Oct ATP/CTP
 

Anyone else here in the October 3rd ATP class? For those already on the line how long before a class do flight and hotel arrangements get made? Thanks.

Day before. Maybe a couple at best.

Once I get around to calling them someone can have my late Sept class date...

Most of us here need an interview first. ;)

Speaking of needing an interview first, when do you guys/gals currently flying for Compass think is a smart time to apply? Seems right now there has been a pause to the action, so trying to time the second wave. I have flexibility as far as currnet gig and still need to get ME and was thinking applying more towards end of November since all the 2018 classes are full and recruiters and HR don't seem to be interested in hiring right now.

That should be a good time. I would apply now though, just in case. Then try to meet in person later in the Fall

Gave them a call and shot an email about moving up my class date (11/19) for a potential opening at the end of September. Will report back with updates

I like your style! I'll see what I can do to get you in my spot. PM sent.

Honest question
 

Ladies & gents, I don’t mean to start a fecal matter laden counter-clockwise atmospheric rotation, but I’m genuinely curious what is motivating folks to go to work for Compass right now. Can you please help me see what I’m missing? The future of CPZ looks bleak to me (likely significant - if not complete - loss of AA & DL flying in the next couple years) with best-scenario being a sale to RPA that may/may not actually occur. I’m not trolling or any other BS and instead I’m truly interested in the picture being seen by those of you who are hitching your wagon to CPZ right now & eager to learn what I’m missing or that which I’m not yet aware. I appreciate anyone good enough to share!

First of all, ALL contract work is ALWAYS going to be up for renewal SOMETIME.

Building a career around which contract you believe is or isn't about to expire, especially when the major can pretty much move their flying and your flying (and their aircraft) around pretty much as they like within their contract, seems insane.

Same thing for basing your employment decisions on who has a base that you MIGHT be able to get as a captain, especially when the captains currently in those bases have been there for a long long time. And especially when you might be months and months on reserve as a FO in LGA or ORD and never ever get to that base.

So what can Compass give me? If I want LAX or SEA, I've got it immediately. PHX might take a couple of months of commuting to LAX or SEA, but it ain't like those are hard commutes from PHX for those few months.

Then I'm going to be an FO living in base, at a base I want to be at, and right now flying my butt off. I'm not clocking 20 hrs a month and sweating getting my consolidation time for 120 days, like at Horizon, I'm not sitting in a crash pad in Queens wondering if I'll ever get out of LGA, I've got an actual in base schedule that my family and I can build our lives around.

Might the flying actually go away in 2020? I suppose it could. The West Coast might get the big one and Nampa Idaho could become prime sea view property too, but I doubt it. And assuming the flying does go to someone else, it'll likely be drawn down gradually. Nobody wants to park a fleet of aircraft and nobody has 660 current type-rated pilots just warehoused somewhere just champing at the bit to start that new flying. One would have to ramp up and the other ramp down.

So the minimum a newbie hitting the line today is going to get is a bonus, decent but not industry leading pay, an E-170/190 type rating, and about 1300 hours of 121 time which will probably see them through upgrading to captain. All those things will put him/her that much farther ahead in their career than they are now. And with any luck at all, they'll get more than that, but yeah, no guarantees.

Compass is certainly not the place to be if you are looking for a regional career, but then it never was. It was a high risk high reward, get in and get the experience and then move on sort of place. And most people have been successful doing that. But barring 'the big one', somebody is going to be doing a lot of west coast flying and right now that's us.

Unwilling to take the risk? That's OK, not everyone is. We all make choices.