beech2jet

just sent my application into Colgan. I've been reading this forum for a long time and one thing seems to be consistent: Almost every post I read about Colgan seems to be negative. Now I know what you're thinking, maybe this should tell me something, but I want to find out how much truth there is to everything. I wanted to start a thread to see if there were in fact positives to working for Colgan. It almost seems like a shame that this airlines reputation has been reduced to almost nothing on these forums. Am I better off being a flight instructor for the time being rather than going to this airline?

AbZorbFly

i am going to be totally honest with you...i mean totally honest.

from a former employee of that family f*ckup...

if i didn't work there i would not love the job i have now. i smile everyday at work and love my job.

do i like colgan NO
do i regret the year i put in there NO

i used 'em....haha

and left my mark

BCDurbin

Where do you live? If you live where we have a base (or close to one) you can probably get that base in short order. ie. You are home every night.

Anywhere you go, there is going to be something you don't like - something that's gonna hack you off. Colgan is no different

Also, anywhere you go there are going to be things you like, great people to work with, good aircraft to fly, and LGA to fly it to!! If you can handle LGA (over 500 times since i've been here), then it's not too bad.

It's tough here for guys that have made it there first airline job, you'll learn alot and fast - hopefully the people you fly with have learned those lessons already and you won't have to teach them!

Most who have stuck it out are not here much longer that 3 years - the top 15% have been here longer, they live where they are based mostly and are happy with what they've got.

Good luck with your application and your choice.

- BCD

beech2jet

thanks very much BCD. I see you are a saab captain, did you enter colgan as a captain or were you an upgrade? would you say you are happy there? thanks for the post

BCDurbin

I got hired at the right time, 2/04 (I was #175 or something), and upgraded in year. Now I'm #73 and have 1500 PIC 2300 Total in the SAAB. The upgrade time right now is just over two years due to the fact that the growth we had last year has tappered off.

I'm definately happy here - but looking to move on as most pilots here do. And just 3 years ago I would have been happy going to a regional with jets. But with things the way they are now, and with what may happen in the next five years, I'll stick it out for something better. I have my job at Colgan to thank for that.

- BCD

JoeyMeatballs

Durbin is right its great for some, really is, crappy for others. Its good if you are a CA logging PIC, miserable when you are an FO making crap money, no overnights and no perdiem. Airplanes fun, guys are great but if your gonna log SIC time Id rathe rit be in a jet. If you got in when upgrades where 1 year COLGAN would be awesome but to go now is silly to sit 2 maybe more years in the right seat of a SAAB at a company like COLGAN is not the best idea, unless its your only option of course! I will say I love the fact that I have time in the SAAB it was a great experience and has made me a much better pilot. I kinda feel bad for guys that never got time in a Turbo-prop it was a blast

beech2jet

seems like not too many like it, not an overwhelming response to this thread

George Dubya

I like colgan

Baronpilot

Hey SAAB, is that new picture of you when you were still at Colgan? HAHA

JoeyMeatballs

hehe I figured this pic is more fitting hehe