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Perspectives Jon Reed In the Sky (vol.6) | In The Sky: Jon Reed (vol.6) |
| Written by Jon Reed | |
| Monday, 04 June 2007 | |
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Moving On
It was June 2004. I was quickly approaching the 1000 hour mark, and with flight instructing and traffic watch I was racking up around 8 hours a day. My target had always been to fly for SkyWest but at the time the hiring was slow going. My friend who had gotten an interview (Jeff Peterson) had 135 experience and judging from the trends this is where I need to set my sights to get to the 121 world. I had a plan. I continued my quest for SkyWest by sending cards every 6 months or so to Camielle Ence, a pilot recruiter for SkyWest who I contacted by email when I first started flight training. She agreed to let me sit in at a open house in March 2002 and ever since that time I would send cards letting her know how I was doing on my goal of flying for SkyWest. I knew I had to get more experience. But where to start? I started by sending as many emails to as many 135 operators as I could find. Alaska, Hawaii, anywhere that 1000 hours could get you in the door. Pretty slim pickings but I kept at it. I asked everyone I ran into for help or advice. I came to the conclusion that I had to get some face time if I wanted to break into the next level and Alaska seemed like the best bet. I talked to a Captain who flew for Pen Air in Anchorage and I was sold. I booked a cheap ticket and with a nice shirt, pair of slacks and a stack of resumes I made my way north. It was wild country. Moose, bear attacks in the news, untouched wilderness. It was some of the most beautiful country I had ever seen. I made my way around ANC airport and dropped off my resume to everyone I could. I managed to meet up with the Chief Pilot for Pen Air because of the contact I had made through a friend. They all told me they would call if something came open. I made my way home to Portland, feeling better that at least I was being proactive about my career. The next week I got a call from a 135 cargo outfit flying 206s in the bush. Two weeks on, two weeks off, flying in and out of places I had never heard of. They promised to call back in a few weeks to set up ground school. It was amazing. Here was my shot. Well I got a call two weeks later and the plane that I had been slated to fly had gone down. Luckily the pilot was fine but it was a sobering moment. Everyone knows Alaska flying can be sketchy, but here I was getting ready to go into it. This was for keeps. They promised to call back at the next vacancy. I continued my email barrage and eventually it paid off again. In September I got an email from a 135 passenger airline in Maui, HI, flying caravans and they need a SIC. Could I make it there for an interview? I booked another cheap ticket and I was off. I got asked the usual HR, tech questions and then they had me fly a caravan mock up simulator. I made it through and got offered the job! I had lived in Maui during college and the prospect of being back there flying was beyond what I had dreamed. 135 turbine, be it single engine, but a real airline carrying people! I was sold. I put in my notice, started packing and suddenly the phone rang. Alaska area code. A different airline had a last minute drop out in ground school and a spot on a Metro was mine to lose. It was a tough call: Alaska or Hawaii? Multi or Single? How did I get this lucky? This was another big lesson for me. You never know when your networking efforts will pay off, and aviation is crazy up and down industry. In the end I chose Hawaii. Come on, what did you think I would do? In all seriousness it was a tough call. I wanted to experience the last great frontier but in the end, surfing, bikinis and a family worried sick won out. I have never regretted the decision. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 04 June 2007 ) |