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Old 12-11-2009, 05:58 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by seafeye
So forget that a pilot has to commute cross country for a flight because she can't afford a place to live in New York. At a time where there are 6000 airline pilots out of a job, why does colgan hire low time pilots?
When did this happen? Last time I checked Colgan raised its hiring minimums. No one can even get a second look at any airline including Colgan, unless they have at least 2-3 thousand hours on their resume. The days of hiring 300 hour pilots are over, so why don't you get over it already?

Would it make everyone feel better if we purged the airline ranks of the 300 hour wonders?
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:08 AM
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Originally Posted by BSOuthisplace
When did this happen? Last time I checked Colgan raised its hiring minimums. No one can even get a second look at any airline including Colgan, unless they have at least 2-3 thousand hours on their resume. The days of hiring 300 hour pilots are over, so why don't you get over it already?

Would it make everyone feel better if we purged the airline ranks of the 300 hour wonders?

I think it would make some of these diehards happy, well as long as you dont purge them.
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:17 AM
  #13  
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Don't forget guys...it won't matter what Babbitt says...if the Senate/Congress passes the aviation safety improvement act thing that has the 1500 hour stipulation in it...it's law...and that's final.

Let's just hope for 1500 and training improvements.
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:22 AM
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Originally Posted by heading180
I agree with you, however I don't think it will change anything. Prime example, go look at the Compass threads. There are several posts in there where pilots having over 5000 hours are applying there. Granted they pay a little better than Colgan, but not much in the grand scheme of it all.

Nothing is going to change until we all get on board together and demand the respect, pay, and classiness that this profession should be.
I think the idea that back during the hiring boom there were tons of experienced pilots just waiting to take jobs at the regionals but were turned off by the pay is bogus. Just look at GoJets. Tons of furloughed United guys took that offer just so they could stay in ORD, even though they were making about 1/4 the pay.

When it all comes down to it, most pilots seem to sacrifice pay for other things like QOL and the enjoyment of the job. Pay-wise we are our own worst enemy.

Personally, if I was sitting on a logbook with anything over 5000 hours, and the only job I could get was at GoJet or Colgan, I'd pack up and go do something else.
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:36 AM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by BSOuthisplace
Personally, if I was sitting on a logbook with anything over 5000 hours, and the only job I could get was at GoJet or Colgan, I'd pack up and go do something else.
And this is my point. The regional airline industry has turned this job into something where experienced pilots wouldn't think of doing it. You have to ask the public if they want safety or cheap tickets. Cause you can't have both. I hear every day that people would fly a c-150 if it paid well. At Colgan you can fly a Dash 8 Q-400. But people won't because the pay and working conditions are so poor.
Now if the starting pay was a reasonable $40k/year then Colgan would be able to attract the experienced pilots. And $40k is still low. We have just been conditioned to believe that we aren't worth anything more.

Let's just hope for 1500 and training improvements.
I really dont' think an increase in training is going to do much but satisfy the FAA and congress. There was a lot of things that went wrong that night and it started with Management and went down from there. The "B" scale wages and working conditions i believe are a huge part. Lack of days off and weird hours etc...
Training isn't going to give someone the experience needed to fly in the Northeast.
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:42 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by seafeye
Training isn't going to give someone the experience needed to fly in the Northeast.
But 1500 hrs in a 172 will????

Last edited by TPROP4ever; 12-11-2009 at 06:57 AM.
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:06 AM
  #17  
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You want quality or quantity in those hours ?
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:09 AM
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Originally Posted by JetPipeOverht
You want quality or quantity in those hours ?

Exactly what Babbit was saying, yet all these internet pilots are going nuts because it might quash their magic "pay increase" pill which sadly is what the real motivation of the most vocal is....
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:25 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by seafeye
And this is my point. The regional airline industry has turned this job into something where experienced pilots wouldn't think of doing it. You have to ask the public if they want safety or cheap tickets. Cause you can't have both. I hear every day that people would fly a c-150 if it paid well. At Colgan you can fly a Dash 8 Q-400. But people won't because the pay and working conditions are so poor.
Now if the starting pay was a reasonable $40k/year then Colgan would be able to attract the experienced pilots. And $40k is still low. We have just been conditioned to believe that we aren't worth anything more.
But Colgan and other regionals are attracting plenty of experienced pilots right now with the payscales as they are. Look at AirWhisky, they announced a week ago that they are taking applications for possible hiring next year, and even former CRJ check airman were getting turned down. I think even Sully threw in an app just to see what would happen, and he was turned down as well

Last edited by BSOuthisplace; 12-11-2009 at 07:27 AM. Reason: spelling
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:36 AM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by TPROP4ever
Why dont we all stop being shortsighted about thinking 1500 hrs is a magic bullet to get pay rates raised, and start paying attention to what was really said in the article. He wants to make sure the Quality of training is there along with the quantity, not just arbitrary numbers, I for one think this is good that he is standing ground on this issue, 1500 hrs before hire would not have prevented 3407. Period, better training oversight might have.


Are we not as guilty as the lobbies when this is a unions real reason for wanting 3371 to go through???


I am all for pay to rise, but it needs to be for the right reasons, not because of a knee jerk reaction that will do nothing to increase safety...He took this stand simply saying that we can not sacrifice quality of training simply because of a rise in quantity....

As usual I see pilots jumping to knee jerk conclusions without looking fully in depth...JMO
Well said.
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