Ameriflight career journal

RPM

RPM

Well-Known Member
I found this career journal from Pete Goertzen, The whole first section down at the bottom is about his training and day to day life at Ameriflight. It's very good, lots of information/ pics and day to day flight info for freight flying in the northwest.

Then it goes into his career at the regionals, it's a lot of reading, but really good stuff and well worth it if you have the time. Some of the best information I've found on freight flying/ training so far!
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Also shows how unpredictable regional jobs can be with the furloughs etc..

Pete Goertzen Career Journal Link



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Hysterical. What a hypocrite this guy is. He calls Mesa a "historical bottom dweller." Yet if he had taken the Mesa job instead of CoEx he would:

a) Never have been furloughed
b) Be a jet captain now.
c) Be in a base near his home.

Mesa has some problems and gets some bad press but for job security it is "historically" a good place.
 
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Mesa has some problems and gets some bad press but for job security it is "historically" a good place.

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Gotta throw this one in there, John.....I know, I know, a left-handed jab...

The turnover sure helps with job security, especially for those content with low pay and QOL as job security.
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[ QUOTE ]
Hysterical. What a hypocrite this guy is. He calls Mesa a "historical bottom dweller." Yet if he had taken the Mesa job instead of CoEx he would:

a) Never have been furloughed
b) Be a jet captain now.
c) Be in a base near his home.

Mesa has some problems and gets some bad press but for job security it is "historically" a good place.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, one of my pals is barely approaching jet captain and he's been with MAG since early 2000.

And if you live in Bullhead City, AZ, sure you're mighty close to living at home.

I guess the thing to remember is for that every time I b*tch and moan about the long commute to KATL, there are three furloughed pilots longing to touch a jet, another five pilots that are sitting reserve in NYC that would love to hold ATL and a slew of others that wouild have an easier commute.

It's all relative.
 
Doug you have to remember that Bog has passed over upgrade several times (from what I hear.) He doesn't want to be a junior reserve captain.

I felt the same way when I started to get some FO seniority. It was nice to have some QOL for a change.

Fortunately they closed my base and forced me to upgrade. It was a wise decision! I gained seniority just as fast as a captain oddly enough.
 
MikeD - where does this rumor start that Mesa is low pay?

Compared to Comair maybe, but several carriers are in the same pay range - Pinnacle, Great Lakes, Air Wisconsin, Commutair, Chautauqua, etc.

Mesa's contract adjusts the hourly rates to industry standard every year the company shows a profit.

People see the hourly rate and the 70 hr guarantee and make false assumptions - that 70 hrs is for 13 pay periods - not 12 months.

I made more money at Mesa than any of the 5 airlines I flew for.

The problems with Mesa are not really the payscale but the workrules. They could use some improvements with the following:

1) Cancellation pay
2) Duty and trip rigs
3) Segment adjustment
4) Domicile bidding and move days
5) Training fences
6) Bog can fill us in on other items I'm sure.

As I have said many many times on this board before, it's a trade off. You will make jet captain faster at Mesa than any other airline I know of (exception - Pinnacle and Chautauqua recently had some fast upgrades, but they are slowing again.)

And Mesa is like all other airlines, if you figure out the system and work with people you will have a (reasonably) good QOL. If you bitch, piss and moan you will get dumped on. Unfortunately new hires hear a lot of disgruntled "oldtimers" pissing and moaning and pick up bad habits. Remember that these "oldtimers" have never worked at another airline most likely, and don't realize that most of what they are complaining about is just basic regional airline life.

The biggest problem right now is the Freedom rift. That's divided the pilot group in some sections. I hope they soon get over it and move on, but I doubt it will happen. Look at Eastern.
 
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Hysterical. What a hypocrite this guy is. He calls Mesa a "historical bottom dweller." Yet if he had taken the Mesa job instead of CoEx he would:

a) Never have been furloughed
b) Be a jet captain now.
c) Be in a base near his home.

Mesa has some problems and gets some bad press but for job security it is "historically" a good place.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hypocrite I may be (although I'm not sure how), but:

a) You're dead wrong - I would have been furloughed for over a year
b) You're wrong again, there are no current jet captains with hire dates of 7/2001 or later
c) What bases did Mesa have near Portland, OR at the time?

Do some research next time before you call me names. I'm happy that I chose COEX. I have a new contract that is far superior to what I would have had at Mesa, and my future is not tied to United and US Airways.
 
Don't mind John - there are 2 things I know, he comes accross miserable, and will protect Mesa like it is his High School Daughter!

Good to have you onboard here, your website is awesome.
 
Hi Peter.

I remember looking at your journal a while back and I thought it was really cool. Would be a good read for any of the wannabe's here. Thanks for signing up at jetcareers.
 
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a) You're dead wrong - I would have been furloughed for over a year
b) You're wrong again, there are no current jet captains with hire dates of 7/2001 or later
c) What bases did Mesa have near Portland, OR at the time?

Do some research next time before you call me names. I'm happy that I chose COEX. I have a new contract that is far superior to what I would have had at Mesa, and my future is not tied to United and US Airways.

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YOU do some research. Mesa does not have any pilots on furlough. Go to Mesalounge and check it out.

Your future is tied to one airline. Your one airline happens to be doing ok right now. But who's to say Gulfstream won't be getting more of your routes in the future?

Quit pointing fingers and saying "THIS one airline is the cause of ALL the problems in the world." It's very childish.
 
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[ QUOTE ]

a) You're dead wrong - I would have been furloughed for over a year
b) You're wrong again, there are no current jet captains with hire dates of 7/2001 or later
c) What bases did Mesa have near Portland, OR at the time?

Do some research next time before you call me names. I'm happy that I chose COEX. I have a new contract that is far superior to what I would have had at Mesa, and my future is not tied to United and US Airways.

[/ QUOTE ]

YOU do some research. Mesa does not have any pilots on furlough. Go to Mesalounge and check it out.

Your future is tied to one airline. Your one airline happens to be doing ok right now. But who's to say Gulfstream won't be getting more of your routes in the future?

Quit pointing fingers and saying "THIS one airline is the cause of ALL the problems in the world." It's very childish.

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Everyone - glad you enjoy my website.

John - no hard feelings. You and I can argue all day about what airlines are better, and in the end we'd both still have the same opinions. I just want the facts straight for the sake of my credibility. Mesa furloughed 316 pilots in the aftermath of 9/11. Had I taken the job there, I would have been furloughed with that group just as I was furloughed at COEX. I know they're all recalled now. But you said I would have never been furloughed, and that is incorrect. I had a great deal of time on my hands to weigh if I had made the right decision. Furloughed either way.
 
My argument is yours. I will not argue which airline is "better."

I am upset that everyone blames the woes of the industry on Mesa. It is not so!
 
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I am upset that everyone blames the woes of the industry on Mesa. It is not so!

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I've heard from nearly everyone I've chated with that working there really sucks but I dont think that people plame the woes of the industry on them.
 
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I am upset that everyone blames the woes of the industry on Mesa. It is not so!

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I see Mesa kind of like I see the neighborhood hoe. I may very well be the guy that has nothing but good experiences, and find nothing wrong. But there sure are alot of stories about her....
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Quite a story there, Pete. You've had an up-and-down ride so far. Way to hang in there.


Poke around this site some - I bet you'd have a lot of good information to offer if you'd care to spend a few minutes sharing some of your experience.

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