The Air Canada OTS thread

[jpilot77]

Ok’ I’m gonna throw it out to the masses for some advice:

I am a 705 captain at a regional carrier, considering going to Jazz to get the long term goal of Air Canada. I meet the minimum hiring matrix for AC, but just barely so.

I think there a lot of unemployment overseas guys, along with many experiences guys from WJ, Teansat, you name it with their names in the pile that have loads more experience. But maybe I’m wrong?

Thoughts on staying put to see if AC calls, or get in line at Jazz (hopefully a quick upgrade) and get the call when it’s my turn.

2073 hours TT
990 two crew turbine time
1088 PIC with 392 twin pic, 233 of that is two crew pic.

If I was in your spot I’d go to Jazz.

[BingBong]

Not necessarily….the sheer numbers quoted in the latest Jazz bid vs the ratio in the contract kinda show that a lot of early hiring at AC will come from OTS and the slack will get picked up later in the year from Jazz. Also with your current experience I would also stick it out at Porter while
a) waiting for AC to call (at least by the end of the year you should have at least been processed you would figure)
b) in the possibility you aren’t successful with the process at AC (cause it does happen) you’d be in a good spot for the EMJ Capt when the expansion does finally occur.
C) making a sideways movement to Jazz would only make sense if you are young enough to wait out the full list of Jazz flow that would be ahead of you AND could be guaranteed one of the rumored DEC spots

Food for thought.

[nowind]

I would definitely go to Jazz. I heard MS saying they are looking specially for individuals with experience on similar aircraft type (boeing, Airbus) to fill the ots spots. 2000 hours is still low time I believe to get hired off the street unless you have something special like military experience. Youll be in the left seat in a minute at Jazz and at AC in less than two years if things keep going. Good luck!

[altiplano]

2000 hours won't be competitive OTS. I'd suggest you are at least a few years away from building enough time/experience to be competitive. The deal with Jazz restricts the number OTS they can take.

705 CA with that low time is pretty sweet though...

If you could move to Jazz as DEC, or fast upgrade, sideways move perhaps, but if comparable or better terms and conditions... I'd probably do it... I bet you'd be under 2 years to an AC interview.

[skylight]

Btw does anyone know how long it takes for AC to get back to you after the interview, psychological evaluation and medical?
Thanks.

[jpilot77]

Btw does anyone know how long it takes for AC to get back to you after the interview, psychological evaluation and medical?
Thanks.

Depends how competitive you are, how many hours and the breakdown, post secondary education and other factors. It can be as little as a couple weeks to over a couple months.

[Jetlifer]

Thank you all for the advice and input, much appreciated!

[skylight]

Btw does anyone know how long it takes for AC to get back to you after the interview, psychological evaluation and medical?
Thanks.

Depends how competitive you are, how many hours and the breakdown, post secondary education and other factors. It can be as little as a couple weeks to over a couple months.

That's good to know. thank you!

[Outlaw58]

2000 hours won't be competitive OTS. I'd suggest you are at least a few years away from building enough time/experience to be competitive. The deal with Jazz restricts the number OTS they can take.

705 CA with that low time is pretty sweet though...

If you could move to Jazz as DEC, or fast upgrade, sideways move perhaps, but if comparable or better terms and conditions... I'd probably do it... I bet you'd be under 2 years to an AC interview.

There are worst things in the life of a pilot than getting "stucked" at Jazz

58

[benny8]

Btw does anyone know how long it takes for AC to get back to you after the interview, psychological evaluation and medical?
Thanks.

I was told "Officially 6-8 weeks but it will be faster than that." I'm 3 weeks post interview/med and still waiting.

[columbia]

2000 hours won't be competitive OTS. I'd suggest you are at least a few years away from building enough time/experience to be competitive. The deal with Jazz restricts the number OTS they can take.

705 CA with that low time is pretty sweet though...

If you could move to Jazz as DEC, or fast upgrade, sideways move perhaps, but if comparable or better terms and conditions... I'd probably do it... I bet you'd be under 2 years to an AC interview.

There are worst things in the life of a pilot than getting "stucked" at Jazz

58

Indeed. Jazz is actually a very good company to work for.

[altiplano]

Never said/inferred it wasn't, just addressing the question if the poster's goal is AC.

[rudder]

Jazz is a CPA carrier. No such thing as a QK passenger flight.

AC is an airline. Both are air carriers. But only one has code.

99% chance AC will still be around in 2050. Jazz? Who knows. Plan accordingly.

[bob99]

893 vacancies on the equipment bid. Lots of movement to come at the 3 main bases.

[sportingrifle]

The interesting part will be watching what happens when Jazz can’t live up to its side of the PML to supply 535 pilots to AC in the next year. (Hint: If you want to go to AC and have left seat 705 time, don’t apply to Jazz.)
And standby for a greatly uplifted and long overdue new hire pay scale.

[rudder]

The interesting part will be watching what happens when Jazz can’t live up to its side of the PML to supply 535 pilots to AC in the next year. (Hint: If you want to go to AC and have left seat 705 time, don’t apply to Jazz.)
And standby for a greatly uplifted and long overdue new hire pay scale.

AC will not be adding 893 pilots in the next 12 months. That is more likely an 18 month hiring timeframe.

Can Jazz supply 535 pilots over 12 months? No. Over 18 months? Possibly.

The issue circa June 2022 is that there probably not 535 qualified Jazz applicants. But over the next 18 months there probably will be.

The later 2022 AC PIT courses will be full of Jazz pilots (to catch up to the annual 60%). 2023 may start the same (first courses weighted towards OTS) but it won’t work to simply play catch up in the second half of the year. I would expect a more even distribution as Jazz will have to get out ahead in hiring and upgrading between now and summer 2023. Jazz is also exiting a few airframes in 2023 so that will help.

If I told you that a Jazz July 2022 new-hire ATPL would have a 90% chance of being at AC sometime in 2023, would you consider that better odds than OTS? I guess that is the bet some will be placing.

[bob99]

893 is what's needed in 12 months. Will it happen? No, but they've been training at a rate higher than that for the last 8 months and ground schools are running every 2 weeks right now.

[FL030]

Imagine coming off furlough straight to NB Capt. Life's a trip.

[bcflyer]

Imagine coming off furlough straight to NB Capt. Life's a trip.

Just remember, there is a reason that position is going so junior…..

[the-minister31]

Imagine coming off furlough straight to NB Capt. Life's a trip.

Just remember, there is a reason that position is going so junior…..

What would that reason be?