DieselBird

I called a old friend that just left a few months back and this is what he told me about AW...
IAD was the most junior base but its likely getting canned with american taking over. he said expect DAY for most junior base.
Reserve he said took him 6 months to get off, and got between 15-25 hrs per month while on reserve.

Thats about all the info that I have for you regarding AW, not really sure much more about it. I am interviewing with them late next month and looking for info like this too.

brometheus

Not sure how much it’s changed in a month but I interviewed right after New Years and I have a Feb class date.

Wings08

I left this past June so my info might be a bit out of date but this is what info I can provide.

1. DAY/IAD were most junior. More so Dayton. Reserve time depends on movement and hiring. I've seen straight to the line out of training to a year or more on reserve.
2. Not much and might be less with winding down flying for UA.
3. Came in waves through the years there but it was a perpetual short staffing of either side. Assuming excess OT for captains now due to everyone leaving and hiring. Usually was always some open time available though for both sides. Get used to the words "denied due to lack of reserve coverage" for trying to change your schedule in any way.
4. As soon as you hit 1000 hours 121 time, forced upgrade. Approx 1.5 years, give or take if your new or have prev 121 time. Pay attention to winter deicing and summer storm techniques. You very well could only see 1 season of it before your left seat with a brand new FO who has also never seen it.
5. Apparently still waiting on the new rates to hit the paychecks.
6. I've heard that in AA, AWAC is going to be only ORD until further notice.
7. Hell yes. At peak of summer flying, I expected to be extended into at least 1 or 2 days off. This was prior to the final award of AA flying though. With ramping down of UA and ramping up of AA, might not get much JM'ing going on, but they are always short staffed so who knows.
8. All 3. Airport (8 hrs), short (2 hour callout) and long (outside of 24 hours. Often schedule would be immediately filled upon award of LC).
9/10. Have heard start with 40 CRJ 200's and see where that goes with hopes of 700's in the future. "Believe it when I'm sitting in it" has been the saying all 8 years I was there as rumors of 7/900's were just over the horizon since indoc. At least this time they actually have the 700 on the certificate. Buddy at PSA has heard that they are bringing them west and pulling Piedmont out of the 50 seaters for awac and that awac might get around 20 of PSA's 700's eventually, but take that with a grain of salt.

Training has improved greatly since I started there to when I left with less of the "gee wiz" stuff thrown at you and expected to know. Upon leaving they were expected to stick to the script of "approved questions" to be asked, so that was a welcome change. What these approved questions were are only known to the instructors though, no question list given out in ground school to study.

If you choose AWAC, best of luck.

Like anywhere, show up prepared. (You would think this is self explanatory. Don't be the guy that starts going over flows the night before sitting in the seat, etc....)

iceman21

1) Which base can a new hire expect out of training and how long can I expect to be on reserve for? (going to commute from PHX for the time being)
Expect to wait a month or so for a class date. Indoc and Systems will be done in a month, followed a possible wait for CPT. Sims are getting pushed a little bit farther out due to instructor availability, as is IOE, due to LCA availability.
2) How many hours are FOs on reserve flying lately?
Plan on 40-60 hours a month or less depending on your base.
3) Lots of open time or little open time?
Open time is like a yo-yo on the FO side, there's plenty to be had on the CA side.
4) How long to upgrade?
As soon as you have the time you can upgrade or be forced.
5) Any talk of a new contract? More pay? Retention bonus?
In negotiations, more pay is coming so they say, can increase or decrease bonuses as they desire.
6) Are some of the crew bases going to close with the change to American? For example IAD? Any rumors on any new ones?
IAD is closing at some point soon, everything else is speculation. We can expect a PHL and/or CLT base for AA.
7) Does AW junior man?
YES
8) Is there an airport ready reserve? Or is it all short call and long call?
All three. RR is only a few people per base. Generally those who are super junior or forgot to bid.
9) Are all 40 of the 200s going to be operated for American or is it another number?
40 with potential for 60 for AA.
10) Any talk of adding 700s or 900s? Or the 175?
Expect 700s at some point. 175s?? Bhahahahah, now that's a good joke!

Jg200

Would you choose AWAC as a first 121 experience?

What is the quality of training at AWAC?
Are extra sims provided?

How many new hires make it to the line currently?

DC2Airmail

iI agree with the Supply and demand concept at Regionals. My current company recently hired 2 Air Wis trainees, that were let go in training. They are great pilots, with great attitudes.
They were not given additional sims, I believe due to oversupply in their classes.

itsmytime

i’ll piggy back on the above. Great airline with great training, but their FO classes are “full” by their standard. There probably won’t be a lot of extra training provided.

Junkyard Dog

I am certain there was more to it than what they said. I have a good friend who’s an instructor and I know they’ll do whatever it takes to get one through training. If additional sims are needed, they’ll provide them to you.
Know your Profiles, Flows, Callouts, memory items and limitations and that’s 90% of the battle.

ttexrbomb

Well, not exactly true. They are starting to cut people who do not make it though the first round of sims. One guy from my class didn't make it through one round of CPT training and was let go. Two more people were given one round of sims, needed ATR and were let go before getting additional training. They are very heavy on FO's right now, and I think they are using this as an excuse to cut back numbers.

Unfortunately, the days of Air Wisconsin being that airline who will "give you the training you need, and will work with you on additional sims" are over with. Hate to say it.

Junkyard Dog

You sound pretty bitter and it sounds like you didn’t make it.
I’m so sorry to hear that. Usually if one has to repeat CPTs
then needs additional sims, that’s not looking too promising. Also when
Being evaluated, they will also take into consideration your attitude,
abilities and if they deem you’re trainable. Lots of factors go into this.
They’re not just going to ask one to leave for the sake of asking one to leave.
First of all, they invested a lot of money into a pilot. And second of all,
nobody in management gets any joy or pleasure having to tell a new hire
that this isn’t going to work out and we need to ask for your resignation or be terminated.
From what I’ve been told, if you voluntarily resign, you can reapply in six months.
I still keep in contact with a few instructors. One of them told he he had one such type who came
back 10 months later and did very well.
It is pretty tough to get to that situation. But if you’re having to repeat
CPTs, that’s a huge red flag and then you’re being watched. Then you get to the sim
and struggle and don’t do well, that’s another huge red flag.
Did you crash the sim when being evaluated?
There are plenty of aggravating and litigating circumstance they take
into consideration before making that ultimate final decision.