WhipWhitaker

I was making fun of NL3, I don’t care.

Jluis546

Are they still hiring? Or is it true the classes have stopped?

RyeMex

There are supposedly two classes scheduled in December. However, we have already lost two airplanes and the rumor is that we are losing upwards of 10 more at the beginning of next year. The bottom of our seniority list is looking a lot like furlough-fodder right now.

atpcliff

They told us they weren't hiring until next year (just like last year). We now have two new hire classes in training with more coming. They were forced to hire now because of attrition above what they planned for (just like last year).

boeingdvr

We are hiring, but holy crap- talk about furlough fodder... I will say this about Atlas, if they believe growth is coming they will hire non stop, the fact there were no classes for months, and months, is very telling. Now they are running a few classes to offset extreme attrition.

A new hire may be safe from a furlough if attrition stays strong, however any more hiccups, hold on....

Upgrade, don’t even think about it. I’ve been telling new hires for 2 years, good luck ever seeing Captain here. A new hire today would be lucky to see 767 Captain in 10 years, and highly likely 20 years for the 747.

We have 1800 pilots and 900 of which are Captains.

RyeMex

I’m not worried about not upgrading here. I’m just worried about making sure that I’m not on the next airplane that we crash. I take no pleasure in saying it, but there is a 100% chance that we will have another accident. We haven’t changed a damn thing since 3591. At this point, my biggest concern when I come to work is making sure that I actually get to go home to my family at the end of it.

Globemaster2827

I hope any potential journalists reading these threads understand that this is a prevailing feeling among those pilots flying Amazon Prime cargo.... All pilots aren't of equal talent. They range from "Chuck Yeager" (what we joke about being "The Best") all the way down to people who need to change their careers.

Amazon pays less and the pilots are treated horribly. What happens is that most of the more talented pilots leave for better jobs much like you would. The result of this is that the Amazon competitors have stronger pilots on average - there are exceptions.

When the pilots leave they're replaced with less experienced pilots who upgrade to Captain and also those who are hired as "New Hires" as First Officers. Many of the New Hires have never flown Boeing Equipment. This requires years of training to master.

Most of them start at these companies with the goals to leave for better jobs like FedEx, Delta, UPS, American, United... etc. The ones with cleaner training/safety records leave after climbing the ladder and boosting their resumes. Amazon Prime carriers effectively pay to train them and then let them walk to go to competitors.

MOST of the pilots left are honestly good pilots but it creates scenarios where 2 people (or even 1) who are of the "Need A Career Change" variety end up in the same cockpit on the wrong day. Needless to say this is a Safety Issue. Management MUST have the "Career Change" pilots to properly staff the airline and are comfortable knowing that these accidents will happen as long as it turns a profit.

Society is comfortable with it as long as it's just 3 guys on a cargo plane who crash, but what about when it's your kid's elementary school? Nothing has changed since 3591. Nothing. More suing the pilots...

Bungalow

Using the memory of flight 3591 and invoking suggestions of elementary school kids tragedies, with the purpose of propping up your union contract bargaining position is shameful and disgusting.

And by the way the supreme aviators at Fed ex or ups have had their share of pilot driven wrecks. Something about throwing rocks when you leave in a glass house.

wjcandee

Since when does Amazon "pay less"? These seem to be lucrative contracts. And when did Amazon specify what pilots are supposed to be paid? Moreover, for the moment at least it seems like the allegedly-most-expensive carrier is ending up with the most Amazon planes to fly. Huh.

Atlas's evident mismanagement and safety issues require a bit of work to fairly place at Amazon's feet. Indeed, Amazon's feet seem to be walking precisely because of that mismanagement.

Oh, right. You're feeding this drivel to a reporter. So it doesn't have to be true.

DC8DRIVER

I don't think he "leaves" in a glass house. And your argument about FedEx and UPS is backwards. In order for your quip to have made sense, the writer would have been denigrating FedEx and UPS while defending Atlas.

Furthermore, the writer is correct with his assertion that safety at Atlas is being compromised and is not doing so in favor of the union but in the interest of safety.