FliFast

Tpersuit,

Your point is well taken.

But Saab comes across as having a beef with these grads because they are Riddle grads. If this program was exclusive to UND would your perspective change about the program ?

I mean, really, who cares where they came from, some will be losing their jobs based on inverse seniority. Does the "f" word care if you have 10,000 hrs or 350 hrs, Nope. Should the furloughed guy with 10,000 hrs begrudge someone with a lot less experience who was hired before them and is able to remain on property ? Each person probably has a different answer.

What about the pilot with 10,000 hrs that cant get an interview because he/she has no PIC time. However, an RJ Capt with 4,000 hrs or a military pilot with 2500 hrs can (No, I'm not knocking the RJ/mil guys...just relax).

To me, getting a job at any airline is as much an art form as it is scientific and empirical.

Tpersuit, you do have a valid point, well taken. However, mine is, who cares where they came from, especially if they're losing their jobs...and no they aren't all 21 years old.

Secondly, if this opportunity was offered at ERAU, UND, or U of FF, which one of us would turn it down and say, I'm not ready, I'll wait another 6-8 more years when I am ready. I doubt very many would turn down this opportunity. I know I wouldn't.

Finally, and I mean no offense, but what does you being a UND grad have to do with your point ? UND is a fine instituition and at UPS I've flown with their alumni. Doesn't UND have some kind of airline ab initio with Northwest ? If so, or if ever, what's the difference ?

Just curious.

Take care,

FF

wxyz

No, all I was trying to point out then, and now is that the Spirit management group made this very deliberate announcement about no furloughs to the employee group. In the same week, they divulged in meetings with this contractor that there would be 160 new people for him to employ overseas. In a sense, the benevolent management team was trying to find jobs for the people who are going out the door, but at the same time, they make this grandiose "no furlough" email to the pilot group.
I posted that information so that the bottom 160 at Spirit would realize they need to dust off the resume, send the suit to the cleaners, stop spending money like a rock star, and prepare for the reality of no income/no job.

WaterSkr

In response to the notion of whether this is the first or last furlough notice, keep in mind that Spirit's last layoff (roughly the same number) in 2006 was a direct result of changes in marketing/scheduling combined with short sighted staffing needs. They were going through a fleet change at the time.

This furlough has some similarity but encompasses something more dynamic and may not be the last notice this year. So if you are on the cusp, be pro-active and get ahead of the power curve.

As a former Spirit employee I would like to extend my condolences to all that are affected as a result of these and any future furloughs.

tpersuit

FliFast,

That was somewhat of the point I was trying to get across. I don't think anyone would turn down an opportunity like that, I know I wouldn't. But, I do think it would be better to take it humbly though. I'm not saying any of the Riddle grads don't appreciate it, and I also don't even know the requirements for them to land that job in the first place. I'm assuming it had to be pretty tough.

That said, I think UND is a great institution as well as Riddle. I think Saab's words may have come off harsh, but I can understand why someone would be upset with a recent grad landing a mainline jet job.

Your point about a RJ pilot with 4,000 hours PIC vs. a pilot with 10,000 hours SIC and no PIC is well taken. However, I do think there is a difference coming straight out of flight training vs. getting some real world experience for a while. I thought I would have been ready to fly a 777 straight out of UND, but now looking back at it I kinda appreciate the route I took. There's something fulfilling about taking the hard route. If a easy route's doors opened in front of me though, I think I would still take it.

Not that I am aware of. If that is so, I would be all over that since the Delta/NWA combo would be my dream job right now with the bases they both have. We do have reduced minimums with Mesaba and Pinnacle. I know Pinnacle was taking some of our grads with 200 hours total and 25 hours multi. Some even left before they graduated. Not to sure if they should have done that, but they did.

Herkulesdrvr

Ya know I read through some of these posts and laugh at some of your comments. "I went to UND," "he went to ER." Who the hell cares? People are getting furloughed and all you can talk about is where someone came from? Unbelievable.

A320Flyer

I agree! All this fuss because of 8 ab-initio pilots that came from ERAU? The fact is that they made it through training and are qualified in the eyes of the company and FAA. Just like the rest of us. They are part of the seniority list. They are our fellow pilots and ALPA members. Many of us are now getting furloughed and nobody deserves that. Period.
Geez folks..There is much going on for us to be worried about this kind of stuff.

Fly the contract and fly safe!

tpersuit

Nobody cares. Since you read through my comments without reading what they were in response to, you can't get a true feeling for the context they were said in.

I have said it before, it does not matter where you come from. I have seen great pilots from every type of training out there.

shiftwork

More furloughs to come, I heard came out of the town hall mtg in DTW..... Becasue NK expects more hurrincanes this summer and fall: A building up of SJU??? Last time I checked SJU gets hurricanes as well.

Spaceman Spliff

I'm sure the ultra-low time folks hired at Spirit were pretty pumped up at the time.

But what are their options if they are furloughed? I can't imagine they'd be competitive anywhere other than a regional (if any are hiring), if even there.

⌐ AV8OR WANNABE

Great post and I agree 100%... I'm not an Erau alum but I agree with FliFast that hiring practices at Spirit (or anywhere else) have nothing to do with the current subject of guys & gals being furloughed...

I wish them all the best no matter what school, airline or branch of the military they came from.