AIRWAYS INTERVIEW
installing 30 lie-flat beds on the E175 , or maybe on the CRJ900 . We considered it , but there ’ s only demand for a small part of the day in a few markets in one direction , domestically speaking . We don ’ t think the market is big enough to justify another platform for us . We like the purity of our model , we like the single-type fleet that we have , and we think we have the appropriate airplane for our mission today .
Part 135 has played a crucial role in your development . Could you tell us more about the regulation , and how JSX benefits from it ? Under Part 135 , all our Pilots are recruited and tested based upon their competency . Whether you ’ re landing a military aircraft on an aircraft carrier at night and you ’ re 26 years old and have 500 hours total time , it ’ s about the quality of the training you receive , not the quantity . In our case , we have First Officers with as little as 750 hours , and they go through the same ATP qualifications and checks that a 121 carrier would put their Pilot through . They ’ re all ATPs , they all apply to the same standards as any Part 121 carrier . The training devices we use are identical to those used by 121 carriers .
The only difference is that some of our First Officers will have less than 1,500 hours . They need to achieve that to become a Captain and , of course , they need to be 23 years old . Sometimes , we have higher-time people who aren ’ t even 23 yet , but they ’ re all extremely capable and welltrained Pilots .
At the other end of the spectrum , in the US we have an arbitrary retirement age of 65 . At 65 , some people are ready to retire , and never want to look at an airplane again , and others are so in love with flying and aviation they want to keep going . So , again , if you have first-class medical , can maintain it every six months , and you are capable of being trained on the airplane and maintaining ATP standards in its left seat , then we ’ re happy to have you as a Pilot . For us , it ’ s about your condition and capabilities , not arbitrary numbers .
60 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE JUNE 2024 www . airwaysmag . com