PSA interview June 1 - Page 2

FatBastard · June 6th, 2007, 08:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace35

How soon should you expect the call if they are going to hire you? They said that people who could take the 4th class date would be called Saturday night, so i'm guessing they had a good idea who they were going to hire. They told the rest that they should hear something by Wednesday. Is it a bad sign if you have'nt heard by now?

No. I know a guy who interviewed with me who it took PSA about 1 week to call back. He got the job, but was pissed because he turned down a interview offer from Cathay Pacific. I was called next day to be offered a ground school instructors' position.

To everyone that makes it on Congrats. I would suggest you get time in a glass cockpit environment, as it's not the ground school that's washing folks out, it's the sim, up to a 75% wash out rate. Go in with your head on a swivel.

ComplexHiAv8r · June 6th, 2007, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatBastard

No. I know a guy who interviewed with me who it took PSA about 1 week to call back. He got the job, but was pissed because he turned down a interview offer from Cathay Pacific. I was called next day to be offered a ground school instructors' position.

To everyone that makes it on Congrats. I would suggest you get time in a glass cockpit environment, as it's not the ground school that's washing folks out, it's the sim, up to a 75% wash out rate. Go in with your head on a swivel.

Ouch 75%% washout rate??

JeffGreeley · June 6th, 2007, 14:20

I realize this is a little off-topic, but...
Do most regional airlines, including PSA, require a bachelors degree? I know that it's pretty hard to get a job with the majors without a degree, but what about the regionals? Even if they don't require it, are there actually a decent number of people who score regional jobs that don't have their degrees?

BobDDuck · June 6th, 2007, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComplexHiAv8r

Ouch 75%% washout rate??

I don't think it's that high. Jeremy probably has the latest figures but from what I am hearing it is around 20%.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffGreeley

I realize this is a little off-topic, but...
Do most regional airlines, including PSA, require a bachelors degree? I know that it's pretty hard to get a job with the majors without a degree, but what about the regionals? Even if they don't require it, are there actually a decent number of people who score regional jobs that don't have their degrees?

Regionals don't really require one. It MAY make you more competitive, but with the current crunch I doubt they will care. HOWEVER... you probably won't get hired at a major if you don't have one and once you start flying the line at a regional it is very hard (although doable I guess) to get your degree.

EDUC8-or · June 6th, 2007, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatBastard

To everyone that makes it on Congrats. I would suggest you get time in a glass cockpit environment, as it's not the ground school that's washing folks out, it's the sim, up to a 75% wash out rate. Go in with your head on a swivel.

75% is WAY high, 20-30 maybe. And there have been no changes in the training program in the past 3 years, even most of the instructors are the same people. Same program and same instructors with a higher washout rate. I'll let you do the math.

OU812 · June 7th, 2007, 15:09

hey Guys,
Sorry been a bit since I last posted. Unfortunetly, I got bumped from the first class, so i am now scheduled to go next week on the 13th...I did get an email over the weekend about another session earlier, I think the 6th or so, but wasnt good timing, so I opted to stick with teh 13th....Rest assured, you guys will definetly be some of the first to know how it went....I figure its fair, since you guys are always willing to help out with advice....

Did anyone go on the 1st. Also, anyone know about their technical interview portion? I have been studying my arse off, but there is just so much!!! Good luck to all!!!

OU812 · June 8th, 2007, 12:59

Hey BOB,
Out of curiosity, which base flies to PA, ie allentown, wilkes-barre...Also, does PSA have a training contract? Also, can someone explain what/how reserve works and also, how your days off work....Im a little confused on that.. Thanks again guys...

OU812 · June 15th, 2007, 10:27

Just to update you guys, I was offered the position with PSA.

BobDDuck · June 15th, 2007, 11:13

Congrats.

To answer those other questions...

Bases that fly to PA... Only CLT will fly there direct. A guy from my new hire class commutes out of Scranton and he is in CLT and finds the commute to be not so bad. Our schedules don't really favor commuting but I guess he makes it work. PA from DAY or TYS would be a 2 legger.

No training contract.

Reserve works such that you bid your days off. Reserve lines are 5 on 2 off 5 on 3 off. Most always 10 days off a month. Once you have a schedule often times you can swap reserve days around so you might end up with 6 on 5 off 6 on. Doesn't always work, but normally they approve it. With us being as short as we are, you can bet you will work most of your reserve days.

I honestly don't know whether to recommend this place right now or not. Stuff is going from bad to worse right now with us canceling 50 flights some days. Also, they pushed back the next upgrade class and nobody knows why. We are parking 2 airplanes at the end of this month and are not sure if we are going to get them back. There is also a nasty rumor floating around that Airways is going to put our 700 flying out to bid and GoJets and Mesa want it.

The only thing I can tell you is that if you do come here the training will be top notch and the 99% of the crews you fly with will be great.

OU812 · June 15th, 2007, 11:31

Bob, thanks for the reply. Do you mind if I shoot you a Pm with a few more questions?

EDUC8-or · June 15th, 2007, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

I honestly don't know whether to recommend this place right now or not. Stuff is going from bad to worse right now with us canceling 50 flights some days. Also, they pushed back the next upgrade class and nobody knows why. We are parking 2 airplanes at the end of this month and are not sure if we are going to get them back. There is also a nasty rumor floating around that Airways is going to put our 700 flying out to bid and GoJets and Mesa want it.

The only thing I can tell you is that if you do come here the training will be top notch and the 99% of the crews you fly with will be great.

I'm back from a week long paid vacation in Vandalia, OH. The upgrade classes were postponed because we need those FO's on the line. We're REALLY short on the FO side. Actually, we're parking 3 airplanes not 2. Those airplanes will come back in August as well as the flying for those airplanes. Mainline pulled a bunch of 700 flying for the next month but the magic date is August 16 when all of the airplanes come back. Also, the "C" checks will be over next January or February. That means 2 more airplanes to be staffed. Then, the J4J pilots will begin leaving in March. That means lots of upgrades. We need AT LEAST 100 CA's in the next year and AT LEAST 200 FO's. The training department is just finally getting ramped up and almost all of the instructors are online, but we're still hiring ground instructors.

It's going to be a crazy couple of months! The upgrades will spool back up once we get some more FO's through training.

BobDDuck · June 15th, 2007, 23:53

They give you some koolaid up in DAY?

The story I heard was that the 700 flying is gone for now and it is ALL being put out to bid over the summer. Something to do with us not taking the 900s so no fleet commonality. I like your version a whole lot more though.

Ace35 · June 16th, 2007, 01:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by OU812

Just to update you guys, I was offered the position with PSA.

Congratulations. I on the other hand was given the "thanks but no thanks" letter. I thought the interview went really well and I really wanted the job. I was very suprised when I recieved that email two weeks after the interview. Based on the interview and their urgent need of pilots I was almost certain I would get offered a class date. All is well though. I have a couple of interviews with some better paying and lower time upgrading airlines next week. I was willing to overlook these things about PSA due to their excellent bases (in my opinion) but they really do seem more interested in the 200-500 hour crowd (maybe they think they have less flying experience so will be easier to train). Anyway, good luck to all those interviewing and congratulations to the new hires.

EDUC8-or · June 16th, 2007, 07:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

They give you some koolaid up in DAY?

The story I heard was that the 700 flying is gone for now and it is ALL being put out to bid over the summer. Something to do with us not taking the 900s so no fleet commonality. I like your version a whole lot more though.

My information is reliable and current as of yesterday. We all know how things are subject to change. It has nothing to do with not taking the 900's, we can't staff them right now. The 900 talk is gone until we are properly staffed, but it will be back. I'm guessing some time after Thanksgiving.

H46Bubba · June 16th, 2007, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDUC8-or

I'm back from a week long paid vacation in Vandalia, OH. The upgrade classes were postponed because we need those FO's on the line. We're REALLY short on the FO side. Actually, we're parking 3 airplanes not 2. Those airplanes will come back in August as well as the flying for those airplanes. Mainline pulled a bunch of 700 flying for the next month but the magic date is August 16 when all of the airplanes come back. Also, the "C" checks will be over next January or February. That means 2 more airplanes to be staffed. Then, the J4J pilots will begin leaving in March. That means lots of upgrades. We need AT LEAST 100 CA's in the next year and AT LEAST 200 FO's. The training department is just finally getting ramped up and almost all of the instructors are online, but we're still hiring ground instructors.

It's going to be a crazy couple of months! The upgrades will spool back up once we get some more FO's through training.

What do you mean by "C" checks being over? How long are your mechs taking on C-checks?

EDUC8-or · June 16th, 2007, 17:23

We're sending 2 airplanes at a time to Bombardier to complete the "C" checks. I'm not sure how long it takes to complete per airplane, but I've heard it's a significant amount of time. They began about a year or so ago. When they complete the job on 2 airplanes and send them back to the line 2 more are taken off and sent to Bombardier.

H46Bubba · June 16th, 2007, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDUC8-or

We're sending 2 airplanes at a time to Bombardier to complete the "C" checks. I'm not sure how long it takes to complete per airplane, but I've heard it's a significant amount of time. They began about a year or so ago. When they complete the job on 2 airplanes and send them back to the line 2 more are taken off and sent to Bombardier.

Yeah Bombardier sucks! They're slow. When I was at Mesa we used them to do all our c-checks. At Comair we do all our own c-checks except the 700's which Emery Air in RFD does. Our c-checks take about 6 weeks usually less depending on what they find. Heck we even do Air Canada Jazz's c-checks.