Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Development

v1valarob

v1valarob

Well-Known Member
So I walked my resume into Colgan today, and walked out with a few nuggets.

1. Francene is leaving. Monday is her last day. I know Ill miss her. She was really nice to me, but is going to another corporation completely non-aviation related. She is not a Colgan.

2. No Saab FO classes until March. They "canceled" the February classes.

3. They are hiring only Q400 FOs, and Street Captains for Saab/Q400 now. You cant be a low timer to get the Q. You have to be at least near 1000 to get it. Looking at the big calendar on the wall, it looks like the next Q class is January 31st.

4. Manassas Crews are moving to IAD. 6 Saabs will be repainted in UA colors and moving to IAD. Does anyone know if they are going to move crews from outstations to IAD based??

5. My times are pretty low. 306/129. She said that they are doing this new thing called the pilot development program. Its going to be a week long course out of Flight Safety in Houston, and completely run by Colgan instructors/trainers. You will go over systems and get about 12 hours in the SIM. If they find you trainable, you will be able to get a Saab class, NOT Q400. You aren't paid by Colgan, but the whole course is paid by Colgan. They said they are trying to find a way to budget in the cost of hotel so that students only need to pay for food. What do people think about this? I was told they are doing the first one of these at the end of January - Beginning of February. She told me I would be put into that class. But still kind of sucks that if I did well in that, I would still have to wait till March for a class date.

So there you go.

-Rob
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

somethings going on in colgan land. That's the first I heard of any of that. I'm thinking there's going to be some big announcement after the new year. I wonder why they canceled the saab class. With the amount of FO's leaving every month I'm pretty surprised.

Did you find anything out about the Beech??? Anyone say anything about beech classes?
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

Snuggle said:
Did you find anything out about the Beech??? Anyone say anything about beech classes?
Click to expand...

Did not ask about the Beech. However the calendar I looked at listed things like FA training, Q400 new hire training, Saab recurrent, but nothing on Beech crews.

And I agree, something is going on. Its not possible for Colgan to go 2.5 months without a new FO class.

I wasn't sure if they where going to a hub system, and put everyone in IAD, and they realized they can have a smaller amount of crews doing it that way.

-Rob
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

Strange, I suppose the HUB system could be coming into play. I have a feeling that the all dash fleet rumor is true. I guess well just have to wait and see what happens. Thanks for the intel!
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

I heard ExpressJet is going to be taking over your flying out of Houston and that our announcement is coming around the first of the year.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

I'm afraid its going to be- another Q contract and the phasing out of the Saab.

Are we REALLY that fat on Saab FOs?
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

v1valarob said:
3. They are hiring only Q400 FOs, and Street Captains for Saab/Q400 now. You cant be a low timer to get the Q. You have to be at least near 1000 to get it. Looking at the big calendar on the wall, it looks like the next Q class is January 31st.


-Rob
Click to expand...

Dont let the old timers hear you say that. 1000 hours isnt exactly a "high" timer
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

BTW The needing 1,000 hours happens every once in a while at Colgan. I interviewed there in June or July of 2006 and Chuck prefaced the interview by telling me that I was just at the minimum qualifications and that most likely they were not going to be able to take me on as for the next handful of classes they were only taking people with 1,500+ hours so they could upgrade quickly. A few months later they were back to taking 600 hour candidates.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

rob, thats all good info. I think a lot of ppl are wondering if they will open a iad base for the outstation pilots. I'm not too sure how fat or lean we are on saab FO's right now. At my base, we have 10 fo's and only 7 lines. I'm not sure if its that way all around the system though. Colgan has traditionally gone without a Jan and Feb class. I keep hearing this dash 200/q200 rumor but i'm not a believer yet. It would make sense to have fleet commonality, but where is the cash going to come from? I seriously doubt we are losing flying. I think they are finally figuring out that the q400 are on the way and they don't have enough crews for obvious reasons.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

v1valarob]So I walked my resume into Colgan today said:
I keep hearing this dash 200/q200 rumor
Click to expand...

Haha...thats funny. Assuming the rumor is true, this company is STUPID. They haven't even taken a delivery of ONE Q400. They can't even staff the initial FLEET of Q400's. If they're already planning a Saab phase out....hahahaha..that would be hilarous. I doubt it, unless they have full on intentions of running this company into the water.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

jtrain609 said:
BTW The needing 1,000 hours happens every once in a while at Colgan. I interviewed there in June or July of 2006 and Chuck prefaced the interview by telling me that I was just at the minimum qualifications and that most likely they were not going to be able to take me on as for the next handful of classes they were only taking people with 1,500+ hours so they could upgrade quickly. A few months later they were back to taking 600 hour candidates.
Click to expand...

Well like said above, there has to be something brewing for there not to be an FO class until March.

-Rob
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

Airdale said:
Take that as a sign. Build your time up and go somewhere else. I would advise against going through their "pilot development program". Rather then look for shortcuts, just instruct a few more months and if your dead serious about coming to Colgan, well then....
Click to expand...

Yea, by March Ill have the mins for AWAC. So its pretty much a no-brainer at that point.

-Rob
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

"She said that they are doing this new thing called the pilot development program... What do people think about this?"

they were telling the early october interview classes this, the guys who failed out. who knows how many more before that. This, shortly after George A. (buddy) Casey took over, the guy who brought us gulfstream. thats nice colgan is gonna supposedly pay for it, but i would bet money they will do it with a contract. Or they will just make them pay for the training because they will lose so much money off it. i talked to chuck colgan when i was down there in the mid-october timeframe for my captain interview and they were real excited about it. just watch, the name colgan will become synonymous with gulfstream if they do what i think they will/are.

i think its a crock.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

I don't know I'm pretty happy right now. Then again I just got back from a little trip with my girlfriend, and I haven't flown since the 17th. I'd still recommend people to come here.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

Snuggle said:
I don't know I'm pretty happy right now. Then again I just got back from a little trip with my girlfriend, and I haven't flown since the 17th. I'd still recommend people to come here.
Click to expand...

dude!- ur always happy.
 
Re: Colgan - No Saab FO Classes Until March + Pilot Developm

I'm gonna try and do the impossible, commute! 3 hour drive ain't bad at all. Those 4 day trips look commutable. Plus I get free train rides from my dad (works in a railroad company). That amtrak from ALB to NYC , flights back and forth, and driving if all else fails. I think I can do it. For the few nights that I will need to stay there, I've got a connection at one of the hotels.

Have you gotten in contact with the other FO ??? He's on his way to ALB as well I believe. Says he will commute so the crashpad would probably work out well for him. I can get him your number if you'd like.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top