Colgan hiring into the Q400!

surreal1221 said:
Don't let Airdale know about this. . .he may get too excited about flying a new plane that someone may jump down his throat again. . .


:sarcasm:
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Thats okay man. Thanks for thinking of me though!

I might have been drinking a little cool-aid last time though. Got talking to a mechanic here, reading up on the aircraft and checking out photos of it. Definitely a sweet airplane. Definitely would be pretty exciting to fly, but the pay scale is crap. We'll see. I sent my bid in it for it though, we'll hope we can change the pay with ALPA on property.

I'm not sure they can start hiring into the Q yet though. They haven't awarded class dates (except for the first class I believe), and I doubt they want to hire people into a "pool" waiting for a class.

Its unorganized.
 
surreal1221 said:
Well, here is to hoping you have the senority to have your bid accepted. Good luck!
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Thanks man! You're an alright guy!

I should get awarded the Q before hiring off the street starts. My seniority has jumped from almost 40 spots already, and the company has hired over 40 people behind me. Plus Chuck Colgans exact words were that they want to staff the Q400 from the company list first. We'll see!
 
That is correct. They will be taking first dibs on the Q400 from the in house people, then whats left over will be filled by new hires. Not that it will be difficult to get the Q400, I see that to be a very up-and-coming operation.
 
There's a rumot on our company b*tch board from someone who knows someone that RIC will be the crew base. That doesn't make loads of sense to me, any truth to that? Why not EWR?
 
EWR is going to be the first crew base for the Q. I would guess that in June we will open IAH.

Out of IAH look for us to go to Mexico on some of the runs.
 
Do you guys think they will waive the 1 year equipment lock for recent hires so they can promote more pilots from within?? While I was in training, some instructors said that a suprisingly low amount of pilots have been bidding the Q, but it may have changed since then.
 
Mattio said:
Do you guys think they will waive the 1 year equipment lock for recent hires so they can promote more pilots from within?? While I was in training, some instructors said that a suprisingly low amount of pilots have been bidding the Q, but it may have changed since then.
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Those that have some self-respect have not bid the Q. Unfortunately, STPS is creaping into the Colgan rank and file. The problem is the rates Colgan is offering for a 74 seat plane are completely insulting. The rates aren't even competitive for a 50 seat RJ.....so let's go and toss in another 24 seats and pay even less.....Hmmm, where do I sign up for that gem. Oh wait, I forgot, it's a shiny new TP, maybe I should ask them if it would be ok for me to pay them.....just let me fly it. :rolleyes: :sarcasm:

Now granted there are some who are bidding because they live near EWR and it would improve their QOL, and it is a raise off the Saab or Hondo rates....but it is still industry basement salary for the level of responsibility involved.....not the 'industry average' the company would have us believe.
 
Cruise said:
Those that have some self-respect have not bid the Q. Unfortunately, STPS is creaping into the Colgan rank and file. The problem is the rates Colgan is offering for a 74 seat plane are completely insulting. The rates aren't even competitive for a 50 seat RJ.....so let's go and toss in another 24 seats and pay even less.....Hmmm, where do I sign up for that gem. Oh wait, I forgot, it's a shiny new TP, maybe I should ask them if it would be ok for me to pay them.....just let me fly it. :rolleyes: :sarcasm:

Now granted there are some who are bidding because they live near EWR and it would improve their QOL, and it is a raise off the Saab or Hondo rates....but it is still industry basement salary for the level of responsibility involved.....not the 'industry average' the company would have us believe.
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Heard the same thing cruise, and the feeling is mutual among the FOs I've spoken to. That, and quite a few of us FOs are upgrade-itchy in the saab. Some of us to go really soon. Not to mention any names.
 
Cruise said:
Now granted there are some who are bidding because they live near EWR and it would improve their QOL, and it is a raise off the Saab or Hondo rates....but it is still industry basement salary for the level of responsibility involved.....not the 'industry average' the company would have us believe.
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I agree the pay rates suck. Here's to hoping ALPA can help. The only reason I bid the Q is EWR is a 35 min drive from home. If the Saab was based there, I'd probably go for that with the upgrade times.
 
Airdale said:
I agree the pay rates suck. Here's to hoping ALPA can help.
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I think what will help, more than Alpa, is the unity of the pilot group..

If everyone would just, for a few moments, quit thinking about themselves, unite and put a collective foot down, things CAN get done..

The key is to keep from caving.. Looks like we've got guys picketing tomorrow and I wish I could make it.. Something needs to be done..
 
Tram said:
Did anyone heard Mesaba got their first 900 the other day and a ramper drove a truck into it?
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Wouldn't exactly say the other "day." I was in MSP last MONTH, and saw 2 of them. But, yeah, I heard about the truck thing. Doesn't surprise me. I'm not even taxiing our planes, and I cringe around Mesaba ground staff in MSP and DTW.
 
kellwolf said:
Wouldn't exactly say the other "day." I was in MSP last MONTH, and saw 2 of them. But, yeah, I heard about the truck thing. Doesn't surprise me. I'm not even taxiing our planes, and I cringe around Mesaba ground staff in MSP and DTW.
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You know, Kell...you're right. I received a shock recently when after pushing back from the B5 in DTW and ramp tells us to taxi to 4N and contact ground. Well, I clear the right side and tell the CA that it's clear to taxi, and as we turn to the right to taxi, a tug goes flying by our nose!!
 
Champcar said:
You guys really like making crap up. First its SJS now its STPS......
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Lets just call is shiney airplane syndrome and we all are infected. Done. :)

I think the Q400 is neat airplane, but there are a hundred airplanes that I think are awesome. The biggest appeal for me with the Q here, is getting home based. Man I can't wait for that day to come. The pay scale sucks, and I could always leave for some place with better pay, but there's a downside to that too. I've already gained 40 seniority spots and I haven't been here 6 months yet. In a year, that could jump by double. I'd be giving up the better schedules and the time spent working towards upgrade. Plus by then I should be in EWR, so I'd be chancing that too.

In a perfect world, Colgan will wake the hell up and pay us what we should get paid on the Q. I don't have high expectations that will happen though, but I'm hopeful. Colgan isn't a bad place, but it could be much better.

And Tram, I agree with you 100% on your last comment.
 
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