Airbus_Driver

I am leaving NWA on a voluntary furlough March 31st and starting at JetBlue in April. A couple of questions to JetBlue pilots...

1. Can anyone tell me how long training is in MCO?
2. How much, how convienent and clean are crash pads in JFK?
3. How long can I expect to stay on A320 First Officer Reserve in JFK?
4. Current length before A320 Captain upgrade if I take it ASAP?

Just some questions me and the wife would like to have answers for. I appreciate the assistance.

FNG320

Let see....

First, Welcome aboard....

1. Five to six weeks for Training in MCO, then three days of academics/orientation in NYC, then a week or two of IOE and line check. Then you are done. No probation. Then it is welcome to the ranks of the reserves and any base you can get (most likely JFK, but you can try LGB (pretty senior), FLL (it varies), BOS as of 01Jun06 (who knows).

If you are already an Airbus driver (as your handle and profile indicate), then you should find the training a breeze and be sure to bring your golf clubs. Plus a good chance to bring the wife and kids to MCO and go to Mickey's house. JetBlue has crews in training stay in several hotels near the airport and they have van service running between the hotels, the airport and the training center. If you have the $$$, your own rental car is nice to get you away from the van. Gives you more freedom and flexiblity. Maybe once you get there see if you sim parterner wants to split the cost. Just a suggestion.

2. There are some crashpad near JFK that you can ride the AirTrain to the employee parking and walk to. Most JB crew members have crash pads in Kew Gardens. Most of them are pretty nice, but it depends on who is in the pad also. You can check the JB intranet pilot page when you get to training. Plus you can check the bulletin board in the JFK pilot lounge for postings.

3. The last I heard it was running between 2 and 4 months right now. Not too bad when compared to other carriers. Only bad side is that our current FSG and Crew Services treat you like slave labor. Our work rules for reserves are not very good (they suck!) They more like a commuter airline vs a major airline. We have had promises from Crew Services, the Chief Pilots Office and Operations (VP Dave Bushy) for years that they are going to fix them. Yet we have seen little improvement over the last few years. (lots of talk and promises, but little action/changes).

4. I would estimate that the first chance of Capt upgrade in the A320 for someone coming on right now would be 2.5-3.5 years. I don't know how the flow into/out of the E190 has/will effect this. Currently pilots that take Capt upgrade in the A320 at the first available time sit reserve 12-14 months.

I hope that helps. Good Luck

FNG

Airbus_Driver

It helps very much, thank you.

Av8tor

If you can make it work, I would highly suggest driving to training. It's so nice to have your own car down there so you are not at the mercy of the van service. It's also nice to be able to drive to get groceries, go to the gym, get your haircut or whatever. I was so happy I drove down even though it was a 15 hour drive. Best of luck in training and welcome aboard!!

Airbus_Driver

I thought about bringing the car but I live in Minneapolis which is nearly a 29 hour drive not to mention the time it will take me to get it back home.

bluechunks

Realistically, if you are hired today, except upgrade in about FIVE YEARS if current delivery schedules hold. (The 2.5 to 3 year upgrades only apply to pilots hired that long ago.)

Do the math: we need to DOUBLE the fleet size for the most junior pilot to upgrade since we do not have significant retirements. With about 90 320's and deliveries of ~18 per year, the math equals five years. Granted we will have some minor pilot retirements and attrition during that timeframe, but we will also have current 190 pilots transitioning to the 320 as an additional wildcard.

Welcome to JetBlue. I'm really sorry the situation skinks at NWA right now, but you (and your family) need to be prepared for a rather adrouous NY commute and a much lower paycheck for the next few years. JetBlue does many things really well, but the grass is not greener here from a fininacial and QOL perspective compared to living in-base. (Take a look at the NewCo/NStar 190 rates in the NWA TA for example.)

If nothing else, at least you are keeping your options open.

AUS_ATC

What is a voluntary furlough?

Thanks,

MEM_ATC

FlyerJosh

Companies that are furloughing pilots often offer "voluntary" furloughs to pilots on the seniority list that wish to be "furloughed" out of seniority. (IE a senior guy wants to explore other opportunities, so he asks to be furloughed prior to junior employees.

This is beneficial in several ways. First, it allows the company to release a senior employee which results in greater savings (pay wise) than furloughing a junior guy. Second, it allows the senior guy to follow other avenues or dreams, while still retaining the right to return down the road (with seniority of course). Finally, it potentially saves a job at the bottom of the list, reducing the number of "involuntary" furloughs.

There are several different methods that various companies use... for example, some voluntary furloughs might only be for a set period of time (say 1 year), others might be as "replacement" furloughees and last until the company starts to recall pilots. It all comes down to how the voluntary furloughs are negotiated between the company and the union.

Airbus_Driver

bluechunks,

I appreciate the honest opinions. I am all too aware of the financial hardship and QOL issues that will accompany this transition.

Here's a little info about NWA's TA as regard to RJ's:
NWA's SJet (which are the 51-76 seat RJ's) will take 2 or more years to come on line. As an 8 year FO at NWA I can't simply slide over at 8 year pay either. The TA has you starting at 2nd year pay (if Captain) which is nearly $20/hr less than I make now and 4 year pay if starting as an FO (at $37/hr, same as E190 at JetBlue). There are various flow through agreements and protections if NWA sells the airline as well. Whether they actually "stick" or not in the event of a sale is yet to be seen.

From 77-100 seat aircraft there are 3 different payscales based on each aircrafts maximum certificated pax capacity. The aircraft are to be flown at NWA mainline by NWA system seniority list pilots (again, I believe this will take 5 or more years to get even the first aircraft). All 3 payscales are exceptionally higher than JetBlue's E190 rates, however, premium pay (150% pay over 80hrs) is gone (unfortunately) from NWA unless rescheduled, junior manning, etc.

I got a bit off track but honestly, I am looking forward to the positive work environment more than anything else. That may not be important to some people but it matters to me.

KRAZO

29 hours from MSP to MCO? You plan on riding your lawn mower down there? The best part of the trip is driving through Georgia late at night thinking about the movie Deliverance. I drove to my training from STL to SEA and Im glad I did. All you need is a big cup of QuikTrip Coffee and a baggie of Uppers available at any truck stop. God Speed My Lord!