Looking for B737 job stateside!

[BankAngle50]

I am a dual citizen looking to move back to the states. I am currently flying FO -800 -700 types. I was wondering what salary
i could expect with say "South West" and what the chances of getting a job would be? My TT=4000 and 500 on the B737. Im guessing jobs at AA are almost impossble?

thanks guys
BA

[bafanguy]

Don't know what it's like where you are now, but it's pretty bad here. IF AA is American Airlines, they have scads of pilots furloughed. Southwest is THE job of choice these days and appears to require a 737 type rating. The low-cost carriers like SWA, AirTran, JetBlue are hiring so you may have a shot at them. The regional carriers are hiring too...ASA, etc. To see some scuttlebutt on the hiring thing, go to flightinfo.com and enter the "hangar" forum section. There is a lot of info on the hiring rat race. All the major carriers are on their a$$ with literally thousands of pilots laid off.

But, your qualifications sound like you'd have a respectable shot at a job. Good luck.

[Ignition Override]

My company is a good bit smaller than American and we have about 900 still laid off, with only very limited numbers recalled. American had well over 1,000 laid off, and so when they bought TWA, well over half of their pilots (who were stapled to the bottom of the list....) were also kicked out.

Are Fedex or UPS hiring? Some of their recent new-hires came over with many thousands of hours, but if one can adjust to being an all-night freight dog (waiting for seniority to fly in the day), then those companies could be a very good choice and would appear to offer some job security. Fedex has NO pilots laid off! Packages can't be shipped over the internet, nor charter a NetJet etc, which an increasing number of business people have chosen.

Be aware that JetBlue only recently began paying for their A-320s: before that reality, their operating costs were artificially low.

:suspect:

[Continuous Ignition]

I heard we do have some classes on going here at SWA and there is quite a few people in the pool waiting for start dates.

You asked about pay?


Airline Pilot Pay (http://www.airlinepilotpay.com/)

[BankAngle50]

Thanks for the info guys.

From the sounds of things AA or UA would be pretty difficult. I’m guessing as I already fly the 737NG that South-West would be my best chance. Obviously I don’t want to give up my current gig to come back and be unemployed. Pay is a consideration as I earn good bucks now.

Where does South-West base people? Are the people happy? What are the benefits like and job security? Does guys use SWA as a stepping stone to AA or UA?

I know I have lots of questions, but when you have a descent job already you want to be sure you are doing the right thing. Im sure the guys in Airlines understand.

[westelevengenius]

Hi BA,

By the sounds of what you are writing, you NEED to do alot of research first, because I get the feeling you maybe thinking getting a job in the U.S. is still easy. (I'm only guessing by the q's you are asking).

NO, people don't leave SWA for AA or UA, maybe the odd one here & there. SWA people are extremely happy, but at the moment competition is intense-over 9,000 pilots on furlough (United & American have around 4-5,000). When you consider that guys & girls getting into SWA have 737 type ratings as well, up around 5000-8000hrs plus, with many on 73's.

I recently went to a job fair in the US with 6000hrs TT and a jet command, its good, but I still need more and contacts are EVERYTHING!!!If you can't get recommendations your chances are going to be very slim. Attending the job fairs give you another way, but I've been to 2 now in Jan & Apr, plus I'll be going to the next in June. If you want it while still living in Oz (which I'm doing also), you have to go hard. If you're half hearted there are plenty more who are extremely qualified and US citizens living on the airlines doorsteps.

If you want more info PM me.

[NTM]

Hey BankAngle50,

I would suggest you visit www.flightinfo.com.
I feel like you are a bit out of touch of the current situation in the good' ole US of A.
On this website, you will get the feel of who is hiring.
But the competition is very intense right now. So if you have a good job now. Hang on to it til you get hired state side, if that is what you want. Be patient. It may not happen right away.
Even though you have a respectable amount of flight time, you are in very good company with thousands of very,very qualified pilots.
Regionals pilots/ Major furloughees/ Freight dogs/ Charter Pilots/ Corporate and Military pilots alike are mostly looking at SWA/JB/Air Tran/Spirit and others mentioned on flightinfo.com.

Another thing. you mentionned interest in UPS/Fedex. They have a 5 year residency requirement. So if you were away from the US for a while. It could be a problem.
Sorry to be a bit negative. Be it ain't easy...

Being myself furloughed from AA, I am currently flying in the MiddleEast waiting for better time back home.

Good Luckto All.

Later.:ok:

[Ignition Override]

Just to describe two examples of guys who are laid off (furloughed): One of our former FOs was a passenger today, enroute to Carswell AFB, via DFW. Luckily, he was already with the Marine Reserves (KC-130) before he lost his job. He just came back from Iraq-his reserve squadron was sent there for at least a month (he got to visit some of Saddam's mass graves...). But he receives a full-time paycheck and flies fairly often. And so, regarding a decent paycheck and flying currency on multi-engine turbine planes, he is one of the luckier ones. Don't forget that he could be sent back to Iraq (Afghanistan?).

A laid-off (original) American pilot stayed in our hotel last night. He has a job with a company which integrates (wide LAN?)simulator training between various military bases around the US for 'combat scenarios'. But I don't know about his salary.

These guys are some of the luckier ones who I've run into.........they have no idea when they could be recalled to work, but it could take years for many of them. We are talking about at least several thousand pilots who were current in multi-turbine equipment, all of whom had from a few thousand hours to maybe 13,000-16,000 hours in various turbofans (MD-80/A-320 thru B-757 etc). Type ratings sometimes mean little when you are in your 50s and must stay in the US to look for work without outside job experience.

Do people from overseas even comprehend the terrible situation here?:( In stark contrast, FEDEX and Southwest have never furloughed pilots.