FSUpilot

we might as well stop complaining... its never going to change... yes it does suck that we will work for such low pay but the fact is people will still do this work for low wages... myself included. I really have a hard time giving it up for a hope that i might possibly get paid better in the future if i don't work for xyz company. Its a fact of life now that this is what pilots get paid... yes it sucks. After spending bookoo bucks on your ratings are you just gonna not fly and go work at the mall???

Luv2Rotate

I totally agree. The way it is right now plan on making a career out of a regional... Think about it.. You upgrade to captain with your regional, your 5years+ with them. You leave that regional for a major, now your at 1st year FO pay and very junior, oh and about 6 months later boom your furloughed.
Most guys aren't gonna want to leave their nice schedules and decent pay just to start at the bottom again. By that time these guy's/gal's have families, mortgages and other expenses which bind them to stay.
Welcome to the game! Oh yeah and at 65 game over. Then onto corporate (maybe).

GrummanCT

hopefully not.

WalkOfShame

Agreed.... I learned more in 300 hours of instructing than in the 300 hours it took me to get all my ratings.

Its definitely not for everyone though.

mjte43

Hello to the people on the thread that are currently with Great Lakes, What are your typical monthly lines like? Days On/off? How far outside of DEN (or any Base) can you live if on reserve. Where is Ground School/Simulator? How long on Reserve before you can hold a line? How long is a normal trip? Thanks mjte43

1900luxuryliner

Reserve call is 1:45. Min days off: 10 with 3 sets of 3 days off. You really only get 10 off if you bid high speeds, or on reserve. All the rest of the lines have around 12-15 days off. I don't know how long people are spending on reserve. Ground school is in Cheyenne. The place looks like an old community college, or something. It's right by CYS airport, and next to their headquarters. Sim is either in Greeley, at AIMS Community College, or near the Centennial Airport at a place called SATCO. I'm not sure where they do flight training nowadays. It used to be North Platte, or Scottsbluff, but I think I heard they are doing stuff in Laramie now, as well. They just use the aircraft that is overnighting at these outstations, so all training is done at night, and usually goes until early in the morning. The highest seniority lines have 15 days off, 3-4 day trips separated by 3-4 days off and all weekends off. The lowest of low seniority lines (excluding high speeds) have 12 days off, and somewhere during the month have a 6 day trip, followed by 1-2 days off, followed by another 4-5 day trip. But, then the rest of the month is easier, because they have to work in those 3 sets of 3 days off. Thankfully there are not many lines like that, and they are the most junior. I got out of that BS by the first month. With the seniority list a bit slower nowadays, I would expect those BS lines for a few months. Middle seniority is anything in between (4 days on, 3 days off, 5 days on, 1-2 weekends, or no weekends off, etc.).

mjte43

Thanks for the reply Lux, its about what I was expecting. I have an interview set up for next week, and just wanted to know what life is like at Great Lakes. Are you guys ALPA or some other union? Is there a copy of your contract on the internet, I would like to read it. I'm sure there are more questions, but that all I have for now. Thanks for the info. mjte43

1900luxuryliner

Teamsters 747. Hopefully, soon to be UTU, which was Big Sky's former union. UTU is big in the railroad industry, and they are interested in getting more into aviation. They did a good job for Big Sky, from what I've heard. I don't know where to find the current contract online. Maybe someone else does. It's expiration is September of this year. As far as those really, really junior lines I listed, I only counted like 5 out of about 80 lines, so I wouldn't expect too many months of the really bad ones (the ones with 2 trips back to back, separated by 1-2 days). High speeds are usually really junior, but there are a few senior captains on them, so they can get home everyday.

FSUpilot

I heard that hotels are paid but u have a roomie is this correct? How long is training from start to finish usually?

I know low timers are getting on few and far between... i sent my app in the other day with 800 and 70. I guess we'll see what happens. Any ideas? I'm trying for ABQ if I end up at Lakes... doubt I would get it though, might have to drive to farmington. Also, are there any out and backs or are they all 3-4 day trips minus the exceptions you mentioned?

Thanks for posting all this information... its been a great help.

1900luxuryliner

Hotels are paid through training, but there are two beds in the room, and expect a cuddle buddy, in training only. After training, no roommates. I wouldn't count yourself out if you are low time. It sounds like they are taking on a good spread of experience levels. I doubt you will get ABQ, as well. I would fully expect FMN for at least a few months, if not more, if the seniority list slows down. Out and backs? The best you could do that even somewhat resembles that is high speeds, or if you are senior, I think a few of the TEX lines get you back to DEN for a DEN overnight every other night. There might be like one more line that gets you back for a DEN overnight every other night. The entire training process, from the beginning of ground, until the completion of IOE usually ends up being around 2 months. You get guarantee as soon as you pass the checkride, which is right after the flight training phase. From the beginning of ground, until the completion of the checkride could be a little over a month, to as long as 2 months. It all just depends on the training schedule, and how cluster f'ed it gets.