Great "state of the industry" video

[Republic Airlines Ken]

Hey everyone,

ATP just put out a link to a heck of an informational video. It's on the ATP website, and a link is also attached below. It's a very informative and even-handed account of the current and future state of the airline industry - well, really the aviation industry as a whole. It's been put together by Kit Darby - he's been a well known industry expert since long before I began flying... well, since I've been alive! It will give you some good ideas about what sort of historical hiring cycles the industry has seen and where the jobs will likely be in the future.

I strongly suggest you take a few minutes to watch the video. Let me know what sort of questions it may bring up and I'll do my best to answer them here.

enjoy!

http://www.atpflightschool.com/airli...ry_update.html

[KerryS-MI-609]

Hey Ken,

Great informational video regarding the airline industry! It definitely gives a prospective pilot like myself an excellent idea of how the industry works in regards to hiring and excelling in this career. My name is Kerry and one of the questions I have is what type of timeframe, on average, is there going from zero hours with no training to sitting in the cockpit of an airplane with ATPs' 14 month program?

[Republic Airlines Ken]

Hi Kerry,

I have to apologize for missing your message initially. I had not seen it posted under this thread. Let me know if you still have questions and I'd be happy to try to provide some insight.

[ChristopherP-AE-310]

Ken,

Great video! It was very informative. It gave me a better perspective on the civillian side of aviation. All I knew in regards to aviation is military. Watching this video make me optimistic about transitioning from the military to the civillian side. I always thought that going to the airlines would be a huge gamble. Now I realize it's just the right training, the right networking, and good ol' persistence that will get me through. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Republic Airlines Ken]

Yeah, there's some good info there. Persistence is definitely key. I wouldn't call the airlines a huge gamble - but it's not a risk-free proposition either. Furlough is something that some pilots face at one point or another, and there's also the people who set themselves up for the near impossible (like trying to live 2 legs away from base while being junior and on reserve... very possible, but not long-term viable if you want to see your family much!) and get disappointed. There are ways to stack the deck in your favor as much as possible and it starts with learning about the industry, the lifestyle and the ins and outs of different companies to decide which one(s) are the best possible fit for you. Also, making sure your family is informed and onboard with your goals can go a long way in helping.

...and in your case, having your military retirement won't hurt either