Old Dominion Flyer
Well-Known Member
upup89 said:
Oh. Wrong Q.
Oh. Wrong Q.
syntrikz
Well-Known Member
C5 and United have a contract for the 145s. The contract is for 5 years.
1 plane per month will go online starting April. It goes up to 2 per month towards the end of he year.
Honestly, I wouldn't wait to take a class date. If you wait, you won't be guaranteed a spot on the 145 because they're awarded in seniority order in the class. Waiting will also allow others to be hired senior to you, which will affect your seniority when it comes time to upgrade (and maybe affecting which aircraft you can hold when you upgrade)
If you want to come here, I suggest you take the earliest class.
Taylor814ce
Well-Known Member
Taylor814ce
Well-Known Member
Anyone know when the classes are scheduled for Feb and March?
BooooooYou're too qualified. That's all.
upup89
Well-Known Member
There was a member here walking in resumes in the jobs available forum. You could try him.
Taylor814ce
Well-Known Member
From reading some old threads here and there, many mentioned one of the down sides to flying Turbo props is many many legs a day compared to jets. Just how awful is it? I mean does it really burn you out flying 6 legs per day compare to flying 3 long legs in a jet? Or do you guys get used to it? Is it similar to CFIing where you have 3 touch and goes lesson day compare to two x country lessons? Sorry if my exampl sounds funny but I just need to better understand how "painful" it maybe.
Thanks
Thanks
upup89
Well-Known Member
Before the first ALPA contract I did 8 legs once. It was exhausting. After the contract I don't recall doing 6 all that often but I never noticed it being too bad.
Taylor814ce
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I just hope is not like doing 4 (FOUR!!!) touch and go lessons in a day. Please tell me it's better?!?!
N519AT
Ahh! This is how I change this!
Thanks! I just hope is not like doing 4 (FOUR!!!) touch and go lessons in a day. Please tell me it's better?!?!
We're contractually limited to 6 legs per day, but I haven't seen a 6 leg day in ages. EWR might have some (not sure) but the most we see in Dulles is usually 5 and that's on the first day/last day. It's just not easy to get a 6 leg day in with 117 and the way United schedules our flights.
It's a different animal than instructing, that's for sure. Some days are tiring, others it seems like you just blast through the day. Really depends.
Lately we've been getting some longer turns out of Dulles (DAY, GSP) which really help with trip productivity. It makes for a long flight on those turns when our flight time is on average about 45 minutes, but I'm at work to work.
ScorpionStinger
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I just hope is not like doing 4 (FOUR!!!) touch and go lessons in a day. Please tell me it's better?!?!
Real world flying is easier than Instructing. Part 121, 135 etc... Overall its less stressful. Being a CFI had its own unique sets of challenges. Challenges, stresses, and experiences that will serve you well at the next level.
+1 to what the previous poster said. It is profesional "Work" that we do, from 121, to 135, etc.
Rant section: After some time of being very neive and focusing on enjoying what I do, and drooling over the future career opportunities and income potential. I've come to realize I should not view it as easy wor, nor as an easy career. It is hard professional WORK that we do. This profession demands a high level of dedication, focus and risks. I try to remember that while on duty each day. To stay sharp, alert and focused is no easy task. This profession brings with it a burden of responsibility to many entities, both seen and unseen. We must strive to improve, learn, gain experience, and become excellent decison making pilots' each day, week, month, year. It is easy to allow your skills to errode.
Last edited:
Hammertime
Well-Known Member
I think everyone sees it a little differently. Personally, I miss the days of bouncing around the pattern. It's been a while, but I recall days that were long, but fun, with brief moments of terror. I feel like a long day of 121 flying is more of a grind. Less terror, but also less fun, and more of a consistent level of stress (the kind that builds between your shoulders all day). Usually I get to the point where I'm counting down: "only two legs left until the hotel, only one leg left until the hotel..."
Max Power
Well-Known Member
Sitting in the right seat of any transport category aircraft soundly beats instructing. Not that I don't miss instructing occasionally, but if your goal is to fly professionally, get to an FO seat as soon as you can. The world of 135 or 121 is vastly different from even the busiest 141 environment.
I've been at C5 for nearly two and a half years. In those 2.5 years, the company has changed dramatically. Closing Cleveland as a crew and maintenance base was very hard on the company. Our maintenance suffered since many of the skilled guys and gals didn't want to (or couldn't) move to Albany. Many of our senior people were turned into commuters for the first time ever, dropping morale. We had tons of cancellations and delays for maintenance 6 months after closing Cleveland that we were all concerned for our jobs. There's been so much change that Commutair years seem to be like dog years. 1 Commutair year= 5 regional years elsewhere!
I feel much better now about staying here versus jumping ship to have a base at home with RAH. I'm a Captain Qualified First Officer now, so I'm a Captain who can be used as an FO. I don't really enjoy it, but at least being utilized as an FO (with CA pay) is much better than just riding the couch in the crewroom. As long as the 145's come as they are supposed to, this company will be almost unrecognizable by this time next year. Bigger with two fleet types and double the people? The "small dysfunctional family" atmosphere will be gone. Right now, I can walk into any crewroom and see a familiar face, by this time next year, maybe not. Not that it's concerning or a bad thing, its just nice to fly with familiar folks. That's unusual in this business to be sure and I think a bonus.
Our current contract is pretty good and we received many QOL improvements with it. Reserve still sucks since we do a lot of airport reserve, but it's gotten better with the current contract. We probably have the best if not one of the better commuter clauses in the regionals. The Dash is not a glamorous plane at all, but it's a workhorse and fun to fly. It teaches you how to fly and is a rather forgiving bird everywhere except landing, where getting a smooth landing can be a challenge. But many people have cut their teeth on the Dash and gone on to fly bigger and better stuff. Many of them miss the Dash. As someone told me once " Enjoy it, this is the last airliner you'll ever have to actually fly in your career". This seems true, as the MD's and older equipment retires. It's just a different type of flying, most flights are 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air. But really, anything longer than two hours block in this airplane just feels wrong.
With the 117 rest requirements, 5 legs is pretty much the max we do anymore. We do CDO's or continuous duty overnights, others know them as Stand Ups, High Speeds, etc. You fly the last flight out in the evening and the first one out in the morning. THOSE are fatiguing, as they mess with your sleep cycle. You see a lot of them being low on either seniority list and some people do them all the time. Living in base they'd be OK, as a commuter, not so much. Most of our days are 4-5 hours of flying, but there's been a trend to more 5-6 hours. Most I've done scheduled is 7 and that's a long day. We are blocked appropriately for the most part, so making extra money is tough.
As far as the expansion goes, who knows? I like to think of Commutair as the "on paper" company. Everything looks great when they make a plan, the truth is usually something quite different. We've got new management, UAL owning part of us and a different path. We are Uniteds "Chosen Ones" for this minute in time, so maybe that will be a big bonus. I hope it all goes according to plan, as I'd love to hold a line as Captain and not be a CQF. And I'd like to keep this job for a while, as the only other option is that Commutair goes away. Talking with some folks in the know, we got pretty close to that before this UAL deal.
So, we are growing, we need people. I'm not 100% on how the movement from Dash to 145 goes or seat locks,etc. But if you want in and to get as many people behind you seniority-wise, C5 is a good choice. I wouldn't make a career here, but it's as good as any regional to start and I feel our training department is very fair. They'll help you in your new environment, which can be daunting coming from the instructing world.
I've been at C5 for nearly two and a half years. In those 2.5 years, the company has changed dramatically. Closing Cleveland as a crew and maintenance base was very hard on the company. Our maintenance suffered since many of the skilled guys and gals didn't want to (or couldn't) move to Albany. Many of our senior people were turned into commuters for the first time ever, dropping morale. We had tons of cancellations and delays for maintenance 6 months after closing Cleveland that we were all concerned for our jobs. There's been so much change that Commutair years seem to be like dog years. 1 Commutair year= 5 regional years elsewhere!
I feel much better now about staying here versus jumping ship to have a base at home with RAH. I'm a Captain Qualified First Officer now, so I'm a Captain who can be used as an FO. I don't really enjoy it, but at least being utilized as an FO (with CA pay) is much better than just riding the couch in the crewroom. As long as the 145's come as they are supposed to, this company will be almost unrecognizable by this time next year. Bigger with two fleet types and double the people? The "small dysfunctional family" atmosphere will be gone. Right now, I can walk into any crewroom and see a familiar face, by this time next year, maybe not. Not that it's concerning or a bad thing, its just nice to fly with familiar folks. That's unusual in this business to be sure and I think a bonus.
Our current contract is pretty good and we received many QOL improvements with it. Reserve still sucks since we do a lot of airport reserve, but it's gotten better with the current contract. We probably have the best if not one of the better commuter clauses in the regionals. The Dash is not a glamorous plane at all, but it's a workhorse and fun to fly. It teaches you how to fly and is a rather forgiving bird everywhere except landing, where getting a smooth landing can be a challenge. But many people have cut their teeth on the Dash and gone on to fly bigger and better stuff. Many of them miss the Dash. As someone told me once " Enjoy it, this is the last airliner you'll ever have to actually fly in your career". This seems true, as the MD's and older equipment retires. It's just a different type of flying, most flights are 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air. But really, anything longer than two hours block in this airplane just feels wrong.
With the 117 rest requirements, 5 legs is pretty much the max we do anymore. We do CDO's or continuous duty overnights, others know them as Stand Ups, High Speeds, etc. You fly the last flight out in the evening and the first one out in the morning. THOSE are fatiguing, as they mess with your sleep cycle. You see a lot of them being low on either seniority list and some people do them all the time. Living in base they'd be OK, as a commuter, not so much. Most of our days are 4-5 hours of flying, but there's been a trend to more 5-6 hours. Most I've done scheduled is 7 and that's a long day. We are blocked appropriately for the most part, so making extra money is tough.
As far as the expansion goes, who knows? I like to think of Commutair as the "on paper" company. Everything looks great when they make a plan, the truth is usually something quite different. We've got new management, UAL owning part of us and a different path. We are Uniteds "Chosen Ones" for this minute in time, so maybe that will be a big bonus. I hope it all goes according to plan, as I'd love to hold a line as Captain and not be a CQF. And I'd like to keep this job for a while, as the only other option is that Commutair goes away. Talking with some folks in the know, we got pretty close to that before this UAL deal.
So, we are growing, we need people. I'm not 100% on how the movement from Dash to 145 goes or seat locks,etc. But if you want in and to get as many people behind you seniority-wise, C5 is a good choice. I wouldn't make a career here, but it's as good as any regional to start and I feel our training department is very fair. They'll help you in your new environment, which can be daunting coming from the instructing world.
chrisreedrules
Master Blaster
Hearing a lot of pilots are getting turned down by UA during that portion of the interview. Are there any numbers currently available to show what the acceptance rate is amongst new hires?
Jamesah2008
Well-Known Member
I think nearly everyone in the current ground school class hasn't done the UAL interview yet.
Thanks. You in class now? I believe I'm taking the Hogan next week. Been "studying" as much as one can for a personality test.
Also for any C5 prospectives that are interested, the signing bonus shows up about a week before your class date
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Why are you taking the Hogan, if you're interviewing for C5?