SmoothLanderJ

Who knows man I've heard it all................

Aileron

We all will hold our breath and wait.

flythemuppets

So I've been pondering the fact why after took 30+ FO's from the Saab over to the 900 that they're putting 30 or so new hires onto the saab... I'm certainly not complaining but I'm just wondering what the thoughts of crew planning are after sending a bunch of us through training again.

stobelma

I think it is all about timing. Most of the saab fo's who went to the 900 are on the line now. The new hires just going into the saab will not be online until November sometime. Instead of leaving the saabs overstaffed for 8 months, they started to even things out. These new saab fo's must be starting for a reason whether it is a flow, more flying, or more aircraft. Does this realignment really save any money? You would have to have all the costs for that one.

405PA

You are either bad at math or reading comprehension.

Present Staffing: CA FO CA/plane FO/plane
MSP SF3---90----91----4.5---------4.55
DTW SF3---84----99-----4.2--------4.95
MEM SF3---53----55----5.88--------6.11
MSP CR9---75----68------6.25-------5.66
DTW CR9---82----77----4.55*----4.27*
MEM CR9---32----32------5.33--------5.33
MSP CRJ---94--84----5.53-----4.95
* Based on the the 18 total planes that are going to be based there.
510 CA/506 FO Currently
Proposed Staffing: CA FO
MSP SF3 92 91
DTW SF3 90 99
MEM SF3 53 55
MSP CR9 75 68
DTW CR9 82 77
MEM CR9 32 32
MSP CRJ 96 94

The only thing big that is going on here are RUMORS! Ones that pilots keep making up. These are below rumors. This is a bunch of made up BS by people on a message board every time a vacancy comes out.

stobelma

So are you saying this is normal staffing and hiring?

submachXJ

Corrected below

submachXJ

Yep makes sense. You need to be bulked up on FO's your going to be upgrading and the most senior FO's are on the Saab. The 900 and 200 guys started a few months after the Initial ones in 2007 and just about all FO's where forced into the saab before 2007. If you look at the crj 200 and 900 FO numbers it is staffed as stated but I am sure if there is something coming that will be bulked up too. Also numbers will start to skew because pilots are in training more now.

405PA

Once again reading comprehension. Go back read the quote in my original post. Look at the bold in the quote that I am refering to. According to Bored's logic he was saying we have 20% more CA's than FO's(5 ca's/4 fo's). As you can see from the bold in my post(below the quote in my original post) that is not the case. I don't think there is a magical formula how ever it's looking like an industry average of about 11 pilots per plane is what is shaking out.

17 + 36 + 49 = 102 total airframes x 11 ~1122 pilots. Which we haven't quite got to yet. No silly rumors just simple math.

bored

405 -

Ok - you're refuting my claim that we traditionally staff heavier on Captains than FOs. The numbers don't seem to add up in my favor, but we've always had more CAs than FOs. Could it be the average longevity at the airline is dramatically lower than has been tradition? Perhaps. Or the fact we've just DOUBLED our size in the most unprecedented growth Mesaba has seen in its long history.

Do you honestly believe though, that what is going on right now, as in this latest buzz is normal ops? Come on man, I don't know how long you've been at XJ, but pull your head out of the sand and look at the facts. I don't claim to know EXACTLY what is going on, as in the number of planes and which kind. But I do know how to read and comprehend numbers. They're adding up and equaling MORE GROWTH.

- Dramatic increased hiring in pilots
- Hiring ground and sim instructors
- Hiring LCAs for all fleets
- Increased FA staffing numbers - beyond the normal revolving door staffing

These sorts of things don't happen to an airline that is coming to the tail end of growth and virtually zero attrition. So again... something big is happening. Until it's announced all we can do is look at the facts and get ready to ride the wave.

BTW - we have 17 200s of which all are delivered, not 18. Also, the FO numbers on the last 2 vacancies are increased to prepare for backfilling as FOs go to upgrade. It's really not that complicated.