bkreager
Pre-takeoff checklist
8 months ago I applied to two regional airlines and lo-and-behold I got a job offer from both of them. For whatever reason, I chose the one that offered no firm class date nor aircraft type, and declined the other offer for a class in the E-170 that would've started at the perfect time for me. It turns out that decision was a good one, because I wouldn't have made it through the 170 class before being furloughed. About a month later, I found myself ready to start class in the CRJ-200, so I quit my CFI gig and started looking for places to live in Minneapolis. The airline then promptly canceled all new hire classes and basically told us that they had no idea when classes would start again.
So that put me without a job, moving back in with the parents, about 1000 hrs, and oil prices skyrocketing. Sweet. So I promptly applied to American Eagle...the next day they announced that they would be canceling all classes and possibly furloughing.
So I applied to ComAir...shortly thereafter they announced that they would be furloughing.
At that point I applied to Colgan and AirNet, to my utter surprise they did not announce furloughs the next day, but granted me interviews! I read the gouges on the interview process and found that some people had problems with Colgan's written test, but you could waive that part if you had the ATP written done. So I went off to ATP flight school to do my written test and while I was taking the test, I got an email from Colgan telling me that they were canceling my interview and they wouldn't know when they would be hiring again. Ugh. About a day later I found myself at the AirNet interview, having been on the road for something like 15 hours in the previous 24, and having had 2 hours of sleep. I quickly learned that I cannot perform rapid fire approaches with engine failures and instrument failures in a Frasca having had two hours of sleep. A few days later I got confirmation that they didn't want some kid to fly their airplanes that nearly Vmc'd the sim during the interview.
At that point, I applied to every flying job I could find that didn't involve flight instructing and that I had the flight time for. I even hit the low of applying to Great Lakes. Yes, I could fly a Beech 1900 for $5,000 per year less than I made as a CFI. I can't remember how many places got my application, but two responded, Cape Air and Linear Air. Both said that I needed more flight time.
As August rolled around, I had drained my bank account and was ready to go back to flight instructing when I was awakened in the early hour of 11am to someone calling from HR. It was someone from the first airline, and they wanted me in class in two weeks! Needless to say, I accepted and couldn't have been happier to have the realistic notion of a paycheck coming in only a few weeks.
A few days later, Colgan and Great Lakes called to offer interviews. Go figure.
I started class in early September along with 30-some of my newest co-workers and we started filling our heads with more numbers and regs than I really ever thought were necessary. Fast-forward two months and I found myself in the pointy end of a Saab 340 with 15 unsuspecting souls in the back. Somehow, we all managed to get to somewhere in Ohio safely with a still functioning airplane. Yes, I even landed 5 times that day and it didn't take full power to get to the gate.
Today I've been unpacking at my new apt 30 minutes away from Detroit while Bonanzas, Cessnas, and Pipers have been flying overhead. I'll have to scope out the FBOs here and see what I can rent sometime. The dark side hasn't completely consumed me yet.
So that put me without a job, moving back in with the parents, about 1000 hrs, and oil prices skyrocketing. Sweet. So I promptly applied to American Eagle...the next day they announced that they would be canceling all classes and possibly furloughing.
So I applied to ComAir...shortly thereafter they announced that they would be furloughing.
At that point I applied to Colgan and AirNet, to my utter surprise they did not announce furloughs the next day, but granted me interviews! I read the gouges on the interview process and found that some people had problems with Colgan's written test, but you could waive that part if you had the ATP written done. So I went off to ATP flight school to do my written test and while I was taking the test, I got an email from Colgan telling me that they were canceling my interview and they wouldn't know when they would be hiring again. Ugh. About a day later I found myself at the AirNet interview, having been on the road for something like 15 hours in the previous 24, and having had 2 hours of sleep. I quickly learned that I cannot perform rapid fire approaches with engine failures and instrument failures in a Frasca having had two hours of sleep. A few days later I got confirmation that they didn't want some kid to fly their airplanes that nearly Vmc'd the sim during the interview.
At that point, I applied to every flying job I could find that didn't involve flight instructing and that I had the flight time for. I even hit the low of applying to Great Lakes. Yes, I could fly a Beech 1900 for $5,000 per year less than I made as a CFI. I can't remember how many places got my application, but two responded, Cape Air and Linear Air. Both said that I needed more flight time.
As August rolled around, I had drained my bank account and was ready to go back to flight instructing when I was awakened in the early hour of 11am to someone calling from HR. It was someone from the first airline, and they wanted me in class in two weeks! Needless to say, I accepted and couldn't have been happier to have the realistic notion of a paycheck coming in only a few weeks.
A few days later, Colgan and Great Lakes called to offer interviews. Go figure.
I started class in early September along with 30-some of my newest co-workers and we started filling our heads with more numbers and regs than I really ever thought were necessary. Fast-forward two months and I found myself in the pointy end of a Saab 340 with 15 unsuspecting souls in the back. Somehow, we all managed to get to somewhere in Ohio safely with a still functioning airplane. Yes, I even landed 5 times that day and it didn't take full power to get to the gate.
Today I've been unpacking at my new apt 30 minutes away from Detroit while Bonanzas, Cessnas, and Pipers have been flying overhead. I'll have to scope out the FBOs here and see what I can rent sometime. The dark side hasn't completely consumed me yet.
Good post as well.
