Nov 07

SkyWest People Support the Fight Against Breast Cancer!

Last month was Breast Cancer Awareness month and SkyWest employees from around the system teamed up to support the fight and bring awareness through generous donations and events!

Throughout the month, team members donated to the American Cancer Society for a chance to win a SkyWest CRJ200 aircraft model and SkyWest matrix jacket. Congratulations to Chicago CRJ Captain Taylor Hinson, who came away with the aircraft model, valued at $300, and ERJ First Officer Benjamin Ruth, who will take home the matrix jacket!

At the 2017 Komen Colorado Race for the Cure, employees on team “Denver Flyers” got moving for the cause, gathering donations and participating in a 5K event. At SkyWest headquarters, employees got busy in the kitchen, making treats for the annual bake sale and cooking up chili for the competitive Chili Cook-Off! While the competition was hot, hundreds of dollars were raised to benefit the American Cancer Society.

And of course, what would Breast Cancer Awareness Month be without pink? Crewmembers purchased hundreds of pink items to go with their uniforms, with funds benefitting cancer research. Pink ties, scarves and socks were proudly worn to raise awareness and remember fighters and survivors. In the air, passengers were able to buy special food and drink items with their purchases helping the fight against cancer.

Together, SkyWest people raised thousands of dollars for cancer research in October in a display of solidarity for each other and those we serve onboard each of our 2,000+ daily flights!

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.

Sep 01

My SkyWest Journey: SAN and BOI Pilots Return Home with New Bases

Today, two new SkyWest domiciles opened: San Diego (SAN) and Boise, Idaho (BOI). With the addition of SAN and BOI, SkyWest now has 17 domiciles in operation across the country. To hear about how having more domicile options improved their quality of life, we reached out to two captains who are returning to their hometowns. Read below to hear how their SkyWest Journey has brought them home!

Captain Mark Valentine was born and raised in Boise, Idaho. When SkyWest announced it would be opening a Boise domicile (BOI), Captain Valentine was among the first to apply for a transfer. While he didn’t expect to hold the base right away, he was thrilled when it got awarded.

“I can now drive 10 minutes to work!” Captain Valentine said. “It is so much more convenient than the two-hour commute I had before.”

Boise is where Captain Valentine was first introduced to his love of flight. When he accompanied his father on a trip to a business meeting, 6-year-old Mark stayed awake for the entire flight while his father fell asleep. The family friend who was flying the aircraft noticed the young boy attentively awake and offered to have him come into the cockpit.

“What 6-year-old is going to turn down an offer to fly a plane?” Captain Valentine said. “I remember sitting in the cockpit for probably half an hour, amazed that I was flying the plane.”

That was all it took for Captain Valentine to establish his new dream.

After serving in the military for a few years, Captain Valentine returned home to Idaho and enrolled in a flight school to pursue his childhood dream.

In June of 2012, Captain Valentine upgraded from a smaller airplane to SkyWest. He says that once he was hired, he has never looked back!

“The people at SkyWest are what make this place so unique,” Captain Valentine said. “The culture here is much more like a family than anything else.”

Captain Rick Salvador has been living in San Diego since being hired at SkyWest over 16 years ago, though until today he’s been commuting to his LAX base. When he heard he was awarded the new San Diego (SAN) domicile, he responded like a true Californian:

“There’s no more traffic and driving up the 405 to get to LAX. The quality of life just got so much better!”

Captain Salvador started his career as a SkyWest pilot in 2001. When SkyWest retired the Brasilia in 2014, he took the next available CRJ class and spent two years based out of SkyWest’s Denver (DEN) hub before transferring to LAX.

Captain Salvador looks forward to being based back in his hometown after three years of commuting. He is excited for the opportunities the base presents, and the chance to mentor new pilots.

“I really enjoy the camaraderie with the people at SkyWest, especially at the smaller domiciles,” said Captain Salvador. “It truly makes for a pleasant place to work.”

SkyWest flies in partnership with four major airlines including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. These partnerships give our pilots more opportunity and exposure than any other regional airline pilot. Check out our pilot career guide for more information, and Take Control of your Career with 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 14

SkyWest Scholarship Program Awards 45 Outstanding Students

Congratulations to this year’s SkyWest Scholarship recipients! SkyWest is home to the best and brightest in the industry and that fact was emphasized by the caliber of employees and dependents vying for a shot at this year’s awards. More than 150 driven students with lofty goals and aspirations applied for a chance to receive one of three different scholarships to assist them in their pursuits of higher education.

Captain Morgan Simmons, E175 Fleet Training Manager

Coincidently, as SkyWest celebrates 45 years of flying in 2017, this year’s evaluations resulted in awards for 45 remarkable students! The recipients had a diverse range of academic ambitions to enhance their lives and those around them. In fact, Presidential Scholarship recipient Captain Morgan Simmons, E175 Fleet Training Manager recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of his first solo flight. He continues to fulfill his childhood aviation dreams by helping to lead SkyWest’s exceptional pilot training program for its fleet of over 100 E175 aircraft. He is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Human Factors to find ways to continue enhancing aviation safety and training. And Chicago ERJ First Officer Simon Biaggini who also received a Presidential award, is now studying to receive a Master’s Degree in Aviation and Transportation Science after serving in the Israeli Air Force and bringing his dream of flying to America as he plans to advance his career in aviation

ERJ First Officer Simon Biaggini

The SkyWest Scholarship Committee, made up of representatives from each of the SkyWest employee groups, volunteered countless hours to evaluate more than 150 applications. Each application was scored on a variety of criteria, including GPA, career interests, future goals extracurricular activities and unique challenges. With so many bright and goal-driven applicants, the committee was charged with the difficult task of identifying the cream of the crop!

From graduate students to college freshmen, each of the recipients exemplifies what sets SkyWest apart: dedication and hard work to achieve big dreams. Congratulations to each of this year’s SkyWest Scholarship recipients! We look forward to watching you soar in your academic and professional pursuits!