In this edition of V1 Rotate, FLYING contributor Sam Weigel chats with Ed Krause, who has been flying as an expat pilot in Asia for the past 16 years. Krause takes Weigel through the process of being hired at a startup regional airline in China, transitioning to business jets, and more. Learn how the expat pilot market is evolving, what the future may have in store, and ways to make yourself competitive for an overseas job.

The post Riding the Wave as an Expat Pilot in Asia appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Leadership on the flight deck sets those apart from the general pilot population—and there are ways to build your capabilities in this regard with greater assumption of authority along the way. We spoke with longtime FLYING contributor Pia Bergqvist about her journey from a well-rounded general aviation pilot to the left seat of a regional airliner—and, most recently, to the right seat of a Boeing 737 for a major U.S. airline. Her experience illuminates one way to accomplish the goal of becoming an airline pilot, and in this Q&A she shares her tips for being prepared when the opportunity knocks:

FLYING Magazine (FM): How did you know you wanted to pursue a career as a professional pilot, and specifically as an airline pilot?

Pia Bergqvist (PB): I grew up in Sweden and dreamed of being a pilot since I was 8 years old. Unfortunately, the challenge in researching the path to get there in the era before the internet, along with the fact that I was a woman desiring a very male-dominated profession, made my dream job seem unattainable.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Must Not Dismiss Mental Well-Being

I finally began pursuing my career in my late 20s. One of the first things I did was to become a member of Women in Aviation International, and I attended the conference in 2000. I remember visiting several airline booths and being blown away by all the women who were airline pilots. At that time, the one that stood out the most was FedEx, where I met a Swedish pilot who described her job. She flew all over the world, had lots of time off, and made enough money to live by the beach.

FM: When you committed to the pursuit, how did you identify the airline(s) you wanted to aim for? How did that choice affect your plans for training and what you needed to have on your résumé before applying?

PB: At the time when I started flying, I would have needed a significant amount of time flying as captain of a twin-turbine aircraft, preferably at a regional airline, before applying for a position with a major airline. While FedEx was my top choice, other attractive choices included United, American, Continental, and UPS, as they were all flying internationally.

I based my pick of potential regionals on advice from flight instructors at the flight school where I received all of my primary training—Justice Aviation in Santa Monica, California. The regional airlines of choice on the West Coast were SkyWest, Mesa, and American Eagle. I applied for my first airline job on September 10, 2001. As a result of the tragic events that followed the next day [on 9/11], I shelved my airline dream for nearly two decades.

FM: How did you build time before applying? What were the minimums when you made the application 20 years ago versus five years ago?

PB: When I first started flying, pilots were getting hired by regional airlines with as little as 1,000 hours of total time and a hundred hours of twin time. The industry was booming. I built most of my flight time through flight instruction before sending in my application with about 900 hours [under] my belt. I also built some twin time by flying from Torrance, California, to Nantucket, Massachusetts, and back in a Beechcraft Duchess.

At that time, the interview process was much more rigorous than it is today, and applicants had to have the written ATP test completed. Regionals also conducted cognitive tests and simulator evaluations.

• READ MORE: Airline Pilots Flying to Age 67?

Today, the FAA requires airline pilots to have at least 1,500 hours (or 1,000 through a limited number of approved flight training programs) and to complete an ATP-CTP training program before they can take the controls of an airliner—a change that resulted from the Colgan Air crash in 2009. Most airlines these days, whether regional or major, only require an application

and an interview. Whereas the major airlines used to require turbine PIC [pilot in command] time, some pilots are now hired with just a few hundred hours as a first officer.

FM: What tips do you have for that first interview?

PB: The most difficult part of getting hired with a major airline is actually getting to the interview stage. Stay in touch with the captains and flight instructors that you fly with. They will be a great resource when it comes time to apply as you will need several letters of recommendation. Meeting with the hiring teams at job fairs, meet-and-greets, and aviation conferences are also a good way to get your foot in the door.

There are many things that go into a successful interview. Make it clear that you really want to be there. Go in with a positive attitude. Dress well and make sure you’re groomed to look the part. Professional interview coaching companies, such as Emerald Coast, Cage Marshall Consulting, Raven Career Development, and Career Takeoff, are almost a must for a successful airline pilot interview. They will provide practice scenarios, targeted to your airline of choice, that will develop the confidence you need as you sit down to get grilled.

FM: How did initial training at the regional go? What tips would you give for a prospective pilot to help them prep for success in training?

PB: The initial training at the regional level can be very challenging. There are many new concepts that go into flying in a professional crew environment versus flying in general aviation.

Get familiar with the flows, callouts, and other procedures that are written into the company’s standard operating procedures [SOPs] manual as early as possible. The only way to learn these procedures is by constant repetition, so having a “paper tiger”—basically a printed version of the flight deck layout—and using it for chair flying is a very good way to get ready. Understand that it can take hundreds of repetitions to learn the proper procedures to an acceptable level. Just keep going.

Practice the flows, callouts, and procedures for normal, non-normal, and emergency operations until they’re perfect. And keep practicing them during times when you’re not in simulator training or the actual airplane. Being able to immediately and accurately execute emergency procedures is critical in those rare and unexpected situations, such as an engine failure.

FM: What was upgrading to captain like?

PB: When it came time for me to move from the right seat to the left seat, it felt very much like it felt to become a flight instructor. I questioned whether I was really ready to be the one in charge of the ship.

The key to success was channeling what I had learned from the captains who I enjoyed flying with as a first officer. So, pay close attention to what the captains do to get the airplane off the gate; how they deal with challenging situations with passengers, gate agents, and rampers; what they do if there is an maintenance issue or emergency, and so on. The schoolhouse upgrade training is great, but the more experience you have seeing how the real-world operations go, the better.

The training is basically identical to the first officer training, albeit with different flows and more responsibilities. Often, captain candidates are paired with first officers through the training and check rides. Your partner can make or break you, in either seat, so do your best to find a good one.

FM: When did you know you were ready to apply for the next step, the majors?

PB: Most people in the industry consider [this to be] an unprecedented time in airline pilot hiring. Everyone I flew with, whether captains or first officers, at the regional airline was talking about moving on.

There were many first officers I flew with who moved on before I did. There were some things in my personal life that held me back, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the regional airline, [but] it was time to move on. The working conditions, destinations, pay, and retirement plans are more attractive at the majors, even with the huge pay bump we got at the regionals in 2022.

I was proud to be a regional airline captain. But now I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of my career.

FM: How did you approach that training differently, knowing what you know now?

PB: I found the training at the major airline much more relaxed. Perhaps it was because I was more prepared and ready for the hard work that is required of pilots in airline training departments. But it appeared to me that the level of respect at the major airline was higher.

At the regional level, there were hard limits on how many extra hours of training pilots could receive or how many events could be unsuccessful before they let a trainee go. As a result, the stress level was high.

From my very loosely gathered data, it appears that about 15 percent of the trainees at my regional airline were let go for one reason or another. That stressor didn’t exist at the major airline where I trained. We were made to feel very welcome and part of the family.

FM: What qualities do you think pilots need to cultivate to shine in a sea of candidates for the same role?

PB: Be professional, both in appearance and the way you handle yourself. Be prepared. Make sure you keep current on company SOPs, FARs, and instrument procedures, how to interpret weather data, and other details that you should be familiar with as a professional pilot. Build relevant flight time. Volunteer with aviation organizations to show your passion for the profession.

If you’re applying for a major airline job, go the extra mile and visit a job fair, conference, or meet-and-greet to get your name on the radar. Keep in touch with people you’ve met, and treat people with kindness and respect. Before an interview, seek help from one of several airline interview prep companies, but find a way to be yourself.

The stakes are way too high to just “wing it.”

This Q&A first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Pro Track: Finding Your Way to an Airline Pilot Career appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

I’ve written about this process in broad terms before, but there is one aspect I would like to focus on: honing your ability to tell a good story and refining your repertoire of stories for interviews.

Most aviation interviews include a group chat that may include chief pilots, check airmen, recruiters, HR reps, line pilots, and perhaps even nonpilot employee representatives. This is commonly referred to as the panel interview, and for many pilots, it is the most stressful part, especially if the panel is large. Many of the questions during the panel interview take the form of, “Tell me about a time you…,” and you are expected to reply with a short illustrative anecdote from your career or life.

• READ MORE: Pilot Mental Health Remains the Last Taboo in Aviation

Some people were born with a natural gift of gab—many of us were not. That’s OK. You weren’t born with the natural ability to fly, either—you gained the skill the hard way, through learning, practice, and experience. Talking about yourself in a relaxed, authentic manner is a skill like any other. It can be taught, learned through trial and error—or for the lucky few, acquired by osmosis, by growing up around other good storytellers and subconsciously adopting their techniques. Most of us get better at it throughout our lives because we accumulate more interesting stories and tell them enough times to hone them well.

This isn’t something that you can pick up the night before your interview. If you’re only belatedly finding out about the panel interview and you have one next week, best arrange for a jam session with an aviation interview prep service, such as Cage Consulting or Emerald Coast. This isn’t a bad idea anyways, because most people are poor judges of how they sound and look to others.

Less expensively, but also less expertly, you can rope your friends or colleagues into being your practice audience and giving you feedback. This can be a fruitful (and FAA legal) use of free time in cruise flight. But if you’re shy and prefer to judge yourself, a GoPro or other camera set up on a tripod at eye level and 10 feet away will be brutally honest. The main thing is to make a conscious effort to practice. It’s best to start early.

• READ MORE: After a Training Fail, What Comes Next?

If you “got the gouge” for a particular employer’s interview, you’ll have an idea of what questions they may ask, but they’ll likely switch up things on occasion, and there’s a good chance you get at least one completely random question. Rather than focus on specific questions, you should develop a repertoire of stories concerning a broad range of events throughout your life and career.

Your stories should, whenever possible, be no longer than two or three minutes long. A good story will include a brief setup, a well-paced narrative, and a definitive conclusion. You should obviously avoid stories that paint you as a clueless lout, but they should show humility and growth. A bit of humor of the self-deprecating variety is often helpful. I’ve often joked that I never let the truth get in the way of a good story, but interview stories should be mostly true. Outright fabrications are usually glaringly obvious. Paring details for the sake of narrative and brevity, however, is both expected and necessary.

Often the panel’s questions are of a sort that could be seen as an invitation to talk about the deficiencies of former employers or coworkers (“Tell me about a time you disagreed with a supervisor.”) Don’t fall for this trap: Your overall tone should be positive and focus on your own actions, deficiencies, growth, and strengths. The last thing you want to show is simmering resentment. When a story necessarily involves a company or supervisor doing something underhanded, unsafe, or illegal, do not name them. On the other hand, liberally name mentors, coworkers, and supervisors who have been a positive influence. There’s a decent chance someone on the panel knows them.

• READ MORE: How Professional Pilots Can Survive Probationary Periods

Your stories shouldn’t all be aviation-related. Many of the questions won’t directly concern flying, and using anecdotes from your life outside of aviation can help demonstrate a wider variety of interests and talents. This can be particularly helpful when the panel includes nonpilots. In that case, you should also limit your technical jargon or include explanatory asides.

When telling your stories, try to appear relaxed even if you’re not, and try to sound like you haven’t rehearsed even though, ideally, you have. The trick is to write down only the outline, and then never tell the story exactly the same way twice. Pretend you’re telling it at a bar, and the next time at church, and the next time on a date. Use a timer and work out the ideal pacing. Try to eliminate “uhs” and “umms,” inserting pauses instead where needed. As you become more comfortable with a story, incorporate natural-feeling hand gestures, and use a camera to check your corresponding facial expressions.

Here are some sample questions to get you started at developing your repertoire of stories. I’ve included a version of a story I’ve told in several interviews as well, as an example.

• “Tell me about a time you helped a coworker.”
• “Tell me about a time you were interviewed and didn’t get hired for a job.”
• “Tell me about a time that a coworker made you uncomfortable.”
• “Tell me about a time you solved a difficult problem.”
• “Tell me about a time you felt out of your depth.”
• “Tell me about a time you failed a test or course.”
•  “Tell me about your proudest moment.”
• “Tell me about a time you broke a FAR.”
• “Tell me about a time you were uncomfortably low on fuel.”
• “Tell me about a time you declared an emergency.”
• “Tell me about a time you diverted to an alternate.”
• “Tell me about a time you thought the system was unfair.”
• “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a dispatcher (supervisor of flight, etc.).”
• “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a [captain/first officer].”
• “Tell me about the best job you ever had.”
• “Tell me about a time you stayed at a job you disliked.”
• “Tell me about a time you witnessed sexual harassment/racial discrimination.”
• “Tell me about the best teacher you ever had.”
• “Tell me about a time the customer was wrong.”
• “Tell me about a time you went above and beyond.”
• “Tell me about a time you were scared.”
• “Tell me about a time you were fatigued.”
• “Tell me about a time you grounded an unairworthy airplane.”
• “Tell me about a time you were asked to do something illegal or unsafe.”

An example of my response: 

“Early in my career, I was flying canceled checks at a Part 135 company that’s no longer in business. They were sort of a mom-and-pop, fly-by-night operation, and they were nice people and tried hard, but you never knew if your next paycheck was going to clear. Anyways, late one night in Las Vegas, I had an electric fuel pump fail on a Piper Navajo, and, since that’s a nondeferrable item, I called my boss, who we’ll call Jim, at 2 a.m. I woke him up, and he was understandably grumpy, telling me to just open the fuel cross-feed, use the left electric fuel pump to start the right engine, and then press on to Burbank on the engine-driven pump.

“I thought about it for a second and realized, yes, that would work—but it was pretty severely illegal and would also leave me with a single point of failure in a heavy airplane over high terrain. I told Jim that and said I wasn’t willing to do it. He just growled, ‘Fine. Don’t move. I’ll be there in three hours,’ and hung up. 

“Sure enough, just as the sky is getting light, Jim roars up with another Navajo, gets out without a word, and starts tossing bags out of my plane. I join in and a few minutes later we’re panting next to a small mountain of bank bags and Jim just points at them, grunts, ‘Take those to Burbank,’ jumps in the broken Navajo, and blasts off. I was pretty shaken up. The whole way to Burbank, I was wondering if I just got myself fired. 

“The next day I came to work half expecting to be sent home, and I was kinda OK with that. I’d thought about it during the night and decided that no job was worth my life or my certificate and that I didn’t want to work for anyone who required me to put either at risk. The funny thing is, Jim greeted me cheerfully and didn’t say a single word about the incident. In fact, he never mentioned it again. I think once he calmed down and had some time to think about it, he realized he’d rather have a safety-conscious pilot than a risk-taker even if it was occasionally inconvenient. Since then, whenever I have to make a hard decision that I know might upset coworkers or supervisors, I think back to that night in Las Vegas.”

The post How to Ace an Airline Interview by Telling a Good Story appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The partnership expansion announced Thursday will add 50 DA40s and six DA42s to the Republic Airways training program. 

• READ MORE: UNSW School of Aviation Expands Diamond Fleet

According to Diamond Aircraft, the trainers are slated to bolster programs at new LIFT Academy campuses in Galveston, Texas; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

“These aircraft are chosen for their advanced technology and fuel efficiency, which not only align with our sustainability efforts but also closely mirror the aircraft our pilots will operate at Republic Airways,” said Ed Bagden, director of flight operations and academic programs at LIFT Academy. “This strategic expansion ensures that LIFT Academy continues to offer industry-leading training, preparing our students with a seamless transition to their careers as airline pilots.”

• READ MORE: Purdue, LIFT Academy Partner to Tackle Commercial Pilot Need

The Diamond DA40 piston single is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine and comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics. The aircraft offers a top cruise speed of 152 knots, 934 nm range, and maximum useful load of 900 pounds. The DA42 advanced piston twin is powered by 168 hp Austro Engine AE300 powerplants. It offers a top cruise speed of nearly 200 knots, 1,225 nm range, and maximum useful load of 1,276 pounds.

The post LIFT Academy Makes ‘Significant Fleet Expansion’ with Diamond Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to the letter, the return comes “in response to the record 2023 revenue gains.” The money will come directly from ALPA’s national funds, Ambrosi added. Airline-specific committees will also be able to provide their own refunds.

ALPA says it expects to make the payments this summer, which will be available to both U.S. and Canadian members based on dues paid last year. For pilots, the refund reflects up to 16 percent of total dues paid in 2023, the union stated.

“I thank our national officer team for sharing the belief and commend the Executive Council for upholding the fundamental responsibility entrusted to us, which is to be good fiduciaries of your money—a responsibility we take seriously,” Ambrosi said in the letter to pilots. “As always, we will ensure that your dues continue to be the best investment in your career that you ever make.”

Members of the union pay up to 1.85 percent of earnings in dues. While ALPA has been able to negotiate record-setting collective bargaining agreements at several airlines, it acknowledges that 16 carriers and their pilot groups are still in the bargaining process.

“The year 2023 was a monumental one in our union’s history…” Ambrosi said. “While we acknowledge these significant gains that resulted in a record amount of revenue for the association, ALPA continues to dedicate all needed resources to the 16 carriers that remain in bargaining.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on April 23 at 9:52 a.m. EDT to properly reflect ALPA’s 1.85 percent dues rate. 

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post ALPA to Return $50 Million in Member Dues Amid ‘Record Revenue Gains’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

During a press conference at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo (SNF) on Thursday in Lakeland, Florida, the Italian aircraft manufacturer announced HCH Aviation, a Part 141 school based in Nacogdoches, Texas, is transitioning to an all-Tecnam fleet.

According to Tecnam, the school, which is operated in partnership with Stephen F. Austin State University, uses twin-engine P2006Ts for multiengine training. HCH Aviation has ordered 15 of the single-engine Tecnam P-Mentors to augment its fleet. At the present time the school has 75 students—a number expected to double within the coming year.

• READ MORE: Oregon Flight School to Buy 10 Piper Aircraft

“Tecnam has been a wonderful partner in assisting our team in our aircraft needs,” said Kristen Conklin, HCH Aviation president. “Having a standardized fleet using Tecnam makes complete sense for our team from both a business and training perspective.”

Tecnam Aircraft to Brazil

Tecnam and EJ Escola Aeronautica Civil have announced a letter of intention for the Brazilian flight school to add 30 Tecnam P92 MkIIs to its fleet. The school is particularly intrigued by the aircraft’s state-of-the-art glass cockpit designs.

EJ Escola Aeronautica, based in São Paulo, has been training pilots since 1999. It boasts more than 60 aircraft in the fleet, which are spread out in three locations.

Tecnam noted the P92’s short-field performance, excellent climb and efficiency are now combined with the MkII’s composite fuselage for improved cruise performance. The cabin volume has also been increased to allow for wider seats, additional forward and aft adjustment, and improved ergonomics.

The aircraft are equipped with advanced Garmin G3X touch avionics and available with synthetic vision and ground proximity warning, providing additional navigation and situational awareness.

“Tecnam is our choice to take EJ into the new era of modern flying, where fuel efficiency, sustainability, digital technology, and good flight characteristics are a must,” said Josué de Andrade, director and co-founder of EJ Escola Aeronautica Civil.

Said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam’s chief sales officer: “We are very pleased that the most important flight school in Brazil has chosen Tecnam to replace and upgrade its fleet. Today’s students are very demanding and deserve brand new aircraft with the latest technology.”

Throughout the industry there has been an initiative to reduce carbon emissions in aviation, both at the airline level and at flight schools. One of the selling points for the Tecnam designs is its relatively green operation.

According to the company, flight schools operating Tecnam’s single- and twin- engine fleets can save as much as 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions for every single student graduated with a commercial pilot certificate, which represents a 60 percent reduction compared to fleets using 100LL fuel in 155 flight hours.

Kenai Aviation Adds Tecnam to Fleet

Flight schools are not the only entities relying on Tecnam for fleet operations. During a press conference at SNF, Tecnam and Kenai Aviation announced the Alaska-based operator has added a third Tecnam P2012 Traveller to its fleet.

The first P2012 Traveller entered into service with Kenai Aviation in 2022, coming immediately after the delivery ceremony at the Sun ‘n Fun. The second P2012 was delivered a year later. 

The twin-engine aircraft have been used to transport passengers and freight, and according to Kenai Aviation officials, the Traveller is the “aircraft of choice” for the short haul operations in the Anchorage area.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Delivers P2012 To Kenai Aviation at Sun ‘n Fun

The Traveller is a turbocharged twin-engine high-wing aircraft that can be used for freight or to transport nine passengers with one or two pilots. The aircraft is equipped with TKS deicing capabilities, which is a must in Alaska’s challenging and dynamic weather environment.

“Our third P2012 is the proof we have found the aircraft that is perfectly suited for our commuter markets in the state of Alaska,” Joel Caldwell, Kenai Aviation CEO and owner, said in a statement. “The P2012, designed specifically to meet the needs of our scheduled commuter markets in south central Alaska, has exceeded our expectations.”

The post Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Before COVID-19 and for a bit afterward, there was a real shortage of qualified regional applicants—to the extent that many pilot groups saw raises of 100 percent or more. And there was a great deal of pressure to push new hires through training and onto the line.

I have friends who were simulator instructors and check airmen during that time, and they have stories of struggling applicants being afforded extra training sessions, multiple check ride attempts, and double or even triple the normal amount of initial operating experience (IOE) in an attempt to get them through.

• READ MORE: On the ‘Bax’ Foot: A Lifelong Writer Tackles the Spoken Word

But lately all the regional airlines have plenty of qualified first officers and even more qualified new-hire applicants—it’s qualified captains they are short on. It has become increasingly difficult to receive an interview at 15,00 hours. 

Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa Airlines’ longtime CEO, recently revealed that the company has more than 2,000 apparently qualified applications on file, all competing for a relative handful of new-hire slots. Thus, there’s no real pressure to hold new hires’ hands through training. In fact, the incentive goes the other way. The regionals need first officers who can pass captain upgrade training and IOE as soon as they’re legal to do so. It makes financial sense to winnow any that struggle as soon as possible. Brutal, but understandable.

One of the largest regionals has reportedly gone to a “two-and-through” policy. You are given one “freebie”—be that a check ride bust, training event repeat, or even extra preparatory sim session. The second one results in automatic training failure and termination. 

A friend was caught by this policy when his training partner, an older career changer, struggled and was offered “refresher” sessions before two check rides. My friend wanted to help his training partner and served as seat support for both sessions, only to have them counted against his own record, with summary termination the result. He now has an airline training failure as a permanent stain on his Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) file.

This should indicate how seriously you need to treat airline training. You are not particularly needed at the regional airlines now. Training is not a gimme, nobody will hold your hand, and if you do struggle, you cannot expect much sympathy or flexibility. Compared to primary and secondary instruction, most airline training is much less spoon fed—the onus is generally on you to study, show up with the answers, and shine in the sim.

• READ MORE: How Professional Pilots Can Survive Probationary Periods

If you suffer from check ride nerves, best find a way to calm them now. To be a professional pilot is to be a professional check ride taker. I would suggest that before even applying for the regional airlines right now, you should have total confidence in your ability to make it through a fast-paced, unforgiving training program.

That said, anyone can have a bad day. You might have shown up prepared, studied hard, done everything right—and still messed up. Maybe that got you rattled and affected your  performance, especially knowing that your job—your career, even—was on the line. I’ve never trained under that kind of pressure and can’t say for sure I’d handle it well. Perhaps you didn’t, and now you too have an airline training failure in your PRIA file.

What now?

First, you need to know that your life is not over and neither is your career. There are plenty of pilots working with a training failure somewhere in their past. Having this on your record is less concerning than being fired from a job for cause, aircraft accident, or FAA enforcement action, DUI/DWI, or losing your medical. You still have the same flight time and certifications that you had before the failure. I’ve never heard of the FAA suspending or revoking certificates, or even giving a 709 check ride, based on someone failing out of an airline training program. You can still make a living flying airplanes.

• READ MORE: Allure of International Flying Lies Across the Glittering Sea

The course of your career has changed, though. I’d argue that the “training/CFI/regional/major in five years” rocket ship career path was already becoming unrealistic as the pilot shortage wound down, but in any case, that gate is shut now. Its closing was always a possibility in this industry—perhaps even a probability. It slammed shut for every pilot of my generation when the Twin Towers fell on 9/11, and yet, as dark as things seemed for a while, many went on to have wonderful careers. My own career path took turns I never saw coming, and they led to some really interesting experiences and lifelong friends. I wouldn’t go back and change anything, even if I could.

In their current hiring mood, the airlines will likely not take a chance on you while your training failure is fresh. Your mission now is to build a record that puts your failure squarely in the past and shows that it was a one-off event. Take whatever time you need to get your head right, then jump right back into it. Get yourself into a position to pass a check ride as soon as possible.

If you’re going back to flight instructing, add that CFII or MEI rating. If you can land a Part 135 gig, better yet—it will require passing an approved training program and a 135.293 proficiency check, plus potentially a type ride depending on the aircraft. Most corporate gigs also involve a type ride. If nobody is calling just yet, a single-engine sea or glider rating can be added to a commercial certificate fairly cheaply. Just get back on that horse and pass a check ride.

• READ MORE: Financing the Pro Pilot Dream…Without Getting Scammed

I don’t normally advocate job hopping, and it can be a red flag to HR departments. But I will say that following a training program failure, you’ll need to go through two or three full training programs without incident to become competitive for a top-tier job. If you can do that with a single employer, fine. Move up to a different airframe as soon as you can. If you need to switch employers to pass another training program, do so after a decent interval.

No matter where you go, you’ll need to disclose the training failure on each application, and it will likely come up on every interview. Depending on how you handle it, this can become your biggest stumbling block or an unexpected asset. It is so important that you do not play the blame game. Regardless of what actually happened, you need to develop a credible explanation of why you weren’t ready, what you got wrong, what you learned from the experience, and how you are better equipped now to pass a tough training course.

Unfortunately, you’re in a poor position to judge whether your explanation is actually any good. This is where paying an interview prep company can be extremely valuable, especially if you’ve worked your way back to applying for a top-tier position. With some polishing and a solid post-failure history to support it, the tale of how your lowest moment turned you into a better person, and a better pilot, could just be the exact thing that eventually lands you that dream job.

The post After a Training Fail, What Comes Next? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

ALPA highlighted recently released FAA pilot-production data, indicating that the U.S. is consistently certifying a greater number of airline pilots on a monthly basis compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The news comes as industry experts and financial analysts agree that pilot demand has been met, and there is even a surplus of pilots as several airlines have scaled back hiring.

Executives at TD Cowen and Goldman Sachs have expressed optimism, indicating the industry is moving past its previous challenges. “The improved outlook vs. the introduction of the GS Pilot Supply & Demand model in December 2022 is primarily driven by higher-than-expected certificates issued (2022 and 2023 were both records) in addition to slower fleet growth and modestly lower-than-expected retirements,” according to Goldman Sachs.

Several regional airlines have noticed a shift in the environment with decreased attrition rates. Mesa Airlines CEO Jonathan Ornstein said, “There was a time when none of us could find first officers. Now I mean, I think we have close to 2,000 applicants for qualified first officers.” CommuteAir CEO Rick Hoefling echoed that statement. “We can hire first officers. I think almost every regional airline right now has a stack of first officers. The problem is building their time at the same time you’re attriting out captains at a pretty high rate in the industry. We went from a pilot shortage to a captain shortage now in the industry. So the pendulum is starting to move.”

Despite ongoing claims of a pilot shortage by special interest groups, ALPA maintains that while there were some initial backlogs post-COVID, the system is working and yielding a record number of pilots.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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Multiengine cross-country time is especially coveted, so plan for it. Several of my airport children (the pilots I have trained over the years) saved up their money for time-building programs. These are often put on seasonally in parts of the country known for good weather. The pilots spend a few weeks flying cross-country every day at 55 to 60 percent power. Alternatively, a few lucky ones have had a parent or a buddy who loaned them the use of a multiengine aircraft, and they shared the time with another pilot for the price of fuel.

• READ MORE: How To Earn a Multiengine Rating as a Pilot

It is more than hours in the logbook. Make that time experience that benefits you more than a metric, says a former colleague who is now at a major airline. While it is tempting to go back and forth to the same airport in the same airplane for several weeks just to get hours—and does meet the letter of the law—the quality of the experience is dubious. Mix it up, go to a variety of airports, and if the aircraft is IFR capable, throw in a few approaches in actual IFR or night if able.

When we worked together, the aforementioned colleague was one of three multiengine instructors on staff. I was “self-loading ballast” in the Piper PA-34 Seneca. I had just started studying for the multiengine commercial certificate, and if I didn’t have a client at the time, I was invited to go along for the ride. With me in the back, they didn’t need to add a suitcase full of flat weights to keep the aircraft within weight and balance. Legally, I could not log the time I spent back there. I mention this because I have encountered pilots who insist their ride-along flights count as “time logged” in the aircraft. (Reaches for FAR/AIM) FAR 61.51 has the details on logging time, and I assure you there is no reference to sitting in the back of the aircraft. If you are in the cockpit and manipulating the controls under the guidance of a multiengine instructor (MEI,) it can be logged as dual received, but if you don’t have a multiengine certificate, you cannot log it as PIC or second in command (SIC) if the aircraft requires a second pilot.

Teaching in a Multiengine Aircraft

In order to legally teach in a multiengine aircraft, the person must hold a multiengine instructor certificate and, per FAR 61.195 (f), have logged has at least five flight hours of PIC time in the specific make and model of multiengine aircraft, be it an airplane, helicopter, or powered lift if appropriate.

This can present a challenge when the instructor earned their multiengine certificate in an airframe other than what the school uses for training. Who pays for the five hours of required PIC time in the school airplane can be a contentious topic. Sometimes an instructor will try to pressure a learner into paying for those five hours. “Pay for me to get my five hours, and I will teach you to fly the twin.” This is risky business, because if the MEI is hired away before you finish your training, you are out of luck and money. Plus, you will still be on the hook for the cost of the airplane and instructor during your training flights.

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense for the instructor to shell out the $1,500 to $2,000 for those five hours when they will make just $25 to $40 an hour teaching in the aircraft if—and it is a big if—they get a multiengine client. That money might be better spent on cross-country hours in a twin they already have experience in, even if it means going to another school to get it.

Be wary of “opportunities” to build time with ferry flights. Get the details before you commit. It’s not uncommon to hear about pilots who make plans to do this or consider this, then a little bit of research makes them think twice.

A few years back, I was invited to help ferry a PA-44 Piper Seminole from North Dakota to Puyallup, Washington, where it would join the fleet at the flight school. This ferry flight was going to be in the dead of winter. I already had my MEI certificate and 70 hours in a multiengine aircraft, of which 50 or so were as PIC, including three hours in a PA-44. I needed two more hours in the PA-44 in order to be able to teach in it. I knew the ferry flight would definitely provide those two hours, and I was considering it until I learned I would be flying with another MEI on staff, provided I paid all his expenses during the trip as well as my own. That didn’t seem fair to me, since I didn’t need him for the flight to be safe or legal, and on top of that, he was on salary at the school, and therefore he was already getting paid for the flight. On the other hand, I was paid by the hour and would be losing out on at least a week’s worth of dual instruction. I figured those two hours I needed to teach in the Seminole would run me about $600 tops. I made a lot more than that a week, so I declined the offer.

Multiengine Maintenance

Beware of the FBO where the multiengine aircraft are flown very little. These ramp or hangar queens can develop the mechanical issues that accompany the lack of regular flight. 

A fellow MEI told me a story about an issue he had with the maintenance at a particular flight school during the pursuit of his multiengine commercial certificate. He planned to spend a week at the school to knock out the rating. The weather was good, the MEI available, but during their second flight the landing gear on the Piper Seneca wouldn’t retract. They cut the flight short, returning to the airport. The MEI said it was nothing to worry about, and he would have the mechanics check it out so they could fly the next day. There was something in the MEI’s demeanor that made the learner wary, so he surreptitiously placed chalk marks on the rear of the tires, with the thought being that if the aircraft moved and the landing gear was retracted, they would be erased.

The next day when he came to fly, he was told the mechanics had made repairs and test flown the aircraft that morning. However, when he checked the tires, he saw the chalk marks still in place and undisturbed. The aircraft hadn’t moved at all. He took his business elsewhere. He told me he learned a valuable lesson that day: Trust your gut, because no matter how much you want that flight experience, there are some compromises you just shouldn’t make.

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This is a very welcome development that will do wonders to increase the diversity of our pilot corps, as well as help tear down lingering barriers between our pilot and flight attendant groups, an unfortunate aspect of our company culture. Management apparently agrees: Several years ago they created two accelerated hiring paths to the flight deck for our flight attendants, which has stirred immense interest among our cabin crew. The early participants are now at the qualification level where I’ll be flying with them soon, and I’m really looking forward to it. 

When I encounter anyone who is interested in flying professionally, flight attendant or not, I often suggest that they first go get their private pilot certificate before making any big commitments. Flying, and especially at the professional level, isn’t for everyone. Not everyone will enjoy it, and not everyone is cut out for it. Too many people discover this only after quitting their job and putting a lot of money and time into professional flight training. In my opinion, the time to discover whether a flying career is right for you is during primary training. My airline apparently agrees because it made a private pilot certificate a prerequisite for our basic flight-attendant-to-flight-deck hiring path (the advanced path requires a commercial certificate).

Similarly, I often suggest that those who are interested in taking primary flight lessons first go on a discovery flight, or introductory flight lesson, to make sure it’s right for them. Or better yet,  go on several discovery flights with multiple flight schools and instructors to gauge which is right for them. Most FBOs and flight schools offer 30-minute introductory lessons at a somewhat discounted rate, sometimes via a Groupon coupon. This has traditionally been intended to give the prospective learner a somewhat rosy picture of what piloting a small airplane is like, a quick hit of the good stuff to ‘get ‘’em hooked’ with none of the messy side effects. I have always thought, however, that students, instructors, and schools are better served by giving prospective aviators a realistic look at what learning to fly is like—and that they should treat the experience as an extended interview of a prospective instructor and flight school.

There is no standard format for a discovery flight. Every school, and in many cases each instructor, does it differently. Some conduct a preflight briefing; others do not. Some walk the student slowly through the preflight inspection; other instructors do it quickly themselves and get the student in the air ASAP. Some give the student significant instruction; others barely let the student touch the controls. Sometimes it varies based on the time available or by just how deeply a particular discovery flight (and perhaps instructor fee) has been discounted. When I was instructing, I knew a few CFIs who openly talked about discovery flights being a rare chance to manipulate the controls themselves for almost an entire flight. Based on recent conversations with discovery flight recipients, this still seems to be a common mindset. That’s a pity.

• READ MORE: That First Flight

I’m no longer an active flight instructor, but I make a regular point of taking nonpilots flying in my Stinson 108.  Whenever they show the slightest interest in learning to fly, I conduct their flight in the same fashion as the introductory flight lesson I was afforded at age 13, and the way I tried to perform discovery flights when I was an active CFI. This includes a ground briefing to explain what we’ll be doing, what they should watch out for, and what they can expect to learn and accomplish. Then I’ll spend a good 15 minutes talking them through the preflight inspection, getting their hands on fuel sumps, brake calipers, the oil dipstick, and cowling fasteners. Finally, we go flying for 30 to 60 minutes. I have them follow me on the controls during takeoff, then I level off and trim out and get right into the business of teaching the basics of aircraft control. This includes coordinated turns, which can be tricky in my Stinson, but everyone seems to get it after a few minutes. I fly a circular course, so we can get back home quickly if the student starts looking green. Every 10 minutes or so, I take the controls to show a scenic point of interest, giving the student a short break in concentration and an example to emulate. Our loop always ends over bustling Lake Union, for a spectacular view of downtown Seattle with the majestic backdrop of Mount Rainier.

I understand this is an idealized introductory flight lesson, one given at my leisure during ample free time, and not necessarily always realistic given the demands of instructor and training fleet scheduling. Not to mention the economic considerations of offering a discovery flight cheap enough to attract casual punters. For this reason, if you’re a prospective student, I would avoid those cheap, advertised 20-to-30-minute discovery flights, which are likely to involve little instruction and  insight into your prospective school or instructor. Instead, I would request a two-hour block of instructor time with a full 45 minutes of flight time. This will give you the opportunity to make a thorough evaluation.

When you show up 15 minutes before your scheduled start time, how is the atmosphere of the place? Harried and chaotic or organized and calm? Does somebody greet you promptly and appear to know what you’re there for? Your instructor may well be finishing a lesson with another student. How do they handle the transition? Is there a quiet briefing area, and do you notice other instructors briefing their students before their flights? Does your instructor explain what you’re going to do without resorting to jargon you don’t know? When you go out to the airplane, does your instructor seem rushed? Do they teach you the preflight or at least talk through what they’re looking at? Is the airplane beat up with apparently inoperative equipment?

While the instructor is taxiing out and taking off, do they explain what they’re doing? After takeoff, how soon do they give you control, and how do they handle the transition to active instruction? Rest assured, your aircraft control will be pretty rough at first, possibly enough to make most pilots squirm with unease. How does your instructor react? This is an excellent chance to gauge their patience. Are they paying attention to what you’re doing and how you’re doing it? Are they adjusting their instruction when you don’t understand something? Do they seem in a hurry to take the controls or to return to base? After the flight, do they give you a debriefing and a chance to ask questions? I’d suggest a frank discussion about the instructor’s experience, their students’ check ride pass rate, their career goals going forward, and the chances of them sticking around the flight school during your planned time frame for primary training.

Let’s say you do three of these introductory lessons at three flight schools with three instructors. At the end, you should have about 2.3 hours logged (which certainly counts towards PPL requirements), be getting pretty good at basic aircraft control, and have a good idea of the differences between flight schools and instructors. Hopefully, you’ve found one that you mesh with well. When you consider the considerable cost of ineffective instruction or having to switch schools or instructors midstream, I’d say these 2.3 hours of discovery flights should be money well spent.

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