JoeMerchant

Well said sinca3...80ktsClamp I believe was at Pinnacle which was/is one of the worst regionals in terms of pay/workrules...If ASA did increase it's pay by 40%, it would be replaced with someone like Clamps former Pinnacle....

buzzpat

"Surly service?" I think that goes around, not just mainline. In fact, I guarantee you it does. And bigger airplanes? Don't count on it Joe. That ship has sailed. As you mentioned earlier, you're flying smaller jets. Until and if you make the leap to the majors, get used to it.

Hopefully, we'll be hiring soon and you can move up. If you need a reference, shoot me a PM.

80ktsClamp

More or less, yes. There are references given to be able to judge wingtip clearance. When in doubt, stop.

We had a 737 high five another 737's horizontal stab recently with its winglet. Can't explain that one away... I saw the offending 737 just before he entered the ramp. Let's just say that rushing rarely has a good outcome.

80ktsClamp

Pinnacle was a small regional when I got hired there and paid average to above average on the CRJ-200 among the regionals. The 200 pay was within a couple dollars an hour of ASA's for the most part. There were no large RJ's anywhere in sight... in fact, the agreement with DL for the large RJ's didn't happen until I was already at mainline. As has been stated, the CRJ-900 (and EMB 170 series) are true DC-9 size aircraft replacements.

I am in no way an almighty mainline pilot, and I don't appreciate you reading into it that way. Joe voraciously defends his chosen career position to stay at an outsourced feeder we've fed more and more flying over the years... which was a horrible decision. Even when I as in high school, I learned about airlines outsourcing and couldn't understand why that flying wasn't done by the mainline pilots. It has been a long term goal to fix that, and now to restore the career to it's true potential after all the cuts the last decade.

Besides, it's really funny when he gets riled up.

beer

I have to defend Joe for a second...I flew with him many times at ASA. Great Guy and extremely smart!!! Actually, he has more in common with many Delta pilots regarding how bad ALPA sucks!!

There were many "Lifers" at ASA, and that is not a bad thing. I am a Delta pilot and love it!! I understand how RJ's have changed the airline environment and am fully in favor of seeing there numbers decrease. But Please for the love of god, dont make all Delta Pilots seem stuck up, concieted and have this attitude that we are better than anyone else!!!

And bringing up past accidents/incidents does no one justice!!! People died!!

By the way..........

tomgoodman

Whale Captains maintain interphone contact with the Port, Starboard, and Poopdeck Lookouts. These entry-level pilots occupy crow's nests which are accessed via catwalks and ladders. Pay is lousy, but the view is fantastic!

Boomer

If KLEX 26 was 400 feet longer, history would be much different.

If an aircraft taxiied onto Twy Mike in ATL, history would be much different.

Lets not make it a Regional vs Major discussion.

contrails

I agree with you but I think it is important to point one thing out (and you surely know most of it, but I'm typing for anyone else to read, too).

Many captains at the top 10% in their seat/base at decent companies like ASA, XJT, Eagle, Horizon, etc. work far less than any mainline pilot that is not flying ultra-long haul.

Any XJT captain with maxed out vacation (there are a bunch) essentially works 8 months a year before sick calls.

7 days of vacation still means trip dropping with pay on both ends and becomes anywhere from 14 to 21 days off.

The remaining 8 months a year they're senior and get a pretty good schedule, 15-19 days off.

Some guys and girls can watch the line for takeoff at EWR grow and realize their out and back is going to run way late, and they get on their PDA and pick up a 150% pay daytrip the following morning, only to have it dropped a few hours later for domicile rest, with pay of course.

These people are very, very far from being furloughed and they do not have a bad QOL at the moment at all. They can easily clear $100K annually, without putting up with any timezone nonsense that they might not want to have on their schedule just to maximize days off or pay.

I am not by any means advocating anyone be a 'lifer' because it is not smart.

But, for someone that is already 40-45 years old at one of these types of companies, it is not a quick no-brainer to give all that up and go to a company where they will be 90-100% total seniority for half a decade, in which many world events and economy changes will happen.

Boomer

She's been repainted and back in service for a week now.

johnso29

Is that ending on CRJ700/900 aircraft? No more plane side pick up? I've ridden on a few lately and they aren't giving pink tags out.