JLDWC

Folks,

I just received an email to interview with Air Wisconsin, which I am extremely excited about, given the fact that I have an upcoming Shuttle Am. class and the constant negativity has me second guessing that decision. I was hoping a few of you can answer some questions below.

- Overall, in you opinion will AWAC be around for the next 3-5 years.
- What are the chances of receiving a LGA or PHL base out of training
- How long is reserve currently? and what are upgrade times looking like?
- Travel benefits for family, does my immediate family and spouse receive travel privileges aside from the 8 annual passes.
- How is the overall quality of life for a pilot
- Would you recommend taking AWAC over Shuttle America?

Thank you so much, running out of time and I really want to make the best decision for my future. Thanks again guys?

whoareyou311

stay away from there

greasyv

I'm sure they will be around for the next 3-5 years.
Should get the base you want out of training.
Reserves varies by base but 1 year tops is what I've heard.
Don't know about the family bennies yet.
Upgrade is always a hard number to guess.
From what I've heard the quality of life is about as good as it can get for a regional, one of the best contracts out there pay is better than most.

Try the Awac thread and you can get most all the info you want there.

highflyer0685

-I believe AWAC will be around for the next 3-5 yrs
- you should be able to hold any base right out of training.
- reserve times right now I would estimate to be anywhere from 3-6 months possibly a bit longer, upgrade right now it seems guys who are upgrading now have been here about 4-5 yrs. that should drop as people continue to leave.
- you get 16 buddy passes (8 round trips or 16 one way passes) as well as your immediate family and spouse benefits.
- I can't tell you which airline to choose. It's all about QOL in my opinion. If you live in an AWAC base I would go with that, if you live in a shuttle base then go there. If you live in neither then look at the other factors such as pay, contract, Etc. Honestly no one can predict which regional airlines will still be around in 5 yrs. things change all of the time.
Hope this helps. I'm an AWACer and I live in base so I'm likely much happier than the guys who commute.

supercub70

After seeing all your negative posts about AWAC, it's obviously best for them you left too. Hope the grass is/was greener with your current airline. Care to elaborate why you left AWAC? Its plain to see you care enough about your former coworkers to keep hanging on their thread...

FODhopper

Another unhelpful post without any supporting information.

If your information is: Their planes are ancient, their contract is up in 2015, the place is falling apart, and the 50 seaters are going away....you basically don't know jack.

Since I see the above posted so often here is the truth:

AWAC's CL-65 are the newest aircraft in the domestic fleet that are the longest under contract.

Officially the contract is up in 2015 but AWAC negotiated an extension and it's AWAC's call how they want to use that extension.
..so therefore the absence of an announcement doesn't mean that the doors are closing next year.

There are too many 50-seaters at the moment, that is why many airlines are parking them. But 50-seaters are not going away because there are many routes that can't be economically utilized by all these shiny jets that people are creaming their pants over.

400-500 50-seaters is right for the domestic fleet, AWAC is trying to be in that number. One reason they will is because they can actually staff the flying they are assigned. Additionally, they are being asked to take on more because many of the regionals with shiny jets are having trouble keeping their promises.

Why can't they keep their promises? Partly because their pay sucks and so even with the shiny jets, recruitment has been suffering. AWAC pilots have the best contract in the regionals and the view out the window is the same.

Upgrades are coming down across the system...if you choose to chase it at another airline go ahead. You want basically the same track but with better pay and work rules, don't rule out AWAC.

Before you say I'm just shilling the company line The above is based on monitoring information from the company over many months. It has been consistent and without obfuscation nor has they been disingenuous.

pagey

Bolded is incorrect. Most of AWAC's acft are 1999-2002. Most of PSA's 200s are 2004 with a few in 2003. I'm not sure what year Skywest 200s were manufactured. I don't think anyone else flies 200s for Airways nor is this post very relevant to this topic.

Carry on.

My friends that are/were at AWAC liked it. My friends that are at republic........do not.

Name User

He left AWAC for Pinnacle. I think it was 2010-ish maybe? Can't remember exactly. He made a pretty bad call at that point in hindsight, he did it because he lived in DTW at that time.

That being said, personally I wouldn't go to AWAC at this time. They treated me great and the contract is good but I am praying for everyone I knew there to bail. AWAC's extension comes at a significant cost in margin to the company, I would expect the company to operate until the end of their leases and just return the planes. FYI the UAL large RJ provision expired at the beginning of this year, too.

FODhopper

[QUOTE=pagey;1748176]Bolded is incorrect. Most of AWAC's acft are 1999-2002. Most of PSA's 200s are 2004 with a few in 2003. I'm not sure what year Skywest 200s were manufactured. I don't think anyone else flies 200s for Airways nor is this post very relevant to this topic.

My post is completely relevant since the first response to the OP was to dump on AWAC...the OP is making a good choice by coming to AWA.

In reading many threads here...there is this misinformed group-think about what is important in an airline career. Is it to fly the newest jet with the fanciest avionics or the fastest upgrade? It may be, but if you arrive at that answer immediately you may not be thinking strategically enough.


I won't argue too much with those CRJ numbers but I also want to point out that we have a skewed version of the definition of ancient. AWAC's oldest aircraft are 16 years old as I believe the first were acquired in 1998.

For a car, 16 is old...for a US flagged airliner with under the care of modern maintenance programs it is in its prime. I used to fly a 1973 Hawker 400 with four decades of avionics evolutions...ancient is as ancient does.

I won't say that you are not a real pilot unless you have flown a certain aircraft...but the view is the same out the window...the important part is...are you getting paid what you are worth?

Karma

I'd take shuttle over awac any day. They are still taking delivery of new AA 175s and have 50 new UA 175s coming soon with an option for 50 more. Go where the movement is.....Compass or RAH.