I've been with the company for about 6 months. I enjoy it, for the most part. The job itself is easy. Management is meh. We are in CASS, and we get jumpseats with every company except Delta and FedEx. We are also currently having a little turmoil with United. We do have an agreement with them, but they're being a little stingy on letting part 135 operators into their cockpit jumpseats. I haven't been on UA mainline since this whole thing started (so about three weeks or so), but UAX has been pretty spotty. I've gotten the jumpseat with some carriers and not with other carriers. I think it really depends on the gate agent for UAX, to be honest. But we can still ride in the cockpit with American and Southwest. I haven't had an issue commuting, knock on wood. You gotta be smart about it, but it's doable. I would say about 50% of the pilot force commutes.
As far as the new training manager goes... it's the same guy. He just happens to have power and a big head. I've heard the rumors and the stories about the last class. I guess one of the guys that got fired passed his last test with 90% before he got canned. Not sure if or how true that story is. He wrote up a FO about a month or so ago for calling for flaps 10 at 150. The aircraft limitation for flaps 10 is 175. Company SOP is 140. Instead of training the lad, he wrote him up. Someone got some power for the first time in their life and got a big head as a result. This same training manager told a class that our new Caravans that have the weeping wing deicing system, the windshield deicing fluid comes from the top of the windshield.
I'll be honest. Yes, I do enjoy it here. I would recommend it, if they did something with the training department. Yes, there is a training contract. I did come here with the anticipation of fulfilling the contract. And as of right now, I am still planning on doing so, just as a matter of principle. But, at the same time, when you have certain people who don't care about the pilots, I kind of want to get out ASAP so I don't risk getting a mark on my record cause I had a bad day with the wrong person. But that's really the only complaint I have. The pay is decent, the schedules are decent, and the pilot group is top notch.