Vikz09

I helped get a friend hired but I believe the pilots hired had a whole lot of time. My buddy got the united screw job and he had in excess of 10000 hours. I feel sorry for him that he is sitting RSV FO at a regional but it's ugly in the flying world as everyone knows. He was in last class and company has the pick of pilots (they are hiring the high time pilots not the low time pilots) As far as what is competitive, I can't say for sure but don't be surprised if 6000 hours is on the low side at this point. It will come screaming down once there is some movement in the flow thru and outside airlines begin to hire. It's not uncommon for me to fly with someone who has over 15000 hours. We have many former ATA guys that have 1000's of PIC hours of international 757 time. In a given month i will fly with a variety of pilots who are at compass because there previous airline took a crap (ATA, Midwest, Champion, Air Tran, Trans States, Eagle, Mesa, Air Willy, Horizon, American, United, World, Alligent, etc.)

Never-the-less Compass has never been the entry point airline.. And with our published minimums i don't think it ever will. The company hired a few pilots with less then 1500 hours in the early stages and the union quickly put the stops to that.

lionflyer

Yeah I guess things are a little different when you're hired as an instant CA. I'm glad they're hiring experienced guys. I know the industry is in the crapper but what is the incentive at Compass? The Flowthru? It ain't the pay or the upgrade time. Are some guys that desperate to stay in a cockpit. I went thru the regional ranks also and it was hard enough the first time without the house and kids. Maybe it's just me but I would rather do something else than fly an aircraft dang near the equivalent of a DC9 for $24.00/hr.

Vikz09

Well I am sure everybody has there own reasons. I know some are doing it to maintain currency for when the airlines do begin hiring. It's always easier to get a job when you have a job (currency does play into the decisions of some carriers) Perhaps the pilot needs health benifits. There are many reasons but i will not be the jury on why someone decides to fly. I do think many choose compass because of the plane and its potential unfortunatley the company isn't the same as it was when i started... mgmt has gotten arrogant... there attitude will change when they have a hard time recruiting to file the seats vacated by the flow and the others who leave for other airlines, corporate or over seas operators. Mgmt. is always nicer to the help when they have to recruit and hire.

As for the upgrade question sure the upgrade is slow now but when airlines hire i suspect Compass will lose many more pilots then others for two reasons

1) the flow will take 80 pilots the first year and all could flow in 4 months that is fast turnover.
2) the FO's for the most part all have plenty of time to move to other carriers... just need those carrier's to hire first. Once Delta starts hiring (i suspect sometime after the first quater of 2010) many other airlines will probably be in the same boat. You also have to take into account that Delta does not have any pilots on furlough so the first group of 80 hired will be from Compass and Mesaba... When United, American and others need to hire they will first have to bring back there furlough's which again some of those pilots are at compass and second that means they will not be hiring off the street... What other regional will lose 80 pilots to a major immediatly when the airlines begin hiring? Factor that with the fact that the Fo's have thousand's and thousand's of hours and they to may be ahead of other regional guys for that same pilot slot at continental, United and American and of course they have to bring back everyone from furlough first.

Climbto450

I also got the shaft from United. I recieved an email say congrats and then a week later I recieved an email saying sorry but we have stopped hiring. That was in March/April last year.

Climbto450

Yes B.S. Aeronautical science ERAU 1996.

Excel

Well the problem with a regional hiring such high-time pilots is that when hiring picks up in the next 12-24 months these people are going to bolt. I think it is a luxury that right now such companies are able to pick and chose quality, qualified pilots, however... Does the company really think these 6,000-15,000 hour pilots are going to stick around at a regional when the majors start calling? Wouldnt it be in their best interest to recruit guys with a bit less experience that would most likely stick around for a bit longer? Just thinking out loud...

Lighteningspeed

This is precisely why at Mesaba they have hired a lot of low time pilots. On the last round Mesaba did hire a lot of furloughed airline pilots and even hired a retired United 747 CA. Unlike Compass, Mesaba has no ATP requirement to be hired.

If you are furloughed you don't have to the luxury to pick and choose ideal positions. Many just go to the first flying job available to stay current and to make ends meet.

I think many chose to go to Compass instead of Mesaba because even though Mesaba has better work rules including paying for single occupancy hotel room for the entire duration of your training is that many of those high time pilots did not want the possibility of flying turboprops.

Plus if flowthru resumes, Compass has the better flowthru agreement which will shorten the time to flow even for junior guys to Delta if Delta continues the flowthru for an extended period. ie. If Delta starts to hire in the Spring of 2010 and need, lets say 30 pilots a month for 1 year, first 20 comes from Compass and then the next 9 pilots comes from Mesaba. Compass is limited to 25% of total pilots which means about 83 pilots from Compass and about 108 pilots from Mesaba for the first year of hiring. I seriously doubt Delta will have a hiring period of longer than 1 year, if at that.

I think pilots in control of the union at Mesaba and at Compass missed the boat by not pushing for stapling of all Compass and Mesaba pilots to the bottom of the Delta seniority list in the early part of 2008. Many at Mesaba are not counting on the flowthru to Delta for many reasons and are planning to go elsewhere when hiring resumes.

Blkflyer

If Mama Delta did that then the divide amongst pilots would only Grow ie Comair has been Wholly Owned long before Compass and Mesaba and Comair Still Get the middle finger from Delta

Palmtree Pilot

[QUOTE=Vikz09;602556]In a given month i will fly with a variety of pilots who are at compass because there previous airline took a crap (ATA, Midwest, Champion, Air Tran, Trans States, Eagle, Mesa, Air Willy, Horizon, American, United, World, Alligent, etc.)QUOTE]

Sorry mate,

but World hasn't taken a "crap."

Pt P

UnusualAttitude

There is at least one World furloughee at Compass. At least that is what he told me.