Colgan Air Hiring FOs for Saab 340 and Q400
01-18-2010, 04:37 AM
#31
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Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 348
And we will have hundreds of idiots that will go there. Same as if Mesa manages to recover.
We have the guys who "need a job". "I need something to stay current," or " I'll go there for a couple years, get the upgrade and leave."
I really wish all the Idiots who apply at companies like these get the hell out of this business. I'm furloughed from Piedmont, and at NO TIME would I ever apply there regardless that I could get based in my current city.
But there will be the guys... There always will.
We have the guys who "need a job". "I need something to stay current," or " I'll go there for a couple years, get the upgrade and leave."
I really wish all the Idiots who apply at companies like these get the hell out of this business. I'm furloughed from Piedmont, and at NO TIME would I ever apply there regardless that I could get based in my current city.
But there will be the guys... There always will.
Anyway, enjoy that couch.
01-18-2010, 05:38 AM
#32
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Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Mad Doggy
Posts: 250
"First Officers are now being hired for both Saab340 and Q400. Domiciles are in the North East and Houston." From the email I got from chuckie. I guess it would be nice to get the Q400 but not at the expense of being based in the Northeast. I'll take Houston in anything before EWR or an outstation in a Q. The commute to houston would be much more enjoyable for me.
And I know the pay is the same for saab and Q FO but what about captain? Would upgrade be quicker on the saab or the Q400?
I updated my app and sent in my resume. I know people like to bash on Colgan but it sounds like things are getting better. I hope this is true and if it is I'd love to be a part of it. People are always talking about how crappy we get paid and how we need to stop taking low paying jobs. It sounds like the folks at Colgan are fighting the good fight. I know the odds might not be in their favor and that it will not be easy but at least they are trying.
It would also be cool not to be away from home for 4-6 weeks and home for 2. Thats my current situation. I will take a pay cut if hired but I've got a sugar momma and being home, even just a few days a week, is more important. Basically I just wanted to express my situation and maybe get some feedback from the guys that work there. Don't reply to this if you are just going to call me a bottom feeder or criticize me for making this industry worse. I'm trying to make a decision that will affect my career. Give me your honest opinions and some helpful advise. Thank you for those that have already posted some very good info and those that will continue to do so.
And I know the pay is the same for saab and Q FO but what about captain? Would upgrade be quicker on the saab or the Q400?
I updated my app and sent in my resume. I know people like to bash on Colgan but it sounds like things are getting better. I hope this is true and if it is I'd love to be a part of it. People are always talking about how crappy we get paid and how we need to stop taking low paying jobs. It sounds like the folks at Colgan are fighting the good fight. I know the odds might not be in their favor and that it will not be easy but at least they are trying.
It would also be cool not to be away from home for 4-6 weeks and home for 2. Thats my current situation. I will take a pay cut if hired but I've got a sugar momma and being home, even just a few days a week, is more important. Basically I just wanted to express my situation and maybe get some feedback from the guys that work there. Don't reply to this if you are just going to call me a bottom feeder or criticize me for making this industry worse. I'm trying to make a decision that will affect my career. Give me your honest opinions and some helpful advise. Thank you for those that have already posted some very good info and those that will continue to do so.
Upgrade will be much faster on the Saab, unless we get another 15 to 30 more Q400s upgrade time on the Q will be around 5 years where as the Saab will be around 3 to 4, but that can all change depending on growth or if the industry starts moving again and people begin to leave. As a new hire I'm sure you will end up in either IAD as an FO or if you get hired late in the year maybe EWR on the Q. Reserve schedules are 5 on 2 off and depending on your commute 2 days off can be hardly be worth going home for. Not sure how much more time at home with your sugar mama you would have than at your current job. Things are improving here greatly every day, we are about to get a bunch of new reserve work rules that will greatly improve all the new hires lives that will be sitting on reserve. Hope this helps.
01-18-2010, 05:57 AM
#33
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: CL-65 Left LAMA
Posts: 67
Upgrade will be much faster on the Saab, unless we get another 15 to 30 more Q400s upgrade time on the Q will be around 5 years where as the Saab will be around 3 to 4, but that can all change depending on growth or if the industry starts moving again and people begin to leave. As a new hire I'm sure you will end up in either IAD as an FO or if you get hired late in the year maybe EWR on the Q. Reserve schedules are 5 on 2 off and depending on your commute 2 days off can be hardly be worth going home for. Not sure how much more time at home with your sugar mama you would have than at your current job. Things are improving here greatly every day, we are about to get a bunch of new reserve work rules that will greatly improve all the new hires lives that will be sitting on reserve. Hope this helps.
01-18-2010, 06:01 AM
#34
Moderator
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,964
People post here as if from the very day of their regionals inception they already were industry leading in both pay and work rules.
By merely applying to where you work you are not raising the bar, you are riding on the backs of the men and women who years before you rode it out in the trenches and fought for what you have today.
Colgan will never lead the way and I think we all know that. However, I do believe that we will surpass industry standard and in time work our way towards the top 25th percentile of the group. It will take a lot of work and a bit of time from the current pilot group but it will happen. To say we will be the fedex or the southwest in regards to work rules and pay is unrealistic but we will certainly show drastic improvement. There is no way to go but up.
If you want to take a stand and ride the couch that is perfectly acceptable and if you say so, admirable. There is no reason to tell the world that you are standing up for what you believe in by not applying here. Simply not applying and standing up for your own personal beliefs should be more than enough for you yet some of you seek the spotlight so the whole world can see how noble you are.
It is what it is.
By merely applying to where you work you are not raising the bar, you are riding on the backs of the men and women who years before you rode it out in the trenches and fought for what you have today.
Colgan will never lead the way and I think we all know that. However, I do believe that we will surpass industry standard and in time work our way towards the top 25th percentile of the group. It will take a lot of work and a bit of time from the current pilot group but it will happen. To say we will be the fedex or the southwest in regards to work rules and pay is unrealistic but we will certainly show drastic improvement. There is no way to go but up.
If you want to take a stand and ride the couch that is perfectly acceptable and if you say so, admirable. There is no reason to tell the world that you are standing up for what you believe in by not applying here. Simply not applying and standing up for your own personal beliefs should be more than enough for you yet some of you seek the spotlight so the whole world can see how noble you are.
It is what it is.
01-18-2010, 07:19 AM
#36
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 849
you know if that ever happened I and you and everyone else paying dues would be very happy. To have a very honest conversation with you though, I'm not sure how some at our company are being so optimistic about negotiations and this impending contract. Towards the top 25th percentile of regional airlines... so do you mean a contract that is in the same league as ASA, Expressjet or Air Wisconsin? I'm not trying to belittle you, I am honestly curious how people can be so optimistic when we work for the company that we do. Pinnacle guys got a crap TA finally after negotiating for like what... 4 years? And they are still negotiating now. Who's to say that the same scummy mgmt won't deal us the same crappy hand? Our negotiations seem to be hurrying up along a lot faster than Pinnacle's, but even that - I know that myself and a few others are a little alarmed/suspicious at the pace that the negotiation is going... just knowing mgmt and the industry in general it makes you wonder because mgmt isn't supposed to just nod their head to any of our rules that are worth fighting for. You can't help but wonder if they are just hammering out fluff to get the thing done. Again, this isn't meant as a personal diss to anyone's efforts, but just the process in general... I feel like a good, solid contract isn't normally achieved very quickly esp when you're working with the kind of mgmt we have.
Unless you know something I don't which is quite possibly the case. Because if it happens to happen that way and quickly, great, what more can we ask for. But just curious... how???
I'm not saying it's wrong to be optimistic. I know that at the very least, what we get will be better than what we had before... because we didn't have anything before! For me, at this point in time with the circumstances I'm observing (1st contract with PINNACLE mgmt during crappy economy did I mention PINNACLE mgmt, and negotiations is supposedly flying by) I can't see that it's realistic to say we'll "surpass industry standard" or even get close to it. I think it will be a step up for CFIs for sure because instructing usually includes pretty crappy conditions and plus they just don't know better to care. Like I said, if you know something I don't about this whole process to feel more optimistic than I do, please do share. Otherwise I don't believe in any of the sunshine up our butts until I see the final TA.
01-18-2010, 07:30 AM
#37
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Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: N/A
Posts: 637
Quick questions:
Is a separate higher payscale being negotiated for Q F/Os? Also is block or better and cx pay currently part of the contract, and if not is that part of the negotiating plan?
Is a separate higher payscale being negotiated for Q F/Os? Also is block or better and cx pay currently part of the contract, and if not is that part of the negotiating plan?
01-18-2010, 07:58 AM
#39
Moderator
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,964
I never said the contract would come fast. For those who know me I am about as far from being a Colgan lover as you can get but I do hold out hope that this place will turn the corner. I will likely not be here when that happens and neither will you, but it will happen. This place can not maintain status quo forever and something has to give. As you know the overall mood and morale of the pilot group is towards the bottom so most pilots would just assume shut this place down one way or another than accept a bottom of the barrel contract. As we know from our Pinnacle counterparts that it just may take years to happen. One thing we have the upper hand on though is that a ot of code shares are not interested in signing any deals with the pilot group in negotiations. There is too much up in the air and groups like United know how much a ****ed off group of pilots can reek havoc on your bottom end.
-We are block or better and are paid for cnxs. We do not have ANY contract though so that comes and goes depending on the day. I have always been paid for wx and mx cnxs although that depends on who you talked to that day.
-We are block or better and are paid for cnxs. We do not have ANY contract though so that comes and goes depending on the day. I have always been paid for wx and mx cnxs although that depends on who you talked to that day.
01-18-2010, 08:28 AM
#40
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2009
Position: CL-65 Left LAMA
Posts: 67
I never said the contract would come fast. For those who know me I am about as far from being a Colgan lover as you can get but I do hold out hope that this place will turn the corner. I will likely not be here when that happens and neither will you, but it will happen. This place can not maintain status quo forever and something has to give. As you know the overall mood and morale of the pilot group is towards the bottom so most pilots would just assume shut this place down one way or another than accept a bottom of the barrel contract. As we know from our Pinnacle counterparts that it just may take years to happen. One thing we have the upper hand on though is that a ot of code shares are not interested in signing any deals with the pilot group in negotiations. There is too much up in the air and groups like United know how much a ****ed off group of pilots can reek havoc on your bottom end.
-We are block or better and are paid for cnxs. We do not have ANY contract though so that comes and goes depending on the day. I have always been paid for wx and mx cnxs although that depends on who you talked to that day.
-We are block or better and are paid for cnxs. We do not have ANY contract though so that comes and goes depending on the day. I have always been paid for wx and mx cnxs although that depends on who you talked to that day.
Is Colgan not part of the ALPA Collective machine?
