Effect of "pilot shortage" in frac/charter operators
- Thread starter badtransam97
- Start date
Charlie Foxtrot
Well-Known Member
I mean I know they have ads out there. But let's be honest, it's a 135 crap shoot. Pay is Mehh, based in the NE, and it was a 1 year training agreement upon new hire, but now they have started to try and enforce training agreements for recurrents.
So....now you can see why the company is short staffed.
digduggy
Well-Known Member
I was talking to the wife about this and she said "There isn't a pilot shortage, there is a pay shortage". Haha
This is a great time for talented albeit lower time guys to make moves... I am in a tough spot for that reason...
"2008 called... they want their salaries back."
This is a great time for talented albeit lower time guys to make moves... I am in a tough spot for that reason...
"2008 called... they want their salaries back."
Cloud Surfer
All Roads lead to Trantor
I used to work for a 135 operation in western Alaska; pay there was abysmal, and pilots were not treated very well. They were and still are hurting for pilots, I believe. To be fair, among Alaskan 135 operators they were viewed as bottom of the food chain. The 135 company that I'm at right now is also a revolving door. Low pay for 135, lack of a decent schedule, plus the captains that I fly with are hit-and-miss in terms of professionalism. Once my personal one-year commitment is up, I'm off to the regionals for better QOL if you can believe that. Many of the 135 operators have to step up in regards to compensation, schedule if they want to hold onto whatever pilots they employ. Otherwise they will be in for a big wake-up call in five years, if not sooner. The bottom-feeder 135 operations are struggling for a reason--something is wrong with how they aim to improve their pilots' QOL--or lack thereof.
Finny
Well-Known Member
The 135 I worked for lost 6 guys to the regionals in 2 months. Their pay was excellent, but had probably the worst work schedule ever for a professional pilot job. It's not only the pay that is an issue, but like you said the QOL needs to be drastically improved at many of these places as well.
Cloud Surfer
All Roads lead to Trantor
Was it 24/7 on call, flying freight in the middle of the night? My current gig is like that, not fun at all when you're woken up at midnight and don't get back until noon or later the next day....
z987k
Well-Known Member
That's illegal. Turn them in.
We need some damn certificate action on the operator level to stop this crap.
Finny
Well-Known Member
Yep. Freight and organs. The organ runs were the worst because you had no clue how long you were going to be in the ground. I'm glad I got out when I did. It sure makes the QOL issues at a regional seem like minor inconveniences compared to that craziness.
BEEF SUPREME
Well-Known Member
Yep I did it for years... It really is crazy that one of the most expensive medical procedures in the world is subsidized by people trying to make an honest wage in aviation...
Pathetic.
bucksmith
Did you lock the doors?
That's a couple of posts stating 135 guys going to regionals. Are y'all talking about piston gigs? Are people not able to parlay a 135 job with some networking into a ULCC or LCC airline gig? I haven't applied to a single airline in my life (yet), but I'd like to think with my "other than 121" experience, I could eventually talk my way into an Airbus somewhere!
Cloud Surfer
All Roads lead to Trantor
I can't speak of other companies.... I'm logging turboprop and turbojet/fan time though; one guy whom I never knew went to Southwest, another who was our previous chief is flying for Spirit nowadays. Some of the captains here that have 1000 hours turbine PIC have sent their apps in at big 121 carriers and are not receiving a call. A good chunk of the pilot group moving elsewhere consists of FOs who are getting on board with 'better' 135 gigs. Another aspect is the equipment that we fly: it mostly consists of 60s/70s era Learjets and Falcon 20s. Puny equipment compared with the neat hardware on an EMB 145 or CRJ-200, let alone some of the newer birds that the regionals operate these days. Frankly with how low the pay is and subpar the schedule, I wonder why any FO not linked to where this company is based would ever want to upgrade to captain with so many job opportunities opening up out there.
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badtransam97
Well-Known Member
What seems to beholding me back is the argus/wyvern bs. The jobs I'm looking at in 135, I can't get because I don't meet the time in "category" requirement, while the folks that are being hired at the places I want to work can't get a job at a regional because they don't have 1500TT!! Screwed up situation haha. Maybe these places will be forced to hire around Argus/Wyvern....or maybe I just need to go fly FW more lol
Finny
Well-Known Member
Most of us were 135 turboprop SICs that bailed once we got our 1500TT. One captain bailed over to Endeavor with us with thousands of hours of King Air time, but no jet or 121 time. He figured with the bonus at Endeavor and being able to stay in MSP that he could get some quick jet/121 time and then start applying at LLCs or the Majors with more success. He figured he'd rather fly for a regional and live in base while waiting for one of the big boys to call rather than deal with the crazy schedule at our previous employer. Some of the other guys that have left have talked their way into better paying 91 turboprop gigs, but very few people have gone from flying a turboprop to a better 91/135 jet gig without jet time.
BEEF SUPREME
Well-Known Member
Check out how many open positions there are here:
http://www.solairus.aero/careers/
On some pretty fancy equipment as well.
http://www.solairus.aero/careers/
On some pretty fancy equipment as well.
Cloud Surfer
All Roads lead to Trantor
Yup. Welcome to aviation, where everything is supposed to make sense.
It's funny how a Riddle graduate with 1000 hours of piston 172 time can get a job at a regional but someone with slightly less than 1500 hours TT and 600 hours turbine multi-engine is not qualified. Thanks a lot, FAA. Way to set the bar.
Itchy
Well-Known Member
Money talks, always has, always will.Yup. Welcome to aviation, where everything is supposed to make sense.
It's funny how a Riddle graduate with 1000 hours of piston 172 time can get a job at a regional but someone with slightly less than 1500 hours TT and 600 hours turbine multi-engine is not qualified. Thanks a lot, FAA. Way to set the bar.
aobt14
Well-Known Member
It's not that simple. The companies that operate this way are in bed with their local FSDOs. I personally know someone who tried to "turn them in" and all the FAA did was come and start ramp checking all the pilots. In fact, I think one of them was violated for some reason. Not only did it backfire, the company is running stronger than ever. This will NEVER change. It might be illegal and even though there are plenty of FAA letters addressing this epidemic, nothing will happen until the higher-ups force the local offices to implement the law. I hate to say this but it will take a drastic accident, such as an extremely fatigued crew crashing into a local sports area, to make any significant headway. When I flew on-demand freight, I lasted about two months and our entire new-hire class was gone in less than half a year.
z987k
Well-Known Member
That's a mistake. Never go to the local FSDO.