A bit of news from the regional headhunting front @ AA's wholly-owned:

"Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL), will pay a $15,000 signing bonus to all new hire pilots, effective immediately. Piedmont employees will also collect $5,000 for every pilot they refer to the airlines."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/piedmo...160000443.html

"Envoy Air Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group (AAL), now offers new hire pilots a $15,000 bonus when they join the company."

What ? No referral payment ? :-))

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/envoy-...160000958.html

PSA also updating its program:

"In addition to today’s expanded pilot bonus program, PSA will also be enhancing the value of its employee referral program for pilots by increasing the payout from $1,000 to $5,000…"

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/psa-ai...160000047.html

Cape Air enlisting help of airport authority in finding pilots:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburg...html?ana=yahoo

$15,000 signing bonus? Big deal. What about income the next year? And the year after that? Never mind the awful commuting lifestyle. Moving to a base isn't usually an option. Spouses & children have careers & lives too, not to mention that airlines have been prone to close & change crew bases with unpleasant frequency. Time move the family - again.

Tinstaafl,

You're correct...regionals aren't the best job in the biz. For most people, they're a steppingstone. But I've just tried to show the efforts regionals are making to attract new blood.

I'm not denigrating your efforts to provide info. Far from it. It's the regionals that deserve the whipping.

"It's the regionals that deserve the whipping."

Tinstaafl,

And it's gettin' pretty entertaining. :-))

So I thought our non-US compatriots might also be entertained by the saga.

Hello, so to sum it up, is it possible for a european pilot with JAA/EASA licences to apply for one of those american companies or do we need to get a visa or hold the citizenship (via the green card) before applying?

Thanks

A french buddy whose dream is to fly in the US!!

Green card or citizenship will be required, or some other form of work authorization. An airline will not be able to sponsor a visa for a European citizen.

And FAA licenses...

Mesa Airlines' latest effort to get people into the pipeline:

“Our program will enable you to earn your flight instructor ratings (CFI, CFII, & MEI) at no cost to you.”



First Officer Cadet Phoenix, Arizona-PHX-Latest Pilot Jobs-Latest Pilot Jobs

Trans States has a similar program:
Epic Pilot Sponsorship - Trans States Airlines - Epic Flight Academy

SkyWest has tuition reimbursement now for ATP students.
https://atpflightschool.com/airlines..._alliance.html

The other day, I talked to a guy with a commercial pilot certificate and 300 hours. He told me he already has a job offer at Republic, contingent on getting 1500 hours total time.

Zonda,

They're all just marshalling resources ! :-)))

They need to marshal sufficient resources to make it affordable to work for them.

Hey guys, can a foreigner who completed his or her flight training and hold a bachelor's degree apply the H1B visa through an airline? Do they sponsor them or help in applying the visa? I'm planning to have my bachelor's degree online and have my flight training in the US. Thanks everyone!;);)

Sulphric,

I've not seen any airline admit to sponsoring or "helping" a foreign national with a visa. If any of them are doing that, it's somewhat of a secret. Apparently, they just don't need to do that yet (ill fated Republic attempt noted and exempted). Maybe someone else has some documented evidence to the contrary ?

Since a university degree is not required to be an airline pilot, and the H1B visa is issued to critical career fields that require a university degree, airline pilot is not eligible for the H1B visa.

Giving a few thousand for a student to reimburse his/her tuition or get a CFI rating is just the beginning. Unless the FAA/DOT raise pilot salaries and benefits, there will never be a free flowing pilot supply, and the regional job will be as good as a bus driver (and i dont mean Airbus!). Couple that with the thousands of flight schools to choose from and you a get a very lean trainee number per flight school, all of which want to stay in business and partner with an airline which is impossible.

The solution would be having a cadet program in which students from 0 to ATPL obtain a college degree at their cost, but obtain their licenses from an accredited flight school, at the airlines cost (might as well throw in government subsidy). This can be done maybe during summer semester or like a co-op program while in school, - partnered with a US regional airline after graduation. The student would then agree to fly with the regional for X amount of years, failing to do so they would pay on a pro rated basis, the cost of the flight training incurred.

Signing bonuses, rebate and training (i.e. CFI) are added bonuses to help the applicant decide over a competitor. Seems the airlines are marketing the wrong idea, no student cares which CRJ/ERJ they fly, especially when you got 45k+ uni debt + another 45-60k flight training.....

I really hope they create a universal system, this would help the majors as well in planning for the future, knowing when each pilot would be eligible to move from the regional. If lets say the cadet after graduation must stay a minimum 4 years as FO, they can either upgrade to Capt. or move to the major. The salaries should be competitive throughout.

Those students/mature adults who choose not to get a degree or want a career change, or don't meet the requirements for the cadet program... can do it the old fashioned way...with all the cadets going on to fly the regionals, there would still be your average B1900 type jobs available.

The majors have no shortage of applicants. If the regionals all disappeared or shrunk and mainline took back the flying, that would be perfectly fine with me.

Zondaracer,

Do you have any idea what type of visa should I try to apply to fly for US regional airlines upon graduation? Thanks anyway.

Sulphric
I don't think the airlines or regionals are familiar with all types
Of visas.
I think what they look is your social security card.
If on top said "not valid for employment " you are done