Originally Posted by
randomroute
I had a feeling you’d like that.
Mexi, if you were a pilot at any other company, would you like to see your company hire pilots off the street out of convenience (for both sides)? Or hire the guys that have made the sacrifice to come to a company that “wasn't so hot” in hopes of making it better in time with the right attitude and hard work?
Because Swift said “eff all that”.
And lets expand on those guys that have been here for years that are only now getting to upgrade. Why is it taking them so long to be considered? The answer is crystal clear, either they needed 1000 qualifying hours (which is rare because Swift only hires at 2500tt right?) or they arent ready. Thats it. No nonsense about it. The contract move has ****ed off SO many employees of this already small group. So who’s wrong and who’s right? Who’s being dramatic and who’s being reasonable? Im like you, Ive got a young family, I got responsibilities, I got them bills too bro! And for the record, not everyone in europe is making 120 hours. Im not. Im collecting a GUARANTEE. You guys know exactly why people come here, its not for the 401K/A or the travel benefits or the ability to fly a Cessna 402 with jet engines and 150 seats...
And to answer the question about upgrading by seniority...well why the hell wouldnt you? Its 2019, aviation standards become stricter and safer by the day. If a person cant hack an airline checkride that consists if the same maneuvers youve been doing your entire career, then they shouldnt be in an airliner. The ability to perform is on the individual placed in the FAA approved training program. Simple logic. Every major airline that doesnt have an intense recruiting team has a technical interview to at least gauge awareness. You think any Swift contract pilots had a technical interview? How about the DECs? How about traditionally hired pilots?
Whats a TDZ?
What is the point of an autobrake system?
Runway condition analysis/performance?
Route verification?
Post flight performance analysis?
TEM?
Or not[emoji1742]*[emoji3603]
Edit reason:too many errors in spelling and grammar because of too many PBR’s because thats all a Swift F/O can afford to eat. Haha
Been there worked at regionals that grew quick and hired street captains, it’s nothing new. The difference was that the contract provided bypass pay for those that met upgrade requirements, tools months to solution, but we got paid at least. We don’t have that luxury here for pay protection or scope clause. It’s just the way it is for now. As this place grows there will be no choice but to come together into a cba or internal system of checks and balances. It’s just the reality of it.
We didn’t really hire street CAs they were just dubbed CAs at the end of training by management, from December of 2018 we stepped up the hiring process to make formalities and end the phone interviews. It allowed us to screen and get better candidates and ask questions that relate to the job. In that learning process we have eliminated Skype interviews and gone to face to face only. It has helped us weed out guys who lie on their apps and people who just don’t have the knowledge or character for this kind of operation.
Who management selects is above my pay grade. I just want to promote our senior guys who are waiting for their shot. Luckily they will have their shot here soon.
Unfortunately in this kind of environment as it grows it can’t promote and grow at the same time until we balance out personnel wise, where they can afford to pull FOs offline to upgrade them without shutting down the operation. Sadly they can only do them a few at a time. The guys that upgrade in February it was a big impact operationally that even our CP was flying and they paying guys overtime to keep the flying going.