Rode on an E170 For the First Time

ZapBrannigan

ZapBrannigan

If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
My family and I had the pleasure of flying aboard a Shuttle America (Delta Connection) E170 yesterday.

It was just a beautiful airplane, was extremely comfortable, smooth, and quiet. Without a doubt that is a mainline-style ride.

I don't know off the top of my head what Republitauqua America's payrates are, but I couldn't help but be saddened that the aircraft was truly the epitome of the "replacement jet". While the CRJ and ERJ are without a doubt a substandard product, the E170 is a more than adequate replacement for the DC9/737/F100.

Loved the airplane. Hated the fact that it wasn't mainline metal. (Just THINK of how many major airline jobs with good pay and good benefits would exist if the 70-90 seat platforms were scoped to the majors)
 
I agree. I have only flown on Compass's E175's a couple times on DH's but the plane is quite comfy. I poked my head up front and chatted with the crew and they had no complaints about the plane. Thankfully the new DL contract starts to bring back scope... The 175 is very close to the "original RJ" of the DC-9-10. 50+ seats should be mainline IMO.
 
DC9-10, F28, Bac1-11, BAe146... All formerly mainline equipment of similar gauge.
 
I don't think anyone argues that it's a nice plane from a passenger or pilot perspective. Nice seats, nice cabin. As a pilot very low workload (everything is automatic) etc...

That being said Zap you hit the nail on the head. Basically these guys have maintained the same pay rate all along from their 50 seat regional pay. It truly is a replacement jet, just look at the Delta Shuttle now being operated by some Chitauqua company. Look at the Midwest operation...The plane can adequately replace in the passenger's and management's eyes the larger mainline operated aircraft. My opinion is that the pilots don't recognize or care to act upon the powerful position that they're in.
 
Chautauqua is spelled C-H-A-U-T-A-U-Q-U-A.

We former Jetstream drivers don't take kindly to people mis-spelling our former company's name. ;)
 
It is a nice aircraft from the passenger perspective. USAir mainline is flying the 190 and 195, I believe. But the only E-Jets I've flown on have been with Republic. I flew on a full E175 a few weeks ago but it sure didn't feel full...VERY well designed.
 
Weren't the 170's originally nicknamed the 180's for all the problems they had?

With that said, and very neat airplanes my mom loves riding in them. Mom is pretty happy with any free ride though that doesn't leave her stranded for days at a Hub :)
 
ZapBrannigan said:
Chautauqua is spelled C-H-A-U-T-A-U-Q-U-A.

We former Jetstream drivers don't take kindly to people mis-spelling our former company's name. ;)
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At the risk of angering Qgar...

Chautauqua is Native American for "ugly Flight Attendant".

Doh... I am SO going to get in trouble for that.
 
ZapBrannigan said:
Loved the airplane. Hated the fact that it wasn't mainline metal. (Just THINK of how many major airline jobs with good pay and good benefits would exist if the 70-90 seat platforms were scoped to the majors)
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The other day, AMR introduced a proposal into negotiations with the APA that had Eagle flying 76-seat, two class configuration jets. Things quickly deteriorated that day.

Welcome to the neo-majors. Costs, labor issues, and other limitations have every company out there scrambling to outsource.

Unless some major, major changes take place, we are the future.

Simply driving to 'take it back' is not enough, nor is it likely a winning strategy at all. We need a bridge plan, and a we need to open a second battlefront- we need to drive up wages and secure scope at the so-called 'Regional' level.
 
$37 an hour is TOP FO pay on that airframe. I hope you guys can negotiate much higher and wish you luck. I'm not trying to knock RP at all - I just wish you guys could raise the bar for your pilot group.
 
C150J said:
$37 an hour is TOP FO pay on that airframe. I hope you guys can negotiate much higher and wish you luck. I'm not trying to knock RP at all - I just wish you guys could raise the bar for your pilot group.
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Wow, that sucks. I'm making $1 more than that as a 2nd year F/O somewhere else...
 
ZapBrannigan said:
My family and I had the pleasure of flying aboard a Shuttle America (Delta Connection) E170 yesterday.

It was just a beautiful airplane, was extremely comfortable, smooth, and quiet. Without a doubt that is a mainline-style ride.

I don't know off the top of my head what Republitauqua America's payrates are, but I couldn't help but be saddened that the aircraft was truly the epitome of the "replacement jet". While the CRJ and ERJ are without a doubt a substandard product, the E170 is a more than adequate replacement for the DC9/737/F100.

Loved the airplane. Hated the fact that it wasn't mainline metal. (Just THINK of how many major airline jobs with good pay and good benefits would exist if the 70-90 seat platforms were scoped to the majors)
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Indeed. I remember being a passenger in one a couple of years ago. The first thing that came to my head from a passenger standpoint was how much of a "real plane" it felt (good cabin space/space in the overhead bins), but then I started thinking about how much the FO was making in that flight. Then it depressed me. :(
 
C150J said:
$37 an hour is TOP FO pay on that airframe. I hope you guys can negotiate much higher and wish you luck. I'm not trying to knock RP at all - I just wish you guys could raise the bar for your pilot group.
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When our last contract was negotiated the largest plane we had was the 145 back in 2003. The 50+ seat payscale was created when we had no idea those airplanes would come onto the property. CA's top out at $120/hr. What the sad thing is US Airways 190 CA's top out at $95!! I agree with raising the bar but we need to do it everywhere.

We had a podcast from our VP comparing us to Jetblue and US Airways in regards to pay and he was hinting at bringing down CA pay to be closer to mainline (typical management during contract negotiations), but this time it was mainline hurting us, go figure right. So anyway, we have been in negotiations for two years now and our EXCO were asking for raises across the board, but now that Teamsters Intl took over our local EVERYTHING has been suspended including negotiations. I hope we dont start from square one.

In regards to the FO scales they lump Chautauqua, Republic, and Shuttle America together into a single FO payscale otherwise the company would endure lots more training costs of 145 FO's moving over to the 170. So I kinda see their logic even though I dont agree with it.

I asked one of the exco guys about the FO pay topping out at $37 at year four and there was never a time in the history of the company that someone couldn't upgrade in 3 years or less due to the growth of the company, but they were looking to change that in the next contract now that we have shrunk in size and guys will be in the right seat for a longer time. I'm sure I will get crap for some of this, but I am just providing some facts. I agree the plane should be at mainline, but right now its not. Thats up to the major pilots to get them back, but what we can do is get the best pay than the majors will say well if we are gonna pay that much we might as well fly them ourselves. But in reality we probably will be undercut by another regional who will do the flying for cheaper!
 
sigpilot said:
In regards to the FO scales they lump Chautauqua, Republic, and Shuttle America together into a single FO payscale otherwise the company would endure lots more training costs of 145 FO's moving over to the 170. So I kinda see their logic even though I dont agree with it.
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That's incorrect. From what a member of the NC said at the time, it was due to the J4BJ program.
 
The 170 is a great aircraft and I always loved flying on it. Although I heard recommendations from several people to never sit aft of the wings or the strobes will bring misery on you for the duration of the flight. From the MTX side, I remember the teething problems it had coming on line, but that's to be expected with any new airframe type.

Oh yeah, and I hated having to spell C-h-a-u-t-a-u-q-u-a to just about everyone I talked to.
 
I got the chance to ride on republic when they were flying from Spokane to Denver. Very comfortable for a tall man like myself, nice not having to tilt my head.
 
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