Airlines rush to add regional jets; who will fly them?

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jonnyb said:
A challenger position for $19K? I don't even know anyone who knows anyone who has heard of anything of the sort, but of course, that is the example you bring to the table. Give me a break.
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Southern Air Systems was the company that offered it.
http://www.southernairsystems.net/

No, you know exactly what I'm saying, quit playing games. The whole point of the alternative would be that you are working for acceptable wages
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Acceptable according to whom? You? Or to me? Why do I care what you think of my wages again?

even though your quality of life for a SHORT time may or may not be exactly what you want.
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The problem is that "SHORT" time frame has increase exponentially. The majors have just begun to hire. I chose a more defensive position in terms of the job I took 2 years ago, I didn't want to be stuck as an FO on a 1900 for three years, or flying a Falcon 20 for into Mexico on a 20 minute call out.

Like I said man, the communication gap is just too large.
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I disagree. Times change. Had things remained like they were 10 years ago, I'd be jumping for joy. The majors would still have big money paychecks, movement would be quick, and times would be good.

That just isn't the way it is now. You can talk about how good life was "back in the day" but that won't make times return.
 
Doug Taylor said:
I agree as well.

But it's going to require A LOT of education in the meantime and luckily with everyone and his uncle running an internet forum these days, the job will be significantly easier.

The big concern I have is that the 'powers that be' are masters at their job of driving down costs. Whenever some low paid op like "Skybus" pops up, there's a division in the profession between people thinking "This is better than what I'm making at XYZ/I'll just be there shortly to get on at a better airline" and the "Holy crap, now we're going to be asked to compete cost-wise with these a-holes". Mix in a little entitlement complex on both sides, sprinkle on a few Type-A personalities and management laughs their ass all the way to the bank.

We've got to keep getting the word out to the next (and current in some cases) generation that this is a profession, not a 'kool neato job where I can listen to my iPod, pick up on hot stewardesses and brag about passing up a FDX MD-10 on the ILS'.

It's not going to be easy, but it's attainable. Cards are gradually starting to stack in our favor, but we have to be able to take advantage of opportunity to correct the situation.

We just can't continue to be candyasses about protecting and reviving the profession.

My opinion only, your mileage may vary.
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Wisdom.
 
BobDDuck said:
You had 9 24 hour periods off. However, even saying you had to work 7 to 6 every day you did work (call it 21 days) that's still an additional 273 HOURS (or just over 11 days) "off" you had, compared to an airline schedule of 4 day trips.:)
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Great way to put that into perspective. That is true. Anyway, all I am saying is that Airlines are not the only places that are overworking, and under paying. It seems to be the trend in America right now.:)
 
Doug Taylor said:
I agree as well.

But it's going to require A LOT of education in the meantime and luckily with everyone and his uncle running an internet forum these days, the job will be significantly easier.

The big concern I have is that the 'powers that be' are masters at their job of driving down costs. Whenever some low paid op like "Skybus" pops up, there's a division in the profession between people thinking "This is better than what I'm making at XYZ/I'll just be there shortly to get on at a better airline" and the "Holy crap, now we're going to be asked to compete cost-wise with these a-holes". Mix in a little entitlement complex on both sides, sprinkle on a few Type-A personalities and management laughs their ass all the way to the bank.

We've got to keep getting the word out to the next (and current in some cases) generation that this is a profession, not a 'kool neato job where I can listen to my iPod, pick up on hot stewardesses and brag about passing up a FDX MD-10 on the ILS'.

It's not going to be easy, but it's attainable. Cards are gradually starting to stack in our favor, but we have to be able to take advantage of opportunity to correct the situation.

We just can't continue to be candyasses about protecting and reviving the profession.

My opinion only, your mileage may vary.
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:yeahthat:

Amen! Sing it, sister!
 
"That story is practically void and nill.. That's like saying "Well, the last time I was in Cabo, was in the 80's, I'm sure it hasn't changed any..."

Well. Last I checked, many flight training airplanes currently used were built in the 80's. What it took to fly one back then is pretty much the same it takes to fly one now. Unlike most people here, I've seen both sides of the coin, and I liked the old way better.
 
Velocipede said:
:yeahthat:

Amen! Sing it, sister!
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It's true brotha!

When I was at Skyway and we were pressing for our first contract, the company literally threw down a Great Lakes and Mesa pay schedule on the table, and pointed to a phat stack of resumes of people applying for Skyway and asked the union where the compensation problem was.

I fully expect that when it's time for Southernjets to restore pay and benefits, they're going to plop down Skybus and Virgin America's pay rates and point to the number of applications we have on file for people willing to do the job at today's rates.

I fully expect that.

They wouldn't be fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility if they didn't.

However, my motivation is completely different. You can have both a wildly successful company AND professionally compensated professional pilots as clearly evidenced by FDX, UPS, SWA, etc.
 
Just to clarify for myself. Is this the time that would be best for the mutiny? Now that majors are hiring, and there are alot of pilots needed at the regionals, does everyone just say "I am not applying anywhere." If we as pilots just say no thanks right now, all this could change. Would it be heard louder if those pilots looking for work were joined by the pilots already working in a strike. I do not think it is fair to lay the future of this industry on those applying. Some, if not most of the burden needs to be carried by the pilots already there. You have the best footing for the fight. I know you also have the most to lose, but battles are not fought from the rear. I admire and respect everyones opinion on this board. Everyone is entitled to a point of view. People follow those who lead from the front. Until someone is ready to do that, this will just go around, and around. It will always be the "you got yours" argument.
Be gentle with me.;)
 
Usually there's about 10-13,000 applicants:

It may have already begun, I'm not sure.

More Than 1,000 Pilots Apply for New Pilot Positions at United Airlines
Monday July 30, 11:39 am ET

CHICAGO, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- More than 1,000 pilots applied for 100 positions at United in the first 10 days that the company sought applications. The company is looking to hire 100 experienced pilots by the end of this year.
"We are impressed by the volume of applications and, more importantly, by the caliber and diversity of the candidates applying for these positions," said Captain Hank Krakowski, vice president, Flight Operations. "We set extremely high standards for our pilots and are looking for the best of the best to join our distinguished team."

United officially opened the online application site at united.com/pilot on Monday, July 16. This is the first time the company has hired new pilots since 2001. This latest hiring effort is being driven by United's expansion of flying into international markets. The online application site remains open for interested candidates.

Newly hired pilots will begin training at United's state-of-the-art Flight Training Center in Denver as early as October, with the first group expected to be flying for United by the end of the year. A full listing of qualifications for pilot applicants can be found at united.com/pilot.
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Fact remains, these regional jets are not going anywhere. So instead of blaming the guys that are flying them for the problems. . .why don't we collectively (as some are already) fight to better the wages?
 
surreal1221 said:
Fact remains, these regional jets are not going anywhere. So instead of blaming the guys that are flying them for the problems. . .why don't we collectively (as some are already) fight to better the wages?
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It's a natural, but unattainable, goal to have since most of you that fly RJs will fly them for the rest of your career.
 
Brand X said:
It's a natural, but unattainable, goal to have since most of you that fly RJs will fly them for the rest of your career.
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Wow. . .place is becoming FI pretty quickly.

What sort of facts due you have to support this opinion of yours? I personally do not have the long term plan of sitting in the left seat of an RJ for all my life. But hey, you must obviously know ALL RJ flyers though.
 
Go with the bose. I know alot of guys who got that, and ive never really heard much negative about them other then the cost.
 
Ehh, I disagree. A single post doesn't necessarily mean that we're becoming another website.

A lot of people will, however I'm not sure if it's paritcularly "most".

As 'broken record' as it sounds, if you've got experience and a degree, the sky is the limit, but with a high school diploma and a few thousand hours of flight time, you have reduced career opportunities.
 
Doug Taylor said:
Ehh, I disagree. A single post doesn't necessarily mean that we're becoming another website.
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Couldn't agree more Doug. But that's not the first, or only for that matter, FI'esque post from Brand X. If they were substantiated in anyway, it'd be a different story - but they are not.
 
surreal1221 said:
Wow. . .place is becoming FI pretty quickly.

What sort of facts due you have to support this opinion of yours? I personally do not have the long term plan of sitting in the left seat of an RJ for all my life. But hey, you must obviously know ALL RJ flyers though.
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You can have all the plans you want. RJ pilots are a dime a dozen. I'm sure the thousands of other commuter pilots don't "plan" on staying there for life either. Where are you ALL going to go? There is not room enough for all of you at the top. Face it, not everyone makes it to the major leagues. Someone still has to play for the minors.
 
And someone has to keep CFIing.

So, with that being said. . .

Someone has to keep flying for single engine 135 cargo operators. . .

But like I said all great ball of wisdom Brand X - not EVERYONE that keeps flying for the section of the industry that you hate, plans to stay there.

The end. Your opinion, but it's not substantiated by supportive facts to show that other people could actually agree with you.

Oh - there is this thing called attrition. As much as you may not believe it. . .it happens regularly at all levels of this industry. People grow old, lose medicals, retire, etc. Open seats are left, people are hired.

People have to set themselves apart from the competition, and that means having a degree, and more than just the minimums. If people do that, I have no doubt that they will succeed and end up where they want to end up, if that's a major here in the US, or by becoming an Ex-Pat and flying overseas.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't be so ignorant and cast stones towards ALL regional pilots, especially with an ignorant statement.

I'm a pretty firm believer that if you set yourself up for success, make the networking decisions required in this industry - you can go anywhere you want.
 
Brand X said:
You can have all the plans you want. RJ pilots are a dime a dozen. I'm sure the thousands of other commuter pilots don't "plan" on staying there for life either. Where are you ALL going to go? There is not room enough for all of you at the top. Face it, not everyone makes it to the major leagues. Someone still has to play for the minors.
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And the point of that statement is???
 
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