Flight Training - December 2013 - 28

THERE ARE
100,000
AIRLINE PILOTS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
THAT'S ONE PILOT
FOR EVERY
3,150 CITIZENS.

in July require all pilots to hold an airline
transport pilot certificate in order to fly
for an air carrier. After July 31, 2014, most
pilots pursuing an ATP must have 1,500
hours. The rules also create a "restricted
ATP" with restricted privileges for multiengine aircraft, which a pilot can use as a
first officer at an air carrier.
Today's hiring minimums at the regionals are generally along the lines of 1,500
hours total time and 100 hours multiengine time, with varying specific amounts
of cross-country, night, and instrument.
Most regional operators expect applicants
to have at least a commercial certificate
with multiengine and instrument ratings,
and have passed the airline transport pilot
certificate knowledge test.
Many regional carriers don't require
a college degree, but a degree makes the
applicant more competitive, and it is
expected at the majors. Industry observers say the new ATP rule's language that
reduces the number of hours required
from 1,500 to 1,000 for graduates of
aviation colleges may prompt carriers to
reshape their job requirements. (Cape
Air, for example, prefers applicants

3,150
with bachelor's degrees and those from
Aviation Accreditation Board International-accredited programs. The College
Directory on page 32 of this issue denotes
AABI member institutions.)
Even with the higher minimums, it's
an exciting time. "The regionals and the
airlines are in a battle to get the qualified pilots who are out there," said Paul
Templeton, regional jet program director
for ATP Flight School. The looming shortage means bridge and pipeline programs
between the airlines and flight schools or
aviation colleges will become even more
significant, he said. (See "Bridging the
Gap," page 31.)
For pilots who've been polishing their
résumés and keeping their logbooks up
to date, here's a look at how the hiring
process works.
(ELECTRONIC) FOOT IN THE DOOR.

Electronic applications are the norm
today. Some carriers accept applications directly to their websites. Others
utilize AirlineApps.com, a commercial
website that offers benefits for job hunters-the one-stop-shop ability to place

:
an application with several airlines-as
well as employers, which can use the site
to screen potential applicants. Résumés
are accepted at job fairs and other networking events, and can be sent by mail,
email, or fax. (See "Is 'Who You Know'
Relevant?" opposite page).
WHEN OPPORTUNITY CALLS. Potential
employers will contact qualified applicants to set up an in-person interview.
These can resemble a casting call with
several applicants arriving at the same
time. The hiring company may supply
airline vouchers to travel to the interview.
The marathon usually involves a knowledge test; technical interviews on aircraft
systems, as well as sitdowns with human
resources professionals; and a simulator
session. The process varies by airline, and
at the regional level, it is more technical
in nature.
Insider information on how these interviews are structured is widely available on
the internet, and career coaches intimately familiar with the industry can help
the applicant present his or her best self.
Proper preparation will produce greater
http://www.AirlineApps.com
Flight Training - December 2013

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