this before, but a good friend used to fly heavies for FedEx and left to take an MD-80 FO job at Delta. According to him it was the best move he ever made. FedEx paid well, but the schedule is hell on the body and family.
 
Why go airlines? The airlines was the worst paying flying job I ever had. Also the worst career move I ever did. There are many ways to make a very good living in aviation besides airlines.

But before you look at a major airline career, just live through being an instructor, fly by nite frieght, regionals, and so on.
 
Zeldman said:
Why go airlines? The airlines was the worst paying flying job I ever had.
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Which brand of airline? I agree with the regionals, but the majors aren't too bad after a couple of years.

There are many ways to make a very good living in aviation besides airlines.
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Name a few.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Which brand of airline? I agree with the regionals, but the majors aren't too bad after a couple of years.


Name a few.
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Ok, fair enough.

1. I didn't and still dont have a couple of years. I started flight training at 36. By the time I got there, regionals didn't pay better than flight instructing. At the time I had an offer from Continental Airlines because a friend walked my resume in. After the interview process and being offered a training date, I went to Alaska (not airline) to fly sleds for more money.

2. I do very well flying air ambulance. I won't throw out numbers but it would take senior captains pay to get me to even consider going somewhere else.


To me its not what I fly, instead it is how much I make.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
That's not entirely true. Look around at the majors that are hiring, how many of them actually list a TPIC requirement? Southwest, is about it.
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That doesn't meant that they'll hire you with the minimums when they've got thousands of vastly more qualified people to choose from.

If you look at the folks that are actually getting hired, unless they're "special" (IE: have connections that you don't) they're qualifications are typically way above the minimums.
 
The best chance of having a well-paying career with decent working conditions is at the major airlines.

The commuter airlines are lousy.

Some high-end corporate jobs are outstanding.
 
A friends son is now a major, 32 yrs. graduate of Air Force acad. with many hours in refuelers. Considering going with major as are many others he claims due to cut backs. Would they hire him......? Or you? There's a lot of talent out there already, properly trained.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
A friends son is now a major, 32 yrs. graduate of Air Force acad. with many hours in refuelers. Considering going with major as are many others he claims due to cut backs. Would they hire him......? Or you? There's a lot of talent out there already, properly trained.
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A Tanker driver has a great chance with all the majors. Lots of hours in a crew environment plus the military training. Win / win for the airline. It's the fighter jocks that have a problem. Not a lot of hours and single pilot the whole time. But damn the job is cool!
 
Captain said:
A Tanker driver has a great chance with all the majors. Lots of hours in a crew environment plus the military training. Win / win for the airline. It's the fighter jocks that have a problem. Not a lot of hours and single pilot the whole time. But damn the job is cool!
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Didn't seem to be a problem for any of my buddies flying fighters. I got a Delta interview without any trouble. I think that fighter pilot thing is OWT or just old news.

UPDATE: Being a fighter guy didn't hurt me a bit on my Delta interview last week. I got the job. I asked if being a fighter guy helps or hurts, they smiled and said "well, it certainly DOESN'T hurt."

So much for that OWT!
 
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