higney85

Getting our 4th plane this week as I understand and we are still waiting for an arbitrator ruling on the -900 rates. Currently the 50 seat rates are in effect awaiting the arbitrator decision. All -900 pilots will get full backpay when the new rates come out.

higney85

Fine you can do it. I don't feel like doing a carpet dance over a fight while on duty. I really mean no harm towards anyone but I will avoid PT if he comes strolling through the airport. A handshake and a smile does not help the QOL and the stresses placed on my personal life when I am bombarded with JM phone calls on my off days. I would not mind though sitting down with him over drinks after this contract is all said and done and try to figure out how he was able to sleep at night knowing he made soo many people unhappy. I would like to give him Herb Keller's book (I think its called "nuts" or something like that) to show him that taking care of employees will do far more than simply cost cutting and demoralizing those who face the customers. As far as DW's weight class... I dunno- I don't personally know him but his reputation precedes him so I will leave it at that!

flyboyshell

Geez......After reading this thread I am confused! I am a newbie on this thread, and also someone pursuing my goal of being an airline pilot. I have left my family and friends to do what I have always wanted, to fly. I work a full-time job, fly pretty much as often as permitted, and attend college part-time.

I realize that once I am eligible and meet the hiring minimums I am going to have to crawl before I walk and do my time with a regional airline. I did not have any help from parents, etc. I have basically financed my training so that I can get where I want to be. I also realize that I WILL be making only 1/3 of what I am making right now when I do start with the regional’s, and that's ok. I have a wonderful wife who is totally committed in helping get where I need to be.

Now, my biggest concern is reading blogs, threads, stories about pilots who diss a company. I truly thought that Pinnacle seemed like a fair good company to work for, until I read this. I was planning on applying with Pinnacle in the not to distant future. I might not have the 1000TT and 200ME time, so I might even do the CRJ200 training program, in which Pinnacle claims they will waive their minimums as long as you have your Comm and ME. How true this is, I am yet to find out. I was really looking forward to applying and now I really have no idea what to make of it anymore. It seems that there is really no good Regional Airline around anymore since everyone is slamming them. My goal is to spend at two or three years with a good regional and maybe move on, maybe upgrade or spread my wings more. I cannot understand why there are so many pilots out there that bring down these companies. I freaking HATE where I work right now. I make way more than ANY 1st year F/O in the regional’s, and I don't see myself working there anymore than another 6 months. I hope to flying for regional by then. The only time I diss my current company is when I come home and spend 5 minutes winding down with my Mrs. and then go on about how much I love flying. Sh*t, I would fly for free if I could, but we all know that this is not the point.

Sometimes you have to roll with the punches. Sometimes it is not going to be a bed of roses. However, I think if you really have a passion for being at a certain flight level, you would not worry about what's going to happen once you land. I love flying with all my heart and soul, so much that I am 6000 miles from my loved ones who I have only seen once in 6 years. They have no idea why I chose this life, but then again why would they? They just don't understand how I feel about flying. I am here to do what I love, to fly. It may be a long, hard, and somewhat frustrating path, but I know deep in my heart I will be doing what makes "me" happy. My wife knows this too. She understands how the life of a pilot works; heck she follows more boards, threads, websites, statistics about airline pilots than I do. It's hard enough realizing that one day I will be away from her for so long, but it breaks my heart when other pilots out there don't appreciate where they are. I speak for myself, but if I were in a situation like you are ProPilot, do what makes you happy. Move on! It may not work for you, but may for others.

I am just hoping that I can find a good regional airline that will allow me to give my best. I plan to pay my dues. IF there is anyone out there that can share some possible insight on a good regional airline to join in the future, please feel free to share.

I bid thee well, and happy landings.

Sheldon

P.S. Can someone tell me what 9E is?

⌐ AV8OR WANNABE

Sheldon, as far as the 9E – all airlines have an IATA code (International Air Transport Association).

Check this out...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_codes-All

Just type the particular airline code in the search box on the left and click “GO.”

This is what came up on "9E."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9E

The rest of your post...well I wish I had more time to reply but personally I think the main the reason you see so much unhappiness on this board is because pilots are their own enemies.

Many of us (not all) love flying so much that we'll do pretty much anything to get a chance to do just that. I think you just proved my point with the quote above.

Unfortunately, management teams at all airlines know this very well and are using it to their and their fat pockets' advantage. The pay and the benefits at many regional airlines is really pathetic - in fact, many regional pilots are eligible for food stamps, etc. It's sad but we, the pilots, let it happen.

Don't know what the answer is, I'm just telling you why I think there's so much misery on these boards...

Good luck to you with your pursuit, it's possible but it's a very tough industry to succeed in - your wife must have tons and tons of patience and be willing to sacrifice for years before you start living a "normal" life ... and as soon as you're there, you'll probably get furloughed for a year or so...

Sorry about the dry humor - wanted to make sure you knew what you're getting into...

Once you've “made it” though and have gotten hired at your favorite airline you'll think that all those sacrifices were well worth it – at least that’s how I feel.

Spooled

And you wonder why pilot pay is so low. Its because people like you will do it for free or next to nothing.

Spaceman Spliff

deleted...not constructive.

USMCFLYR

Spooled -

"I would fly for free if I could,"

It's a saying. Give him a break.
Maybe you haven't had a flying job that you love so much and then are taken away from it from an extended period of time.
Maybe sitting in the car watching the planes fly over and wishing that you could be up there.
Some of us have a certain passion for flying and there are certainly times that I have been sitting on the sidelines and thought that I would do **anything** to fly again. I'm sure that once he gets his first break and gets to be a paid pilot that he will see how things work and will fall into line with the standard way of thinking.
Until then - like many of us did - let him dream about being a pilot and getting that first foot in the door.

USMCFLYR

flyboyshell

Firstly relax, stop taking a simple line out of a sentence a bashing people over the heads with it. You are taking what I have to say right out of context. You may have thousands of hours logged while I am trying my damndest to fly whenever I can (Were you never in that position?). It's a different ball park when you are training, and I was simply basing my statement off that. Do you honestly think anyone would spend 50K to fly for free? I think not! I simply have a passion, I am sorry that you have trouble with figurative language. This is the problem. Instead of helping the situation, people like you bash others. Why don't you just take a step back and stop "attacking" those that simply are giving their opinion. Spaceman, if you "are" a 757/767 FO, you "are" the type of person I would be looking up to for advice. IF you noticed that I am working my up the ladder like you, don't boot me down. My knowledge of actually working in an airline is practically nil, zero, nada! So any help would be appreciated.

Actually, come to think of it, some pilots are flying for free. What does 15-20a year do for one? It does NOT even pay the bills, if you are lucky, maybe. I feel terrible for those who are in that position. I will most likely be there soon. I read about some poor soul’s credit being trashed because of the terrible pay, and yes, it does suck. However, if I want to get where you are Mr. 757/767 FO, I need to earn peanuts and be the monkey for the first couple/several years.

The industry would be better off if we acted like a brotherhood, rather than going around and ripping others apart based on a simple remark. For some it may just be a "Job or Profession" and for some it's a "Passion that lays within a job" - I will leave it at that.

Thank you, AV8OR, for the information. I actually like this forum and hope to learn more.

higney85

9E is not bad enough to drive you to be suicidal but until we get a fair contract that mgmt will abide by I will continue to advise people to go elsewhere. Part of being professional is not getting on public forums to vent. We have a company forum where everyone can get on and say "you would not believe how scheduling tried to schedule me to do 14 legs in one day..." or whatever other BS occured. There everyone is on the same level. Here and other public forums are not places to go spouting off personal issues and IMO complaints that others can see right through as being egotistical.

Pilots by trade are type-A personalities and we have all been guilty at one point or another of having an ego trip. The original post and the spark that lit the fuse in this thread was a junior FO with not enough time to upgrade complaining about not upgrading instantly and having bad QOL. In the last few pages of this post we have all discussed the actual issues with the original poster and I think he knows how the program was actually designed.


Moral of the post is know the facts and be professional and you will get good advice and thoughts on a public board.

flyboyshell

I could not have said it better, thank you USMCFLYR & higney85.