alohastyle22

Any idea what type of aircraft?

WTFover

Really? I'll give ya three guesses and the first two don't count. Hint, there are many posts, including two on the previous page of this thread, discussing the very topic.

C5nwhaleguy

Hiring is great news but the company should also address how they might keep some of the young pups here. Contract, training center "career day", pay rates compared to other majors wide body rates, Atlas defined "vacation", trip trade joke, retirement match, 17 day min, lack of solidarity amongst the pilot group, just to name a few. I plan to stay as i'm hopeful that we newbies can bring the change from the old guard so to speak, but want to know how we can keep the door from revolving lower down....i know of some that have been looking to jump ship for the last few years...how about some others whom have been hired in the last few years...what are your classmates doing/saying? will we as unioin members even be able to vote or will the deal be inked by a select few....nice rant ehh

thesandbox

I will second the above.
The truth is not easily hidden....

742Dash

I would give it a 9.2. Pretty good rant.

But here is the thing. The company has a stack of resumes a mile high and guys beating on the door trying to get an interview. Attrition appears to be virtually zero. And any airline management will tell you that "pilots always *****" (which is true).

So from their standpoint things are fine, and they will continue to be "fine" until people actually start to leave.

Oh, and with every hiring cycle the "newbies" are going to push out the "old guard" and "fix things". The company is now of an age where some of the old farts used to the new guys who were going to "fix things". It is as predictable as missing sandwich trays in JFK.

But things are getting better in both the airline and the union; year by year. Sometimes at a glacial pace, but it is moving in the right direction. However the blind enthusiasum of applicants that is seen on this thread just sets people up for frustration and disappointment.

At the end of the day this place is what it is -- an ACMI and charter company. And until it has a business model that locks down the schedule it will continue to have that odor of bottom feeder, and an army of newbies is not going to be able to change that.

JT400

Nice rant. cricket.........cricket...........cricket. Here's the deal. The young CRJ guys that got hired during the last 3 years will be dropping Atlas like a hot potato waiting for their opportunity to go to a legacy. Than all of us old freight cargo dogs who want nothing to do with domestic passenger movement can move up. Period.

744driver

Ok, I get that, but those of us that are here should be motivated to improve things in the next CBA...it has nothing to do with the young pups that are here now, and want to leave.

First, I'm not so sure how many actually want to leave, and how many will get an opportunity to leave...It's not that easy these days to get on at a legacy (even if you don't mind sitting reserve in LGA, or other some such garden spot, hoping to fly a line one day on their MD88, etc)...

Second, even the ones that do end up leaving are motivated to improve things...and some of us that have been here a long time are actually the ones not doing our parts in supporting the CBA, reporting problems to the union, etc.

Solidarity and support of your fellow pilot is the only way to a better CBA next time around...right?

742Dash

Absolutely. But let's do 2 things.

First is to consider that guys with 20 years in this operation might understand a few things and are not brain damaged.

Second is to be sure that we are taking the red pill in the morning and not the blue pill. Reality matters.

NightIP

Gotta run, but...

The loudest ones are the ones who are the least happy. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't weighing the pros and cons of moving to a Legacy, but I'm 30 and currently have no focused intention of leaving. I've worked for a bottom-feeder ACMI that was known to be a meat grinder in terms of attrition, and frankly, Atlas isn't anywhere near that level, imperfections and all.

JonnyKnoxville

I'm a young CRJ guy that got on in the past 3 years who wants nothing to do with domestic passenger flights....

Not so black and white, is it?