The Air Canada OTS thread

[tata324]

Those of you who did interview in November, how many of you have gotten a background check request or heard anything?

I did mine towards the end of November and heard nothing from them. I have checked in twice with them and was told my file is still pending and awaiting a final decision. I also haven't received the background check request either. So I guess you're not the only one in that boat. Nothing was said about the medical or psych eval, so I am assuming all is well on that end, Background 4200 jet time TT 4400+/ with aviation Msc.

[a2btrail]

Calls also going out for Feb 22.

[flyboy88]

Those of you who did interview in November, how many of you have gotten a background check request or heard anything?

I did mine towards the end of November and heard nothing from them. I have checked in twice with them and was told my file is still pending and awaiting a final decision. I also haven't received the background check request either. So I guess you're not the only one in that boat. Nothing was said about the medical or psych eval, so I am assuming all is well on that end, Background 4200 jet time TT 4400+/ with aviation Msc.

Oh ok, glad to hear I'm not the only one who still haven't heard anything. I guess no news is good news.

[flying4dollars]

Those of you who did interview in November, how many of you have gotten a background check request or heard anything?

I did mine towards the end of November and heard nothing from them. I have checked in twice with them and was told my file is still pending and awaiting a final decision. I also haven't received the background check request either. So I guess you're not the only one in that boat. Nothing was said about the medical or psych eval, so I am assuming all is well on that end, Background 4200 jet time TT 4400+/ with aviation Msc.

Oh ok, glad to hear I'm not the only one who still haven't heard anything. I guess no news is good news.

I waited 3 months for a call in 2022 No news is def good news.

[bobcatdriver]

Calls also going out for Feb 22.

All hiring finished by June 2023?

[jpilot77]

Calls also going out for Feb 22.

All hiring finished by June 2023?

Usually a hiring pause during the summer and it starts back up in September (last year they hired throughout the summer but they only started hiring in the spring).

[a2btrail]

Calls also going out for Feb 22.

All hiring finished by June 2023?

Hiring will carry on throughout the summer. Potentially a slight tapper in numbers but from what I've been made aware of hiring will continue through summer 2023.

[cdnavater]

Calls also going out for Feb 22.

All hiring finished by June 2023?

Hiring will carry on throughout the summer. Potentially a slight tapper in numbers but from what I've been made aware of hiring will continue through summer 2023.

verb: taper
diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end
tapper
one who taps something or produces a tapping sound
Just saying;)

[NotDirty!]

All hiring finished by June 2023?

Hiring will carry on throughout the summer. Potentially a slight tapper in numbers but from what I've been made aware of hiring will continue through summer 2023.

verb: taper
diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end
tapper
one who taps something or produces a tapping sound
Just saying;)

Considering the number of new hires, there is bound to be a tapper amongst their numbers!

[olivierw]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

[indieadventurer]

8000+ TT with 500+ PIC 737 and university degree.

Haven’t been able to get an interview since posting went up in the spring.

Anyone else with a similar background hearing nothing?

[daedalusx]

8000+ TT with 500+ PIC 737 and university degree.

Haven’t been able to get an interview since posting went up in the spring.

Anyone else with a similar background hearing nothing?

Yup I’ve heard of a few drivers in your situation and yet plenty of sub 3000 hours are getting the call.

AC works in mysterious ways

[orangejuice]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

[jpilot77]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

[rudder]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

AC will need the extra 1000 to do the Express flying. Will also need to review NB fleet requirements.

[alkaseltzer]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

Fat chance...aircraft production is delayed.

[Vanguard]

Apparently calls for Feb 8th start date (Feb 13th in person) are going out.

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

It was 6300 in 2026. The amount of wrong information here is nuts.

700 more this year with GS every 2 weeks is the aim.

1100 Oct 2023-Oct 2024 and

700 Oct2024-2025



Retirement Average is at 121 all the way upto 2037. AVERAGE. Some years its 60-70 some it'll be 120+.

[thepoors]

So 3 PIT courses in February… 6,13,22? That seems like a lot

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

It was 6300 in 2026. The amount of wrong information here is nuts.

700 more this year with GS every 2 weeks is the aim.

1100 Oct 2023-Oct 2024 and

700 Oct2024-2025



Retirement Average is at 121 all the way upto 2037. AVERAGE. Some years its 60-70 some it'll be 120+.

Can you explain why there is such a frantic hiring push going on right now? Why not spread it out?

Just looking at the numbers here: ~120 retirements/yr doesn't seem to warrant so much hiring. 120/yr for the next 14yrs is only 1700. Why do they need 2500 new hires by 2026? There is little, if any, fleet growth happening. I can easily see any downturn causing a surplus situation ripe for layoffs.

[sstaurus]

Only what I’ve been told.. but Apparently they were short even before covid. And another 8-900 is for the new duty rules. Add in some retirements, plus jazz repatriation …but I can’t explain the full amount… seems like a lot to me as well.

[rudder]

Only what I’ve been told.. but Apparently they were short even before covid. And another 8-900 is for the new duty rules. Add in some retirements, plus jazz repatriation …but I can’t explain the full amount… seems like a lot to me as well.

The training pipeline cannot accommodate the numbers referenced above on an annual basis. How many type courses can the system handle? 600 PIT type courses plus another 800-1000 type courses from current pilots?

AC may well get to 6000 but it will likely be at a pace of 600/yr.

[FL030]

8000+ TT with 500+ PIC 737 and university degree.

Haven’t been able to get an interview since posting went up in the spring.

Anyone else with a similar background hearing nothing?

I'd start a new application from a different email host. They're hiring King Air medevac pilots now, they should be at least interviewing you. Sometimes things fall through the cracks. A lot of the initial application review is likely done by computers instead of people.

[Vanguard]

There are rumours that they still want to get to 6000 pilots by summer 24. They’re running classes every 2 weeks now.

It was 6300 in 2026. The amount of wrong information here is nuts.

700 more this year with GS every 2 weeks is the aim.

1100 Oct 2023-Oct 2024 and

700 Oct2024-2025



Retirement Average is at 121 all the way upto 2037. AVERAGE. Some years its 60-70 some it'll be 120+.

Can you explain why there is such a frantic hiring push going on right now? Why not spread it out?

Just looking at the numbers here: ~120 retirements/yr doesn't seem to warrant so much hiring. 120/yr for the next 14yrs is only 1700. Why do they need 2500 new hires by 2026? There is little, if any, fleet growth happening. I can easily see any downturn causing a surplus situation ripe for layoffs.

Air Canada does not have the pilots for their summer schedule right now. The hiring is a combination of future retirements, CARS duty regulations, Attrition (YES AC Has it too but not as high ~ approx 20/yr) and projected fleet growth. Keep in mind AC is not currently hiring all 20yr olds. Its a mix bag of experience from all over the world.

I don't think layoffs are expected unless there is a major or extreme downturn in the economic climate or lockdown. The demand for air travel is strong and AC has a strong pull in the US/International Markets. The demand for travel has never been crazier and it will be hard for AC to cover all the flying possible. The hiring will need to continue to meet the demand for the foreseeable future.

[TheStig]

I have to disagree with the post above, with the caveat that if there is a massive recession there won't be much movement for roughly 2-3 years, but I believe that would unfortunately be the same situation (or worse) regardless of which airline you worked for.

With reference to the two seniority projectors available one shows 280 mandatory (age 65) retirements between 2023-2026, while the other subscription service projects over 400 from 2022-2025, I've referenced those projections for about 10 years and found them to be accurate to within +/-5 annually. A pretty impressive mathematical projection when you account for unforeseen but sadly inevitable loses due to deaths, life long disabilities, resignations, and terminations.

Retirements ebb and flow, and the ebb we have today is a result of the early retirements in 2020/21. For the 6 years after 2026 projected retirements range from 110-150 annually. A pilot hired today at sen. 4500 could expect to see themselves move up to roughly sen 3300 in the next 10 years.

So what all that mean? That depends on the fleet. As of Dec 31/22 AC had 233 aircraft between ML/LCC with roughly 4500 pilots, on Dec 31/20 there were 255 and the last projection prior to the pandemic 261 aircraft were planned to be in the fleet at the end of 2021 to be flown by a planned 5000 pilots, with the junior Captains positions being awarded in the 3600-3800 range. I'm not sure where the 6000 pilot number came from but from what's been announced the 23 parked LCC 767's capacity is being replaced by a combination of the A21XLR and exercised 787 options. From what's been announced some A220 options and factory new 767/777 freighters have been ordered/exercised as well. That's easily 5000+ pilots by 2025 even with new aircraft phasing out some older airframes. 6000 seems like a massive number but so did 4000 when rumours of a massive hiring spree were being used to pitch a 10 year contract.

The latest financial statements available don't offer much insight past the end of this year, the full year 2022 results provided next month should provide a longer term picture. The pre-pandemic Air Canada seemed to believe there was a market for a fleet of 250-270 aircraft.

[rudder]

The latest financial statements available don't offer much insight past the end of this year, the full year 2022 results provided next month should provide a longer term picture. The pre-pandemic Air Canada seemed to believe there was a market for a fleet of 250-270 aircraft.

There are 60 76 seat jets operated by Express.

The process of substituting mainline NB and Rouge aircraft on to Express operated routes began prior to COVID and is continuing now. The A220 converted options and extension of A319 fleet operations is a manifest result of this evolution.

Where that goes 2023-2025 remains TBD. But each time an additional A220 is ordered or A319’s remain in the AC fleet plan is another nail in the Express 76 seat jet coffin.

Notably, there has been ZERO public discussion by either AC, CHR, or Jazz about 76 seat jet fleet renewal. That is an ominous sign for the future of the Express 76 seat jet operation.

Mainline pilot staffing will increase if Express/Jazz pilot staffing decreases.

[flyingcanuck]

The latest financial statements available don't offer much insight past the end of this year, the full year 2022 results provided next month should provide a longer term picture. The pre-pandemic Air Canada seemed to believe there was a market for a fleet of 250-270 aircraft.

Notably, there has been ZERO public discussion by either AC, CHR, or Jazz about 76 seat jet fleet renewal. That is an ominous sign for the future of the Express 76 seat jet operation.

why would there be, its locked in for another 13 years?