Packrat

I disagree. I've flown the MD at two different airlines and the DC-9 in the Navy. There is NOTHING WRONG with the MD-80. Granted, its not at the pointy end of the technology spear anymore, but it is hardly a death machine.

Your problem is obviously a Maintenance Department that is short cutting their responsibilities in the name of profits. Alaska found out how short sighted that is when AS261 nose dived into the Pacific.

Allegiant managers should have learned that when Valujet 592 went down in the Everglades. Looks like the lesson didn't take. The point is this...the airplane, when properly cared for, is a solid platform. AA operated over 300 of them with no significant problems for decades.

I personally can't believe that the FAA hasn't shut your place down due to the inordinate number of engine issues you have experienced. There is obviously a problem in your maintenance management department. The -219 and -217 engines are virtually bullet proof with normal care and attention.

Seems the problem with the MD is Allegiant-centric at this point. Allegiant pilots know it, other airline MD pilots know it, the FAA just doesn't seem to know it. The Teamsters' Saftey Commitee needs to get proactive and prod the FAA into DOING SOMETHING to protect Allegiant pilots, F/As and passengers from what appears to the casual observer to be maintenance malpractice in progress.

Will it take another smoking hole with 150 dead passengers/crew to get the Feds off dead center?

Crod8635

1.What do they ask in the phone interview??

2. How fast are people getting called after applying?

3. What would be the next class date they need to fill?

CLMP

I think you took my comment too literally. Of course there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the aircraft, but those coming from more advanced aircraft will find the DFGC much less intuitive and easier to mess up. I have years of experience training pilots on this aircraft so I'm not making this up.

dawgdriver

True statement CLMP. PackRat is correct also. This is what is so scary. The MD-80 is not inherently a bad design, just tough to get used to with a fairly sharp learning curve. Everyone eventually figures out the DFGC and handling quirks but it's the interim that is of concern. Unlike AA, we now have new-hires with very little turbine experience, being trained by a cost-driven training department that was originally designed for high time, experienced turbine drivers. Not only do we not teach traditional concepts related to high altitude/high speed performance, our training was actually shut down by the FAA, our simulators are highly unreliable and break for weeks and our new instructors have very little experience. Now these newly-minted, bright-eyed FOs are suddenly being awarded immediate upgrade due to our extremely unpopular 'virtual TDY' (HOM) base. Very disturbing.

Combine all this with the shoddy maintenance that Pack describes, an inexperienced, revolving door support staff, arrogant, greedy management, and finally, one of the toughest operating environments in commercial aviation, and what you have is a re-creation of ValuJet

eman

Ive been hearing of Allegiant canceling sim reservations they had ever since I started training in May at PanAm Miami . It's funny because we are always hoping a spot opens up so we can schedule too, then they cancel and we missed out. What gives?

I'm not with Allegiant btw, just curious...since I've been reading here of their hiring and need for pilots.

Packrat

Agreed. For guys coming from Next Gen style platforms, the MD can be a bit user unfriendly due to the age of the technology. That said, I'd prefer to see Captains with more than a couple months experience in the right seat, but in a seniority driven system, if no one bids it that's what you get.

Time2Fly

Is there a date scheduled for the September class yet?

TBucs

I believe its 9/14

Vegaspilot

Email said class of 28 on 9/21, but that's a Sunday so the 22nd maybe.

clippedwings

What happened to the 48 newhires in September? Guess they are having a hard time filling classes.