Category Archives: SkyWest People

Nov 14

Chicago Habitat for Humanity Family Welcomed Home

A grateful family of five was recently welcomed home for the first time at a Chicago Habitat for Humanity home dedication; a house SkyWest people worked together to help build.

“This home means peace of mind. You never know what the future will bring, but we’ll know [our kids and grandkids] always have a home to go to,” said Shuanta and Mike Sampson, beneficiaries of the new Habitat home.

Volunteers, Habitat staff, donors and community members were all in attendance to welcome the Sampson family home with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, handing over of the keys and home tour. Messay Kedida, one of the Sampson’s new neighbors and fellow Habitat beneficiary said, “The excitement you feel leading up to getting your house is nothing like the excitement you feel when you’re in your new home with your family – especially over the holidays.”

Over the past few months, SkyWest teams have been working alongside Habitat for Humanity to help build homes around the system in celebration of 45 years of flying. David Chudy of Habitat for Humanity Chicago said, “It’s great to see SkyWest employees come together to help with Habitat Chicago’s vision to build strong communities and provide housing. Volunteers are instrumental. Thank you to SkyWest!”

SkyWest is happy to support initiatives that encourage employees to give back. Learn more about joining the SkyWest team.

Sep 29

SkyWest at Girls in Aviation Day

On Saturday, Sept. 23, SkyWest people celebrated Girls in Aviation Day at events held around the country. Girls in Aviation Day is held by Women in Aviation International (WAI) each September and looks to bring the passion, exploration, learning and excitement of aviation to girls aged 8-17.

This year, SkyWest sponsored two WAI Girls in Aviation Day chapters: Purdue University and Stars of the North – Minnesota. It was a privilege to take part in the day’s activities and share our passion for aviation with future aviators!

At the Purdue Girls in Aviation Day event, SkyWest pilots flew an Embraer E175 to the university airport, giving the girls up-close experience with state-of-the-art jet aircraft. Our pilots met with the girls and talked about their flying experiences as they showed off the aircraft, providing hands-on learning with everything from the controls in the flight deck to the massive engine underneath each wing for the awestruck group of girls.

At the Girls in Aviation gathering in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the SkyWest team shared information about aviation STEM careers like airline pilots, mechanics and the variety of technical positions that keep an airline running!

“It was so inspiring to see so many girls with the drive and passion to be involved in the aviation industry at such a young age,” said SkyWest Recruitment Specialist Emma Morris. “Watching them talk about their dreams to become pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, programmers and more was really inspiring. Then being able to introduce them to our pilots and have them ask questions about the work here at SkyWest was even more of a treat.”

SkyWest is a proud equal opportunity employer and is home to more than 12,200 of the best professionals in the airline industry. Those who are ready to pursue their aviation career can apply online at www.skywest.com/careers.

Sep 22

SkyWest Teams Strong at ORD Plane Pull for Special Olympics

As part of SkyWest’s Appreciation Week festivities, Chicago based crewmembers joined together to raise money for The Special Olympics in the ultimate tug of war – competing to pull a plane by a rope.

Teams “SkyWest” and “SkyWest Strong” put their muscles to the test pulling an Airbus A300; no easy feat considering it weights nearly 180,000 pounds! Beyond raising funds for a great cause, a good time was had by all!

SkyWest believes in supporting the causes our people are passionate about through the Spirit of SkyWest: Our People in Action program, which is set up to allow SkyWest contributions for any SkyWest team member participating in an eligible charitable 501(c)(3) cause. It’s just one of the many ways SkyWest gives back to the communities we serve through our amazing people.

Sep 18

SkyWest Appreciation Week 2017!

Games, photos, fun and plenty of food were just some of the ways SkyWest’s more than 12,200 team members celebrated each other and their amazing work as part of Appreciation Week 2017. This year, SkyWest employees have already helped successfully operate more than 500,000 flights while adding 56 aircraft to the fleet and welcoming two new domiciles. Impressive numbers made possible by the best workforce in the industry!

Throughout the week, team members submitted photos of their daily operations from across the country, then voted for their favorites. Stunning shots of flight decks, airplane tails and maintenance hangars were submitted and voted on. Not only do SkyWest airline professionals have talent in the industry, they also are handy with a camera.

Photo Contest Winner - Photo by JAC Ramp Agent Katie Tolin

Photo Contest Winner – Katie Tolin, JAC Ramp Agent

There was plenty of fun to be had as teams gathered in locations all across SkyWest country for some creative games and contests. With balloon darts, homemade mini golf courses, photo booths and numerous other events, the fun and competition was off the charts. Of course, what’s a party without food? Taco trucks, BBQs, pizza – you name it and it was likely on the menu somewhere during the week!

It’s all part of celebrating the greatest team that makes SkyWest the best regional airline in the industry. To see some of the fun from 2017 Appreciation Week, check out the photos below!

Sep 09

SkyWest Bands Together in Relief Efforts

In recent weeks, Mother Nature has made her presence known across the states, with Hurricane Harvey making landfall and devastating parts of Texas and Louisiana, then Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria following in Florida and Puero Rico respectively. In true SkyWest fashion, people stepped forward immediately asking how they could help their team members in need.

Thankfully, all SkyWest people are safe. However, several have experienced tremendous property loss due to the historic flooding. SkyWest is offering a myriad of resources to support our people, from personal outreach from leaders to SOS: Crisis Fund resources for those in Harvey’s path. Additionally, SOS: Family Assistance is available to those on an approved personal leave of absence to take time to rebuild and recuperate from the flooding. Family Assistance allows SkyWest team members to donate their user and vacation hours to those on an approved leave.

SkyWest Crisis Fund Recipients Rebuilding

Since the hurricane, SkyWest people have donated $15,000 to the SOS: Crisis Fund, with those funds going directly to SkyWest employees who’ve experienced loss from Harvey’s path. SkyWest has already granted more than $50,000 to our people and we continue to receive and fund applications as the harsh realities of the storm’s effects settle in.

In addition to directly helping our people, we’ve worked with the Red Cross and donated $10,000 to help provide aide and an American Red Cross Emergency Vehicle in flood areas. We continue to work with the Red Cross and other relief organizations to coordinate efforts on support and relief.

No matter the challenge, SkyWest people are a family and rise to support each other in times of need. And that is the Spirit of SkyWest.

Aug 21

Tips to Prep for Your SkyWest Interview

Applying and interviewing for your dream job can be a bit daunting, but to help you here are some tips to help you feel prepared for an interview at SkyWest Airlines:

Do some research! A good place to start is on our company “About Us” page and our SkyWest history timeline.
Study the duties and qualifications of the job from the career guide and application. Be ready to speak confidently about your skills and how you are capable of fulfilling – and exceeding — expectations. Come prepared with ways you would be a good fit and how you could positively add to SkyWest’s team.
Dress appropriately and be prepared with thoughtful questions.
Be yourself and show off how you’d fit in the SkyWest team! At SkyWest, we always welcome professional and positive team members who are exceptional at their craft, enhance our company culture and represent our Guiding Principles:
- Health and Safety First
- Excellent Service and Quality
- Personal and Operational Reliability
- Fairness and Consistency
- Respect and Teamwork
- Personal and Corporate Integrity
- Superior Profitability and Efficient Use of All Resources

You’ve got this. SkyWest Airlines was named on Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Interview 2017” list. Come and see for yourself how great interviewing at SkyWest is! Find open positions and apply online at www.skywest.com/careers.

Aug 08

Be Ready for Your Upgrade

SkyWest is known for one of the best pilot training programs in the industry. From a pilot’s first contact with SkyWest’s training department at our ATP CTP course to captain upgrade training, SkyWest is focused on professionalism and proficiency for every pilot. We use an AQP curriculum, and our certified SkyWest instructors are all SkyWest pilots who know what it’s like to fly the line. This makes it so our pilots are uniquely prepared for their upgrade to captain around 2 years.

Check out what V.P. of Flight Ops Tracy Gallo, Director of Training Dave Moxham and CRJ Captain Mitch Lucas II have to say about the training SkyWest Airlines offers:

SkyWest pilots have more opportunities to Take Control of Their Careers than any other regional pilot, including the best training, quality of life and career advancement opportunities. Learn more about our current upgrade times by visiting skywest.com/pilot and checking out the “Seniority” tab.

Be ready for your upgrade and Take Control of Your Career. Apply Today!

Jul 10

SkyWest Partners with Habitat for Humanity to Celebrate 45 Years!

SkyWest Airlines celebrated 45 years of flight on June 19, 2017. To commemorate, SkyWest people traded their wings for shovels, hammers and work gloves to give back to the communities in which we live and work. Over the course of a few weeks, dozens of employees came together alongside Habitat for Humanity to donate their time and their muscle in the cities of Salt Lake, Denver and Chicago. Through these construction events, SkyWest people were able to map out foundations, prepare and clear lots, frame walls and complete a number of other tasks to set the framework (quite literally!) for each beneficiary’s success.

Stepping out of their traditional daily roles, participants demonstrated their goodness and willingness to give back, as well as the SkyWest commitment to teamwork and quality. As Dontay Riley of Chicago InFlight said, “The coolest part for me has been being able to…come together — not with the fixture of an airplane in front of us — and watch this organic teamwork happen.”

A Year of Giving

SkyWest will continue to celebrate 45 years of flying throughout the year with additional ways of giving back to the communities around us. Be sure to watch SkyBlog for more SkyWest happenings!

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity, visit Habitat.org

Jun 18

Families that Fly Together: Thanks Dad!

For brothers Robert and Cory Rice, SkyWest is quite literally part of the family. Inspired to become pilots by their father, retired SkyWest Captain Brent Rice, Robert and Cory told us about how aviation, and SkyWest, runs in their blood.

“Before my dad got into flying he was in a high stress business,” said Captain Cory Rice. “I saw him so much more as a pilot than with his old job; he flew for SkyWest from 1986 to 2000. He had a good time flying.”

Captain Robert Rice continued, “I had never seen him happier than when he made the switch to flying at SkyWest. He switched to doing something he loved and getting paid to do it. It was a completely new, challenging experience. [I learned to] make sure you do something you love and love what you do. Then, when you’re working it doesn’t feel like working.”

Cory remembers early on his dad would talk about how great SkyWest and the lifestyle was.

“It was definitely a SkyWest family that I saw firsthand,” said Cory. “He had made so many friends and loved it so much, that it inspired us all to do our flight training as soon as we could.”

And by all, he means all four of the Rice siblings! Their little sister also flew for SkyWest and their oldest brother also received his pilots’ licenses, and the siblings had the rare chance to train together and fly together over the years.

Robert remembers flying in the EMB120 Brasilia with his dad – he even had the chance to fly with him for an entire month! When asked what he learned from that experience, Robert said, “What I learned is you can be a safe pilot, obey all the rules and still have fun. If you treat your fellow workers with kindness and respect you always get the best effort.”

“My dad is a pretty laid back guy and he taught us to be laid back and rational and to never jump to make a bad decision,” said Cory. “That and the value of friendships within the company. It’s where I’ve met my closest friends.”

At least one Captain Rice has flown at SkyWest over the past 31 years, and they’ve seen plenty of changes to the airline and the industry. Still, some things haven’t changed at all.

“Even though SkyWest has gotten much bigger than when I first was hired, it still has that family feel,” said Robert. “I found out long ago from my Dad’s example that this job is what you make it; respect everyone and enjoy life!”