121noob

Which fleets are the FDP non-existent?

2UZFE

I would also like to know, or better yet which fleets can you expect to fly your butt off?

hdgbug

Based on the last fleet performance report, and reports from pilots on these fleets, the XLS and Sovereign are the least flying new hire fleets.

However, those fleets tend to be feast or famine. Get a good plane, might easily see 25-30 hours in a tour. Get a bad plane, enjoy the hotel or a few legs between breaks. Luck of the draw.

The super-mids and Latitude are generally the better performers for total hours.

I’ll also add this again just because it’s very relevant now. FDP is non existent in all fleets while waiting for IOE. There are reports from fleets such as the Phenom and Longitude that have IOE waits around 6+ months from date of hire. I’ve heard the Latitude may be dropping to the 3-4 months after date of hire range. The XLS and Sovereign are the fastest to IOE right now as they have not put many new hires into it recently. However the last couple classes have had large numbers going to those fleets, so that wait time might stretch out as well.

GeeWizDriver

Just pray you don't get the XLS. 22.6 total FDP.

Oh, wait. That's over the last two tours COMBINED. A WHOPPING 2.6 hours of extra pay. Oye vey.

I don't mind the airplane and certainly don't mind the mission profile. But it's an unreliable fossil and it's long past time to turn them into beer cans.

2UZFE

Are new hires put in a hotel with kitchenette?

hdgbug

In CMH, I believe all the hotels we use for long term training have kitchenettes.

If you train outside of CMH, you might get a hotel without a kitchenette. They are not contractually required for long term training.

itsmehi

what hotels do you stay at during training? And also while youre working on the line?

hdgbug

Right now I believe the two main long term training hotels are a Towneplace and Homewood Suites.

Not to be a smart a**, but any of them. One day you may stay at a Best Western, and the next a high end full service resort, and the next something in between. Generally in the large markets I would say we stay in very decent hotels, although there has been some degradation over the past couple years. When you are staying in a small market, there are often only so many options.

Generally we are staying at either a Hilton, Marriott, or Hyatt property. But there are more stand alone and small brands showing up every year.

Pervis

Every year company either renews or changes properties in the most used markets. Sometimes they try and save a few bucks while ignoring the huge markup for travel. For example, they tried changing from the Renaissance in LAS sending us to a lower end property near Henderson. Well guess what. They actually complied with a return to the property we used for years-The Renaissance. They do listen at times and respond to our complaints.

That said, sometimes they stick to their decisions. HPN is a fine example. Changed from the Cambria Suites in a great location downtown and made a big deal announcing the Sonesta near the mall like it's a great new property. It used to be our number one when it was the Crowne, had a great breakfast, but they went and changed that one to a Hilton further away. Well, that Hilton closed up, so the Cambria was chosen-for a while. The Sonesta is still as long in the tooth as it was when it was the Crowne. Change for the sake of change to provide job security for some clown in the puzzle palace.

Pervis

I will also add we have rate links for hotels and crew food. Participation is minimal so change is not a given. Like complaining about an election when failing to cast your own ballot. We also have crews that complain for other reasons. For example, our number one in MIA used to be the Conrad. A superb property, but a number of crew members complained it was too far away. Our own worst enemy comes to mind.

That said, with todays technology, an algorithm to set one hotel with a shorter distance for shorter layovers and keeping the places like the Conrad for longer ones would placate both sides of the argument.