The Air Canada OTS thread

Discuss topics relating to Air Canada.

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your flight time ?

500+ PIC JET
37
4%
500+ PIC JET 2 CREW
101
10%
500+ PIC TURBOPROP 2 CREW
154
16%
1000+ F/O JET/TURBOPROP 2 CREW
160
17%
Total Time 1500/2000
50
5%
2000/3000
106
11%
3000/ More
361
37%
 
Total votes: 969

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confusedalot
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by confusedalot »

hate to burst the bubble, but tons of people have been hired without post secondary education. it may be a bit tougher if you are not in a feeder right now, but as far as feeders go, the vast majority do not have anything more than high school and get on.

I would not let the lack of a diploma or a degree to be a discouraging situation. Thousands of theories out there about how they pick and choose. I have never been able to figure it out.

One poster swears that they think they pull names out of a hat. I won't go that far, but knowing that seniority was actually based on drawing straws in any given course, I would not totally discount it either.

After decades, it still remains a mystery. Suspect that the first 15 seconds of initial contact make it or break it. They like you, or they do not like you. It's a human nature characteristic that everyone intuitively knows. The rest of the process is a routine screening thing that 99.8% get through.
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altiplano
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by altiplano »

No post secondary here. I know lots from the same boat.
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FlyYYC
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by FlyYYC »

No interview for me... I have a few years in at the other major airline. No degree.
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TheStig
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by TheStig »

confusedalot wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 6:58 pm hate to burst the bubble, but tons of people have been hired without post secondary education. it may be a bit tougher if you are not in a feeder right now, but as far as feeders go, the vast majority do not have anything more than high school and get on.

I would not let the lack of a diploma or a degree to be a discouraging situation.

After decades, it still remains a mystery. Suspect that the first 15 seconds of initial contact make it or break it. They like you, or they do not like you. It's a human nature characteristic that everyone intuitively knows. The rest of the process is a routine screening thing that 99.8% get through.
Yes, there are lots of pilots at AC without post secondary education, most pilots on the property today without post secondary have come from a connector airline as part of a flow through agreement. I disagree with your second sentence, over the past 20 years aviation diploma and degree programs have proliferated across Canada and most airline pilots (including those hired at feeders) seem to have one or the other.

I agree that those without post secondary education shouldn't be discouraged, but they should realize that Air Canada holds degrees and diplomas in high regard and they will likely require more experience to get an interview. It does not make you a better pilot or person, but its importance in the section process hasn't changed for decades and looking through the new hire biographies for the past decade it's clear that those with degrees/diplomas get a kick at the can with less experience than those without one.

I've had friends rejected, and certainly agree that the process can leave you bewildered, but, everyone you talk to says that the interview itself is very professional, and warm and they felt they accurately portrayed themselves.
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by co-joe »

Welcome to the grease pole, please enjoy your climb.
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by Old fella »

TheStig wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 11:51 am
confusedalot wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 6:58 pm hate to burst the bubble, but tons of people have been hired without post secondary education. it may be a bit tougher if you are not in a feeder right now, but as far as feeders go, the vast majority do not have anything more than high school and get on.

I would not let the lack of a diploma or a degree to be a discouraging situation.

After decades, it still remains a mystery. Suspect that the first 15 seconds of initial contact make it or break it. They like you, or they do not like you. It's a human nature characteristic that everyone intuitively knows. The rest of the process is a routine screening thing that 99.8% get through.
Yes, there are lots of pilots at AC without post secondary education, most pilots on the property today without post secondary have come from a connector airline as part of a flow through agreement. I disagree with your second sentence, over the past 20 years aviation diploma and degree programs have proliferated across Canada and most airline pilots (including those hired at feeders) seem to have one or the other.

I agree that those without post secondary education shouldn't be discouraged, but they should realize that Air Canada holds degrees and diplomas in high regard and they will likely require more experience to get an interview. It does not make you a better pilot or person, but its importance in the section process hasn't changed for decades and looking through the new hire biographies for the past decade it's clear that those with degrees/diplomas get a kick at the can with less experience than those without one.

I've had friends rejected, and certainly agree that the process can leave you bewildered, but, everyone you talk to says that the interview itself is very professional, and warm and they felt they accurately portrayed themselves.

In my close to 70yrs of existence post secondary education and fluency in both our official languages has alway been considered an asset speaking from the former not the latter. No guarantees of success of course(nor should it be) but a decided asset nevertheless.
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yvrflyguy
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by yvrflyguy »

another pit course announced for June 18. I knew they couldn’t hold off on the summer courses lol
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by daedalusx »

Will be interesting to see the express vs OTS breakdown.
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nottellin
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by nottellin »

Have calls gone out?
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JLA
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by JLA »

Same question. Also has anybody heard back from may interviews?
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Gonzodriver
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by Gonzodriver »

A guy i work with had the in person interview/medical mid April. He got a call a few weeks ago offering him a job and was told to plan for a fall course.
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JLA
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by JLA »

Have the calls gone out for June 18th? Heard the gs date wasn't a 100% guarantee..
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landsky
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by landsky »

JLA wrote: Mon Jun 04, 2018 9:20 am Have the calls gone out for June 18th? Heard the gs date wasn't a 100% guarantee..
I know of some OTS candidates that were called last week for the June 18th PIT course.
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Victory
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by Victory »

Gonzodriver wrote: Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:05 am A guy i work with had the in person interview/medical mid April. He got a call a few weeks ago offering him a job and was told to plan for a fall course.
That seems strange they would offer him a job without a start date.
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by altiplano »

Victory wrote: Mon Jun 04, 2018 12:19 pm
Gonzodriver wrote: Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:05 am A guy i work with had the in person interview/medical mid April. He got a call a few weeks ago offering him a job and was told to plan for a fall course.
That seems strange they would offer him a job without a start date.
I agree.

I think they wanted to get away from that 'pool' type situation where offers/promises were made and then the PML started.

They were likely getting back to him after the interview as they promised, and don't have anything now so told him, standby, courses resume in the fall... We'll let you know when we're ready. I agree, promising, he's likely going to get hired, but it's not an offer until you have a date... economy could shit, a world war could start, who knows...
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fruitloops
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by fruitloops »

some info as to who's getting hired....

small sample batch last May GS
12 new hires
-7 with degrees or at least college aviation diploma/degree
-1 OTS
-11 Express
The 5 without degrees came from Express and had Captain positions

last Apr GS
- i didn't go through everyone but here's the breakdown of the ones i did go through
Out of 19 new hires I looked through (more than that hired in this group as mentioned)
- 15 had degrees or at least college aviation diploma/degree - those that did not had excellent experience & plenty of hrs
- 11 OTS hires (westjet,porter,sunwing,cathay,air north,perimeter,etc)
- 3 ex-military
- 5 express pilots
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matc
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by matc »

Wow I'm really surprised most hires have college degrees now...I don't get it. If I had a degree in engineering I sure would be working in that field ! Well I had to choose between paying for my flying lessons or going to college, couldn't do both
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Duke15
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by Duke15 »

The late april GS, was almost all OTS. Only 3 jazz, 3-4 sky, 1 GGN, out of 37. I believe 10 from encore, 5-6 porter, a few SWG, and forget the others.(I was in it) Only have college diploma and 5500hrs, a lot of it is pic on multi twin turboprop if that helps.
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JLA
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by JLA »

Just got the e-mail stating my file was on hold for 12 months. Looks like a pool e-mail to me. Went through the whole process, including medical more than a month ago. Anyone got this before? And what should be expected? Never heard of such an answer before. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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Re: The Air Canada OTS thread

Post by schnitzel2k3 »

JLA wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:48 am Just got the e-mail stating my file was on hold for 12 months. Looks like a pool e-mail to me. Went through the whole process, including medical more than a month ago. Anyone got this before? And what should be expected? Never heard of such an answer before. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I guess their express list is finally starting to make traction as well as the training 'dog days of summer' kick in.

Don't fret, just hang tight. Where are you coming from by the way?

S.
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