Great Lakes 135 approval

This will end up being a complete waste of time for GLA and the industry.

We are now in 2014 and the economics have changed.

The industry needs to adapt to those new economics and quit trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Pay the pilots a professional wage and the pilots will come.

Joe
 
That was my rumor!

Kudos sir. Well as funny as it is, maybe this is the ticket for AMF guys to finally flow into the 121 world bahahahahahah!!! Congrats on all your hard work flying a 1900, here is a 1900 with GLA painted on the side, you have now made it to the big leagues.
 
Kudos sir. Well as funny as it is, maybe this is the ticket for AMF guys to finally flow into the 121 world bahahahahahah!!! Congrats on all your hard work flying a 1900, here is a 1900 with GLA painted on the side, you have now made it to the big leagues.
Ya, but for the 121 stuff, they'd have to go sit in the right seat of the 1900 for 1000 hours.... even if they had 10,000 in the left seat at AMF.
 
This will end up being a complete waste of time for GLA and the industry.

We are now in 2014 and the economics have changed.

The industry needs to adapt to those new economics and quit trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Pay the pilots a professional wage and the pilots will come.

Joe

Problem is, they are still showing up at current wages. Round peg, square hole. It fits, but not properly.
 
GLA dropped another route early: NEWS REPORT

"GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) – Great Bend will be without air service at the end of March, after Great Lakes Airlines notified the city this week that it plans to end service a month early."

"The city is anticipating that SeaPort Airlines of Portland, Ore., will receive a contract to serve Great Bend under the federal Essential Air Service program, though that choice is not yet official.

SeaPort is expected to provide twice-daily service to Wichita and once-daily service to Kansas City through Salina. The service might not be available by the first of May."
 
GLA dropped another route early: NEWS REPORT

"GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) – Great Bend will be without air service at the end of March, after Great Lakes Airlines notified the city this week that it plans to end service a month early."

"The city is anticipating that SeaPort Airlines of Portland, Ore., will receive a contract to serve Great Bend under the federal Essential Air Service program, though that choice is not yet official.

SeaPort is expected to provide twice-daily service to Wichita and once-daily service to Kansas City through Salina. The service might not be available by the first of May."
Good. I applied with SeaPort lol
 
Just this week, GLA has announced pulling out of ISN, DIK, MCK, HYS, GBD, TEX.

SkyWest to fly to HYS from DEN.

How is the 135 ops going?
 
They're pulling out of ISN? Wow, they really are circling the drain. Plus side, our hangar just got twice as big...
 
My PPL instructor just left to go to Great Lakes for the 135 ops. It's an interesting move but I actually believe it will work out for him.

I certainly don't advocate Great Lakes but his situation is unique. His family is in Denver and two of his brothers went through great lakes, one now being at Frontier and the other getting ready to jump ship to a major.

I thought he was crazy when he told me but he seems to have a good plan in place and I wished him the best of luck. If you can make it work and it's an option to better yourself I guess I say why not.

Just the simple thoughts of a lowly private pilot.
 
Obviously, I'm a little ignorant about this stuff. How much of Great Lakes flying is EAS? Maybe nine seats makes sense to them in some markets if they average four or five passengers a flight? After all, the government is guaranteeing the revenue right? Maybe their thought process is to take the low time FOs and groom them in the 135 flying thinking they will have a steady supply of 1500 hour guys in a year or two? The problem I see with that theory is that as the guys reach the 1500 hour mark, they are likely going to be looking to go elsewhere since they now meet the minimum requirements of the more desirable flying jobs. Maybe this 135 thing will catch on with more EAS carriers if there is no relief on the 1500 hour rule. On a completely objective basis, why fly around a 19 seat airplane on routes that typically carry seven or eight passengers, especially when you can hire a 400 hour pilot to fill the right seat? I'm not saying I agree with it, but as a manager, why wouldn't I consider that option?
 
On a completely objective basis, why fly around a 19 seat airplane on routes that typically carry seven or eight passengers, especially when you can hire a 400 hour pilot to fill the right seat? I'm not saying I agree with it, but as a manager, why wouldn't I consider that option?

Something I wonder myself. Why not use Cessna Grand Caravans or Pilatus ?

Perhaps aspects and intricacies of the bidding process which forces one to bid with better equipment at a lower cost than Joe the Plumber w/ a Part 135 cert and a caravan.
 
Something I wonder myself. Why not use Cessna Grand Caravans or Pilatus ?

Perhaps aspects and intricacies of the bidding process which forces one to bid with better equipment at a lower cost than Joe the Plumber w/ a Part 135 cert and a caravan.

I think it has to do with multi engine ops being a safety barrier for operations in mountainous areas. Not to mention 121 requires multi engine aircraft and that's what Great Lakes mostly is / used to be.
 
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