Skywest Contract?
Posted by SkurweHakskeen@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 39 comments
Applied, got the email with the link to the survey, completed that and the next email was a request for documents and contract to sign. 4000hrs TT, 2000 TPIC (King Air) Is it worth it in the current market, or will it be better to wait it out for a while? If I sign the contract before doing the interview and then do the interview and get a CJO and decline the offer in order to go somewhere else, am I technically still liable for the $80k?? Appreciate any advice.
iwanttoflya747@reddit
Did you not even attempt to read the contract? It’s pretty clear what you can and cannot do. Why wouldn’t you read it, make a decision, interview and see if they give you a CJO, then over potentially the next 6-8 months while you wait for a class date you consider other places. If in that time you’ve managed to find not a single other company that’s interested in you, well then you have you answer.
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
I did indeed read the contract and that's part of the reason for the post. I couldn't find anything in the contract definitively stating exactly when it will take effect if I sign it. The plan is exactly what you said, the only thing I'm trying to avoid is signing it now and being bound by it while still waiting for a class date. I have only recently started sending out apps, so I'm hoping to hear from companies as well and would like to be able to consider that without being bound by a contract while waiting for a class date.
mr_krombopulos69@reddit
Completion of indoc. It’s on the first page section 3. 
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
Thanks, I checked again and found all the mentions of completion of indoc training, but as I read it, that only indicates when the 5 years start, not when the contract takes effect. The first line in the contract I was sent contains the date (on which it was sent), followed by "effective date", which in my mind says if I sign it, I'm bound by it immediately and that's the part that I find a little unorthodox. Well, a little more than signing a contract like this in intself 😄
El_bori_787@reddit
IMO this is the wrong forum to ask for legal questions. Reach out to an aviation lawyer and ask for a proper interpretation of the contract. They may even do a consultation for free over the phone. Checkout the most recent aviation career podcast episode about contracts on youtube. Reach out to Chris and leave a nice review on his website.
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
This is great advice, thank you very much. I'm definitely doing that. Appreciate it.
Thick_Discussion_447@reddit
did you ever find out the CORRECT answer to this? I am in your shoes right now
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
I didn't. I decided not to sign it and have since acceoted another job. Wish I could give you a better answer. Good luck with the decision.
mr_krombopulos69@reddit
Oh yeah I see what you mean. I was definitely wary of signing it and then not being able to get out of it if a better opportunity comes along lol. Like am I gonna owe them 80k before I even interview?? But alas it is not so.
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
That's exactly my worry. Thanks, I appreciate your insights.
Kindly-Industry-9289@reddit
I'ma be blunt. If you sign that contract at 4000 TT and 2000 TPIC you are stupid.
Wait for a major at least.
Fakiiri@reddit
2000 TPIC in a King Air doesn’t mean as much to a major as 121 SIC time. Plus, OP hasn’t mentioned if they have a degree or not, checkride failures etc. Telling them to wait for a major with the information provided is doing them a disservice.
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
This was my concern as well. I'm not sure if the 2000 PIC in the KA will mean anything when applying to the big guys. It was all done in a 135 environment with an SIC, but I don't think anybody really cares, it's still <12500lbs, right
To answer the rest of your post - One checkride failure (5 years ago) and no degree.
Fakiiri@reddit
With that in mind, I would personally go to the first regional that’ll hire you. Granted, I haven’t read the Skywest contract. But I would for sure not wait and hope that a major shows interest.
Right-Suggestion-667@reddit
What about like commuter turboprops like the metro/1900 or transport emb120/saab 340?
PM_ME_YOUR_FOQA@reddit
Unfortunately it’ll be looked at in same way as king air time. 120/340 maybe slightly better but not really. Marginal points on your application once that big TPIC box is checked. In either case any jet time will better. 121 jet time will be the best.
I came from the turbo-prop freight world and have seen some coworkers fall into the golden handcuffs of “hey, pay is ok, I’ll knock out my TPIC and then ____ will hire me”. Some were able to make the jump direct to ACMI or ULLC (this was during the pre Covid and during ‘22-‘23) but none went directly to the big 6.
FlyingAlliWant@reddit
Do you think after 1000 tpic in either the 120/340 one should go to a regional? Just wondering cause im working towards it and hopefully make the jump to acmi or ulcc next year. If anyone is hiring.
PM_ME_YOUR_FOQA@reddit
If you’re already getting your TPIC in 120/340/metro/shorts/1900 - see how far out you are. If you got 700hrs TPIC just get the extra 300 so you can tick the box and apply at ACMIs. Many ACMIs are great career gigs if you’re into the lifestyle and if not the experience you’ll get will be more valuable (long haul, international, oceanic crossings, etc) than RJ especially with the TPIC box checked earlier. If no bites apply at the regionals.
If you only have 200-300 TPIC I’d just apply to the RJ world or good quality 135 jet jobs. You have a decent job so you’re able to be more picky than someone who’s only got all piston time.
NuttPunch@reddit
Will it? Those other aircraft listed require a type rating. If I'm correct the King Air or at least most variants of it do not. Type rating makes a difference.
Fakiiri@reddit
In applications you often see ”large aircraft” as being the point of interest, which is aircraft that weighs over 12,500 lbs.
Anphsn@reddit
It would seem like to me the big 5 would want to see PIC time in a transport category jet. Being a gulf stream captain for 2000 hours will look a lot different than PIC in a king air 200 for 2000 hours.
kosmokosmokosmo@reddit
Wait for a major? Maaaaybe in the wild times of the last two years that would work, but now that hiring is regressing back to the mean, I’d say he needs 121 or jet time at least.
Former_Farm_3618@reddit
There’s a lot of signs that point towards majors not hiring for 12-18 months. That’s also if the economy keeps booming like it’s been that last 2-3 years. I think most of us feel there’s a correction coming, no one knows how big.. that’s way off topic.
But telling someone with possibly no 121 time, or true turbine time to wait for a major…I think that’s stupid honestly. Do we all think hiring is gonna be like it was last year? I can easily see once hiring starts the guys at regionals with 4000TT and 2000 (real) TPIC time will absolutely be first. My crystal ball is cloudy, so take my advice cautiously.
I can’t remember the details and if this is still happening. But does SkyWest have an agreement with United that you can get a seniority number once you upgrade to left seat?? Or did I totally make that up?
futurepilot32@reddit
I wish we could get a seniority number at UA after upgrading. In reality, it’s a restrictive program that prevents you from freely applying to UA. There’s no way around the “pathway program” if you’re employed by OO. You first have to interview and then build 1,600TPIC to even be considered by UA, and even then there’s no guarantees. No flow, no seniority number, nothing. And if you exceed the company annual average number of callouts, you’re disqualified (which by the way counts as one of your two lifetime attempts of interviewing at UA).
TLDR: it’s a total scam that keeps you locked at OO until at least 1600TPIC and penalizes pilots for calling out sick/emergency. If you want to go to UA, do not go to OO.
Magentaline69@reddit
Apply at F9.
nqthomas@reddit
I wouldn’t. F9 isn’t in a much better position than what NK is due to what I have heard.
Magentaline69@reddit
NK is billions in debt and F9 is not. What have you heard that makes you think F9 is in a similar situation?
nqthomas@reddit
While F9 is more stable they are still having financial issues and other internal problems. People are turning away from the ULCCs because for a little bit more you can fly AA and not spend 18hrs in MCO.
NuttPunch@reddit
Going off their last few quarters, they're making more money than they did last year.
nqthomas@reddit
They do look to be the most stable of the ULCCs but I heard they are still having financial issues just not to the scale of NK
dylan_hawley@reddit
Hellllll no.
Right-Suggestion-667@reddit
Did you apply anywhere else??????
SkurweHakskeen@reddit (OP)
I did. Got an immediate TBNT from Avelo and PSA. Still waiting for resoonses from others. As I've said in another comment, It's still early days, I've only recently started applying, hence the hesitancy to sign a contract that might prevent me from even considering other options.
InGeorgeWeTrust_@reddit
Don’t sign the contract. That much time should get you anything else
Skynet_lives@reddit
If it’s worth it is a personal question. With your experience when hiring picks up more you would be competitive. But if you want the 121 time to move on to the legacies it could be worth it to move now. Since hiring is unlikely to pick up for another 12 to 18months.
Contract doesn’t start till IOE from what I understand. So as long as you decline before setting foot on property your okay, but read the fine print first for sure.
Slim_Jim722@reddit
Starts at Indoc not IOE
Skynet_lives@reddit
Thanks for the correction.
Guysmiley777@reddit
That depends specifically on how the contract is worded. Read and understand stuff before you sign it, even if you need to pay for a couple of hours of a lawyer's time to consult.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Applied, got the email with the link to the survey, completed that and the next email was a request for documents and contract to sign. 4000hrs TT, 2000 TPIC (King Air) Is it worth it in the current market, or will it be better to wait it out for a while? If I sign the contract before doing the interview and then do the interview and get a CJO and decline the offer in order to go somewhere else, am I technically still liable for the $80k?? Appreciate any advice.
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