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What made me think about this is the recent pilot fatigue/duty day issues.
So, I'm in between flights at MCI and see this fellow standing near our gate. All he needed was the hat.
Anyway, I start asking him how things are going (I've read the APC posts, so I know a little..). He starts into this interminable speech about how a former WN “higher up” co-founded this airline staffing it with a dream team of former WN and other reputable airline people that held the same capacity at their former airlines, ownership mentality, blah, blah..
What struck my curiosity was his statement that pilot's were flying on some days, roughly 7.5 hours in 9.5 hours of duty. 14 days ON a month, home every night in base, and he's now able to coach his son's little league team.
I'm sorry. I don't care what you think about me personally - if they'd open a base in Kansas City, you're darn right, I'd apply.
But for now, I'm here, and I wish we as a collective pilot group could force our companies to copy Skybus's scheduling (or better duty/trip rigs) so we don't have the 14 hour duty days with the three hour airport appreciation.
I may be wrong here, but it's my understanding that SX doesn't do connections. So if the planes are not having to worry about waiting for any inbounds, and they're trying to turn a/c quickly (30 mins I think I heard), then yeah; that would make for a productive day. I don't think it's because of any super trip/duty rigs or scheduling rules they have. If and when they start doing connections in CMH, I doubt you'll see the same trips you describe as the norm.
25 min. turns. No connections, not planning to ever have them. That schedule is pretty much the same schedule I had this month with SX. The pay sucks, but it sure is nice being in my bed every night, not having to worry what kind of mold is growing on that hotel bathroom floor.
The "park ranger", no disrespect meant to either Skybus pilots or park rangers, that I spoke with in MCI,
said he picks up extra flying and grosses over 8k per month.
for what that's worth, they're not hiring street captains..
i guess f/o's can do the same (scaled down)..
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Added after post #6:
From Flyby1206- Skybus CA pay is $68.42/hr.
Just did some number crunching. "Ranger" said home everynight, so no hotel, have to roundtrip Columbus to West Coast and back.
Columbus, Oh to San Francisco (over 8hr RT) so let's say he flys out (5 hrs?) and deadheads back, 1/2 flt pay?? (4.5hr?), 14days X 68.42 = $6,945
Ranger would have to pick-up 2 more days of flying to make the 8K total per month.....that's sixteen days to make 8K...still not half bad...
Last edited by SmoothOnTop : 03-02-2008 at 04:44 PM.
Reason: Numbers verification, it's my thing..check my other posts
I understand the arguments about "lowering the bar" and the hostility created by an upstart (trust me, legacy captains said the same or worse about Southwest 30 years ago - heard it with my own ears. They would also morph from CAL SCABS in 1983 into SWA and pilots flying for peanuts...just like people compare J-Blue and Skybus to SCABS. The more things change...).
Anyway - $8,000 per month, work fourteen days a month and home everynight does not sound like lowering the bar - particularly first year pay. Would love to get some (non-emotional) discussion on that issue. Also - would love to see a picture of a real Skybus uniform. Personally, I would wear a bunny suit if the pay and QOL were there.
Anyway - $8,000 per month, work fourteen days a month and home everynight does not sound like lowering the bar - particularly first year pay. Would love to get some (non-emotional) discussion on that issue. Also - would love to see a picture of a real Skybus uniform. Personally, I would wear a bunny suit if the pay and QOL were there.
It is VERY MUCH LOWERING THE BAR when you pay a Captain what a FIRST OFFICER SHOULD BE MAKING.
I agree - but for a first year start-up, a Captain making $8,000/mo ($96,000 anually) does not seem bad. This is where it would be good to see what SWA paid in 1978, 1988,1998 and 2008 compared with major carriers at the time. I would be willing to bet that Skybus, at $8,000/mo is closer to Legacy pay than SWA was to Pan Am and TWA in 1978...which would be a close to apples to apples comparison. The SWA guys got options...so do the Skybus guys.
Just looking for numbers and data - something has to give with a start-up. I am not taking a "pro" or "con" stance on Skybus - just looking for non-emotional data.
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