schoolio

Had a guy I was in new hire class with at PDT go to Mesaba.

Of course, my entire PDT new hire class has moved to other regionals. We started in Aug 2006. The last guy left about 3 or 4 months ago.

Tinpusher007

WOW!!! Where do I begin? Let me start by saying as a newhire on the -900, I take HUGE exception to alot of this nonsense that you are spewing here. First of all, I never foamed at the mouth to fly it, it's simply where the company decided to place me. BUT...it does fly higher, faster, is bigger and newer and has better temp control than any Saab! And this is all from those crusty old captains which you spoke of, which I did all of my training with who are quite cool and laid back. The word from them...people who have actually flown it is that the Saab sucks! Be that as it may, I don't think Im better than those guys at all. I would have gladly flown the Saab and the benfit of starting in that plane knowing that the first upgrade comes on it would have been a plus in my book. It would be quite ignorant for someone to have no respect for me just because of what airplane I fly and knowing nothing else about me. Besides, we all fly for the same company and make the same pay in the right seat. But if the Saab is so much better and more of a benchmark for airmanship, than those guys should be the ones with the chip on their shoulders instead of talking smack about the CRJ, right?

Now on to this BS about the Saab making you such a better pilot. If the goal is to fly turbo-props for the rest of your life, down low, in and out of icing on short legs with only moderate automation than yes you have a point. However, if the goal is to say...flow up to NWA into the Airbus or move on to another mainline carrier, where they have bigger button pushers like the "horrible CRJ" than I don't see how a Saab makes you better. The CRJ is automated by design and supposed to be flown that way...period! It's not a reflection of pilot skill per se, just a different skill set, perhaps. By your argument, the guy who flies the Piper Seminole or C402 is a better pilot than a Saab driver because those planes are less automated than a Saab and require more stick and rudder, right?
It's funny how I haven't met one CRJ newhire that badmouths the Saab or Saab drivers, yet have come across many...only on internet forums, mind you that have oh so much stuff to say about the CRJ and those who fly it.

And I'll be sure and let you know how rudely awakened I am when I TRY to upgrade on the Saab. But you know, I probably won't make it since I fly the CRJ!

tsween

does everyone need to keep arguing about saab v crj. Let's show some commradre to our fellow xj pilots no matter what they fly.

plus you know what they say about arguing on the internet

Tinpusher007

I agree with you, man! But I just couldn't let that go. Read my signature quote...lol! I felt compelled to educate!

Lighteningspeed

Amen. And I agree with Tinpusher. I have not met anyone flying CRJ badmouthing Saabs drivers, yet Boeingt7 seems bent on spreading false rumors about CRJ drivers. 10 out of 10 crusty old captains I have flown with who have also flown Saab have said hands down Saab is an easier airplane to fly. I have also flown turboprops so I know that turboprops are not more difficult to fly than jets. For someone with no time in jets to badmouth jet drivers is only revealing that he has a chip on his shoulder as well as his ignorance.

boeingt7

Most of those old captains that you talk of that say the Saab sucks are those very same guys that had to switch airplanes between the Avro to the Saab when they got rid of them. This made most of these guys very bitter right off the bat about going to the Saab. Also, about it being easier to fly then a crj, you got to realize that most of these capts have been on the Saab for years and of course flying it for that long would be much easier than going to a jet which we've had for only for a few months. and yes, i would say that someone who flies for a place like Airnet in a Baron single pilot, ifr, in ice,little automation, is going to be a lot sharper of a pilot then me in a Saab. And in all seriousness, you probably will have a very hard time in training when you upgrade. But anyway, the original question was about Mesaba vs Piedmont and I wanted to tell those guys out there if they go to Mesaba that they would be in a better position to get the Saab. I know that there is both pluses and minuses to flying each plane and i'm not trying to split the xj pilot group or anything, just putting in my 2 cents about why going to the saab would be better than getting the crj. Sorry to any of the crj guys if i raised your blood pressure or anything while reading my posts.

Tinpusher007

If you prefer a turbo-prop to a jet, thats your business. I just don't find it necessary for Saab drivers to thump their chests about how much better they are because the plane they fly requires more of them and gives them less in terms of comfort and performace. But, trust me, I realize the CRJ is not the holy grail of airplanes.

Personally, I do prefer flying the CR9 to the Saab. But thats not to say that I am above anyone who flies the Saab or that Im a better pilot...nor am I worse. There are different flying environments and to say that an Airnet driver is a better pilot than a 747 driver or even an RJ driver isn't really comparing the same thing. The environments are vastly different in a lot of ways. Stick and 'rudder' specifically is not the way to hand fly most jets...they have yaw dampers. I had to learn that in training. But just because that part of the equation is taken out doesn't mean I can't fly. I obviously had to learn in something other than a jet and did just fine.

As for the guys who left the Avro for the Saab, not only were they VERY fond of that airplane, but their pay was chopped by more than half I believe which is where alot of that bitterness came from, and rightfully so.

SmoothLanderJ

Great info from everyone.......My interview (with Mesaba) is either on the 27th or 28th and I''d like to get a MEM base. I kind of want to fly a TP first anyway. It's funny because almost EVERYONE I know, including aviation "peeps" are always saying to me..... "why do you want to fly the SAAB?" , "You should want to fly a jet instead"....the best ones come from my family......"I'm never getting on one of those props, they're just not safe".........I just sigh...shake my head and TRY to explain other wise......but whatever.....................

WIFlyer

I fly the Saab now. I will upgrade in the Saab in a few months. Then I plan to go to the 900. Being an FO in the airplane you will be upgrading in is an obvious plus. There are things about the Saab that I love and things that I don't love . .. and having never flown a jet before I can't say if it will be "harder" or not, just that it will be different. They each do things the other can't so this debate on who is a better pilot; jet driver vs. prop driver, is pointless. And most of the people I have met at Mesaba (in the crew rooms, on the planes, in the training department) have been very nice. So, let's take all this anger and aggression and focus it on where it belongs .. ... management

Tinpusher007

Try explaining the relationship of Mesaba with NWA for everyone who has never heard of it. Also be ready to correct everyone who will undoubtedly confuse Mesaba with Mesa! The Saab training program definitely moves faster than the CRJ. I know plenty of guys and gals on the line already loving it.