If I wanted to get hired by a major airline...?

Question

I've observed that most major airlines want you to have a certain amount of time in a turbo prop or small jet. If I were to fulfill this requirment for flying for a commuter airliner, like American Eagle, how would I go about quitting working at American Eagle and continuing on to a larger airline?

Also, do you think in 10 years they'll still have 737's and 757's and 767's and 777's flying? Or do you think airplanes will look like a g*y spaceship?

Lastley, which airlines do you think will survive the next decade?

Oh yeah, how do you get hired by and airline if they rarley hire?

Thank you very much!

Mahalo a nui loa!

-Matt

Answer 1

apply in the internet..usually just type the name of the airlines you want to apply to.....as for planes being change in the near future i doubt that very much...not in another 20-25 yrs.

Answer 2

First off... you'll need to meet whatever minimums are set by whatever airline you want to apply to.  It's amazing, some of the Major's have very low minimums-- NWA comes to mind, something like 1500TT and 500 Multi.  Whenever you hit whatever the website says, feel free to throw your stuff in and see what happens.  Most likely nothing.

To actually get the interview:  The best thing to have is a good connection-- multiple connections if possible.  This isn't a career of what you know... it's all about who you know.  If you get the right person to walk your stuff in (a senior captain, maybe someone that HR knows personally or a check airman would be best-- although anybody employed as a pilot will do), you'll have a lot better shot of getting an interview.  Companies like employee recommendations over anything... if someone who has a job is willing to go out on a limb and recommend somebody, the person being recommended has a pretty good shot.

There is something to be said for experience too.  If a major requires 1000 turbine time... 1000 right seat 1900 time will suffice.  However, to be competitve... you're really going to want to have turbine PIC.  Also, there's a lot of debate at the moment of types of flying.  Some people feel that in order to be in good shape to get an interview you need to have previous 121 time, crew time, and glass cockpit time.  In my opinion, that's up for debate-- I don't think it matters as much as people say-- but it is something to at least consider.

Pretty much it's a lot of luck, connections, and a little bit of flying thrown into the equation.  Get the interview, do your best, and move on.

Your other questions:  will those types of airplanes still be flying?  If Northwest is still flying late 60's DC-9's on a daily basis here in 2008, those aircraft you listed will most definitely be flying.  

Which airlines will survive the next decade?  I wish I knew.  If you could come up with an answer for that you'd be worth billions.  The simple truth is, this is an unstable industry where airlines go out of business on a regular basis.  (I can think of 2 regionals off the top of my head that ceased operations or announced they will since New Year's... BigSky and Skyway).  The big airlines (legacy carriers), NWA, Delta, United, American, etc. have been around for a long time.  That is a good sign.... altough let's think about history.  PanAm and Eastern were two of the largest and most influential airlines in history-- where are they now?  Gone.  A lot of other airlines have been in the same boat.  Nobody knows what will happen.  

Good luck.

Answer 3

College degree.  

1000 hours as Captain on a jet, preferredly something big.

Be a check pilot or check airman.

Answer 4

Once you built up your required time at a regional jet, you would quit just like you do every other job once you got the job for the bigger airline.

The majors do go though hiring spirts... it's just a matter of waiting to get your hours built up and then waiting for the right opportunity.

Best of luck.