PDT News and Rumors
04-10-2011, 03:05 PM
#2503
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Position: Flight Instructor
Posts: 23
hired at about 1900 total, 52 multi. four years of flight instruction wage with a family to take care of is worse than any 121 job, i will guarantee that. I live close to MDT, and had been commuting to Pittsburgh to instruct during the week. Looking forward to working for Piedmont, and obviously hoping I get MDT based, though I know that will depend on seniority. First things first though, get through training. Just finished my systems take home, though I have a few questions I'm not 100% on that I need to revisit. Indoc test is a nice break after that. Have a couple friends that used to work for Piedmont, they both told me to study limitations, flows, and immediate actions as well. Guess that leaves no doubt where my efforts should be for the next few weeks!
Last edited by CentralPa717; 04-10-2011 at 07:16 PM.
04-11-2011, 01:38 PM
#2506
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2009
Position: CL-65 / Gear Wrangler
Posts: 321
I just don't understand why anyone wants to work at PDT.
There are other airlines hiring, explore the options, apply elsewhere. Ok, PDT does have some great people to work with, but it also has one of the WORST and most overtly hostile management teams in the industry.
I just want to give some perspective, I left at the end of March. To that date, there were over 40 people who had quit since the beginning of the year. Other than the guys who went to the M.E. to fly Dash's there, the rest left to other regionals. There is a good reason why we with 2-4 years of longevity up'd and left. Until I left, that was 5 people per week. That says a lot considering they have right around 400 pilots. At that rate, they'd turn over 50% of the pilot workforce in a year.
Related to my situation, I live 10 min from LGA. I was based there. I made the choice to commute with the closest options being ORD, MSP, and IAH. My likely base (when done with training) is IAH. Commuting at the bottom of the list at my company should afford me better career progression, higher pay, and a substantial gain in QOL.
I can only say this, they will abuse you, line holder or reserve. You will put your certificate on the line every year you head down to training. They have check airmen (CKA)/designated examiners who offer free passes in recurrent and checkrides in order to get someone to turn in a fellow pilot who talked anonymously to the paper. Yes it happened. The MEC chairman received 36 emails and phone calls from members, and what did he do? Sent a letter asking the CKA to stop.
It is a company that will promise everything to keep attrition under control, and when it comes time to deliver, NADA.
RJs, Bridge, Flow, Q400s, any 2nd hand 100/300s, Pref hiring again... What comes true you ask? Something right?
RJs: Nope
Bridge: Nope
Flow: Big NOPE.
Q400s: More Nope.
100/300s: Nope, too expensive.
Oh but there is one, PDT/ALG merged in 2004, 100+ airplanes, with a Regional Industry leading contract.
4 years later 55 airplanes.
5 years later 44 airplanes.
7 years later, 2+ years into contract negotiations, and NO PROGRESS at all, on a bottom of the barrel CONCESSIONARY contract. For comparison, Mesa now has better contractual protections virtually accross the board than PDT. I mean if that doesn't say enough, really what will.
Promises, promises, none are true. But they are a fraction of what they were 7 years ago, and they are desperately trying to fill vacancies. You do the math.
All else I can say, go in with your eyes open, and don't complain when you get lied to, contract willfully violated on a regular basis, and intimidated at the threat of not just loss of employment, but certificate jeopardy as well.
Enjoy your career at PDT, like I said you'll fly with some great people, I made some spectacular friends, and long term connections, but I was only there as long as I was (3+ years) because there were NO other opportunities. There are now, so do yourselves a favor, go find them.
-Piedmonster
There are other airlines hiring, explore the options, apply elsewhere. Ok, PDT does have some great people to work with, but it also has one of the WORST and most overtly hostile management teams in the industry.
I just want to give some perspective, I left at the end of March. To that date, there were over 40 people who had quit since the beginning of the year. Other than the guys who went to the M.E. to fly Dash's there, the rest left to other regionals. There is a good reason why we with 2-4 years of longevity up'd and left. Until I left, that was 5 people per week. That says a lot considering they have right around 400 pilots. At that rate, they'd turn over 50% of the pilot workforce in a year.
Related to my situation, I live 10 min from LGA. I was based there. I made the choice to commute with the closest options being ORD, MSP, and IAH. My likely base (when done with training) is IAH. Commuting at the bottom of the list at my company should afford me better career progression, higher pay, and a substantial gain in QOL.
I can only say this, they will abuse you, line holder or reserve. You will put your certificate on the line every year you head down to training. They have check airmen (CKA)/designated examiners who offer free passes in recurrent and checkrides in order to get someone to turn in a fellow pilot who talked anonymously to the paper. Yes it happened. The MEC chairman received 36 emails and phone calls from members, and what did he do? Sent a letter asking the CKA to stop.
It is a company that will promise everything to keep attrition under control, and when it comes time to deliver, NADA.
RJs, Bridge, Flow, Q400s, any 2nd hand 100/300s, Pref hiring again... What comes true you ask? Something right?
RJs: Nope
Bridge: Nope
Flow: Big NOPE.
Q400s: More Nope.
100/300s: Nope, too expensive.
Oh but there is one, PDT/ALG merged in 2004, 100+ airplanes, with a Regional Industry leading contract.
4 years later 55 airplanes.
5 years later 44 airplanes.
7 years later, 2+ years into contract negotiations, and NO PROGRESS at all, on a bottom of the barrel CONCESSIONARY contract. For comparison, Mesa now has better contractual protections virtually accross the board than PDT. I mean if that doesn't say enough, really what will.
Promises, promises, none are true. But they are a fraction of what they were 7 years ago, and they are desperately trying to fill vacancies. You do the math.
All else I can say, go in with your eyes open, and don't complain when you get lied to, contract willfully violated on a regular basis, and intimidated at the threat of not just loss of employment, but certificate jeopardy as well.
Enjoy your career at PDT, like I said you'll fly with some great people, I made some spectacular friends, and long term connections, but I was only there as long as I was (3+ years) because there were NO other opportunities. There are now, so do yourselves a favor, go find them.
-Piedmonster
04-11-2011, 04:46 PM
#2508
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2011
Position: FO
Posts: 45
For those that have interviewed at Piedmont recently, do you have any insight at what I should study for my upcoming interview? Also for the sim what approaches they are or have been using? Lastly to prep for the written is studying the ATP written the best route? Thanks, just a little nervous because its my first 121 interview!
04-11-2011, 05:12 PM
#2509
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Position: Dash-8 CA
Posts: 36
For those that have interviewed at Piedmont recently, do you have any insight at what I should study for my upcoming interview? Also for the sim what approaches they are or have been using? Lastly to prep for the written is studying the ATP written the best route? Thanks, just a little nervous because its my first 121 interview!
Goodluck.
04-11-2011, 06:27 PM
#2510
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2009
Position: CL-65 / Gear Wrangler
Posts: 321
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