Originally Posted by
MavAv8r
TSA doesn't need to start rumors to staff doubling the fleet. 36 new aircraft is going to take somewhere in the neighborhood of 180-200 captains factoring in attrition over the 18 months. Our most junior captain isn't on the seniority list yet. If you go by active line pilots.
Math really isn't one of your strong areas is it? I bet doing those RNAV arrivals with no VNAV was a real brain buster for you wasn't it?
I know your most junior captain isn't on the seniority list yet, that why I said a handful of new hires will see the quick upgrade.
My math is fine.
You're doubling your fleet, so pretty much all FOs on property that have the time will upgrade.
Those that don't have the time I imagine would displace any CQFOs as they get the time. (Don't know if I'm a hundred percent correct on that one.)
As for attrition, in order for attrition to help with the quick upgrade, the attrition has to come from the Captain side. You know better than I do how many of your captains are lifers.
Eventually you'll have to start hiring people who are ok with flying in the right seat for a few years, unless the majors open the flood gates and a large part of your captains leave, or the majors hire a bunch of FOs, which they are hiring some.
Plus you'll have to compete with the likes of Mesa and PSA who also advertise the quick upgrade, have all 70+ aircraft (except for PSA's 200's). And PSA offers the preferential interview.
I was half joking about using that rumor to hire for the 36 planes. But you can't even tell me these companies haven't pulled crap like this in the past, I've heard it over and over again from captains.
I hope the flood gates open, I hope the DOW never drops below 10,000, and that oil continues to drop, and that you guys, are able to ride the top of this whipsaw wave to a more secure job. My issue isn't with regional pilots, but with how mainline and regional mgt has treated us in the past. It's changing now because the numbers are on our side for the moment.