If you've ever talked to Schultz (MEC Chair), you'll agree he would never entertain concessions for growth. For those that haven't - ask him. I did at a roadshow and he about fell out of his chair laughing.

 

I'm kind of surprised TSH would even consider bidding on AA flying. I thought they already told AA on a previous bid that they could not handle that amount of training on the 175.

I won't say it will never happen, b.c. this industry is too unpredictable. I just don't see how Compass could train enough for pilots for even 5 new planes, while the flow pilots are leaving to Delta.

Hopefully these planes end up at AA or Eagle(if they go to a regional). Compass is doing fairly well right now without these planes.

 

Unrelated....
I've got a Pop's leather jacket from my time at ExpressJet. It's still basically brand new and anyone with a Pop's can attest to the quality and custom tailored fit. I'd like to use it now at Compass. Difference is the patch nametag/wings vs. the wings eyeholes. I looked at Pop's website and they don't list a Compass option. Any Compass guys seen leather jackets on the line using the patch style wings? With all the prior 121 we have I can't imagine everyone that used the patch style at their old airline just got rid of them.

 

I agree, I don't think we as a pilot group want these airplanes and all that comes with. CZ is the refugee camp of regional airline pilots and Eagle deserves to have these birds. What worries me is that our contract is already in place, minus our official signing. So we as a pilot group won't have a say in the matter. I also believe that management would have a hard time staffing any additional flying outside of our current fleet size. Maybe a few more for operational necessity with DL, with how our flying is coast to coast, but things are good and stable here.

I don't think it would be an issue to get the training department more spooled up though, I just flew with a senior Sim Check Airmen on a turn recently and he said they could have everything ready to go in 3-6 months if it came down to it. That's obviously with stipulations of having a sim and/or extra sim time at other facilities. I hope for our sake we just fly under the radar and things stay status quo here for awhile

 

I remember Brian R. Mentioning to us in the school house one day that they were targeting growth of 10-15 aircraft through awards of partial RFPs and that they have no desire to go after anything bigger. Like the vast majority of people here I really hope we don't end up with it.

 

Is there a noticeable increase in flying for the summer at CPZ?

 

Bump.

[All Killer No Filler].

 

So... the latest CP newsletter seemed juicier than a 2lb porterhouse. Anyone have anything to add to that? It seems quiet, almost too quiet...

 

It IS very interesting. However, Compass has bid on 170 flying in the past and never seems to get anywhere with it. With other carriers willing to do it for less, so it seems, I wouldn't get too excited.

Republic, Mesa, Piedmont, Air Whiskey, all could do it for cheap and maybe do it at a loss just to get some more flying? Compass/TSH doesn't have a history of bidding for flying at a loss.

Also, how is anyone going to staff new planes? I envision American dividing up the airplane deliveries. 15 here, 15 there...etc. That may help with the staffing issues. No one single carrier will get the entire order.

Also, happy that there aren't talks of another West Coast base. I don't want any more displacement for selfish reasons

 

Yes but keep in mind the newsletter also said we are having staffing problems just like all the other regional carriers. While we have a good name for ourselves, were not exempt from the hiring struggles others have felt, and our lack of a top of the line contract and no signing incentive will hurt us in the long run...Eventually this airline will stop running out of quick upgrades and the pilots we hire will have to be incentivized to come here...