Great Lakes

[Xcaliber]

I was talking with the captain on my last flight who had recently jumpseated on GL. He said that the pilots (both captains) said they are hemorrhaging FO's so bad that they currently have a total of 10 FO's company wide. I'm just curious if there's any truth to the rumor.

 

[EIR]

Who in their right mind would go work for 18k / year?

 

[Apophis]

Who in their right mind would go work for 18k / year?

Looks like GLA still has 10 who would.

 

[Stryker172]

If they want to keep their pilots maybe they should pay them like they're pilots and not McDonalds employees.

 

[melltimejr]

Who in their right mind would go work for 18k / year?

Looks like GLA still has 10 who would.

Wow, the same jokes over and over are so original!!! ;-)

In reality, it is pretty bad. Not quite 10, but 26 qualified FO's to be factual. That's out of a total of 72 lines system wide. So, 26 of 72 is 36% FO coverage JUST for the lines, with NO additional reserve coverage. There are a few additional FO's in ATP training as we speak, and an additional handful who will meet the 1000 hr 4-year university exemption once that gets sorted out.
As for who would work for 18k a year? The guys who want 1000 PIC within two years. Who would want to sit right seat in an RJ for 30k a year for the next 7 years?
However, the 1500 hour rule has wrecked havoc on Lakes...hiring is gone, upgrades have been suspended. Take away a quick upgrade and you're right, there no longer is an appeal to come to Lakes. What a fun and unpredictable industry we've gotten ourselves into...

 

[z987k]

Wow, the same jokes over and over are so original!!! ;-)

In reality, it is pretty bad. Not quite 10, but 26 qualified FO's to be factual. That's out of a total of 72 lines system wide. So, 26 of 72 is 36% FO coverage JUST for the lines, with NO additional reserve coverage. There are a few additional FO's in ATP training as we speak, and an additional handful who will meet the 1000 hr 4-year university exemption once that gets sorted out.
As for who would work for 18k a year? The guys who want 1000 PIC within two years. Who would want to sit right seat in an RJ for 30k a year for the next 7 years?
However, the 1500 hour rule has wrecked havoc on Lakes...hiring is gone, upgrades have been suspended. Take away a quick upgrade and you're right, there no longer is an appeal to come to Lakes. What a fun and unpredictable industry we've gotten ourselves into...

You could fly at any freight company with turbines, make 30-65k and have 1000TPIC in 2 years, not upgraded in 2 years.
So if that's the goal, they're doing it wrong.

 

[NYPilot326]

Wow, the same jokes over and over are so original!!! ;-)

In reality, it is pretty bad. Not quite 10, but 26 qualified FO's to be factual. That's out of a total of 72 lines system wide. So, 26 of 72 is 36% FO coverage JUST for the lines, with NO additional reserve coverage. There are a few additional FO's in ATP training as we speak, and an additional handful who will meet the 1000 hr 4-year university exemption once that gets sorted out.
As for who would work for 18k a year? The guys who want 1000 PIC within two years. Who would want to sit right seat in an RJ for 30k a year for the next 7 years?
However, the 1500 hour rule has wrecked havoc on Lakes...hiring is gone, upgrades have been suspended. Take away a quick upgrade and you're right, there no longer is an appeal to come to Lakes. What a fun and unpredictable industry we've gotten ourselves into...

Alot of this is exactly the same as the situation at C5 though maybe not quite as bad yet....

 

[block30]

Isn't GL in negotiations with the pilot group? I hope you are able to get some headway in those negotiations.

 

[Tommay85]

You could fly at any freight company with turbines, make 30-65k and have 1000TPIC in 2 years, not upgraded in 2 years.
So if that's the goal, they're doing it wrong.

Yep, and if one has a hard on for the 1900/Brasilia, I know of one operator where you could touch both within a year and a half and have 1500-2000 TPIC time too within that time frame.

 

[HVYMETALDRVR]

As for who would work for 18k a year? The guys who want 1000 PIC within two years. Who would want to sit right seat in an RJ for 30k a year for the next 7 years?
However, the 1500 hour rule has wrecked havoc on Lakes...hiring is gone, upgrades have been suspended. Take away a quick upgrade and you're right, there no longer is an appeal to come to Lakes. What a fun and unpredictable industry we've gotten ourselves into...

Not going to beat around the bush with the whole pay argument again... although we have a bunch of 1900 CA's with the mystical 1000TPIC here at RAH, but why are upgrades suspended?

 

[bkey79]

Not going to beat around the bush with the whole pay argument again... although we have a bunch of 1900 CA's with the mystical 1000TPIC here at RAH, but why are upgrades suspended?

Because there are no FO's to fill those spots of FO's upgrading to Captain. Captain numbers are near or just over 100% right now. Plus, Lakes is concentrating on getting the FO's type rated before they start with upgrades again.

 

[Soku39]

For the hell of it I checked their requirements page and had to wonder aloud if it was a joke. "Transportation to the interviews (if selected) is not provided. Additionally class, if selected, last 4-6 weeks an d is unpaid." I'm not sure how anyone but someone from a very wealthy family could justify this.

 

[vheissu]

FWIW, there are 4 people in my regional class right now that bailed from there..