U.S. Airways
 

I was seeing if anyone could answer a few questions about US Air. I know that the East side is quite senior and will see a lot of retirements in the near future. But, what about the West side? Is this a pretty Junior group? How many pilots? Is there many retirements coming up on the west side? I am just looking into what kind of place the new US Air will be for a new hire? In other words, its future. Thanks in advance!

West started in the early 1980's, so there are nowhere near as many impending retirements as on the east side. But the pilot groups will be merged eventually, so anyone on property will eventually see the movement from the retiring easties.

The information from the union at the end of 2006 was that there would be 169 retirements from the east and 46 retirements from the west in 2007. In 2008 the numbers are 143 from the east and 43 from the west. After that the numbers will increase a little on the east side and remain fairly stable on the west. Who knows what will happen when the retirement age changes.

Thanks guys. Has anyone out there been contacted for interviews yet? Class dates?

I don't think they've actually started interviews yet or have they? If not, it will be soon.

This is definatly an airline you want to AVOID!!!

Please enlighten us
 

Hey IronWalt,
I think we all would appreciate further information that led you to the 'AVOID' conclusion. Some of us are relatively new here and are trying to learn as much as possible in order to make sound decisions. Thanks

ERJPilot, Let me throw some #'s out for you to ponder. Out of the 2 pilot groups the East has about 3000 pilots , the West has 1800. The average age of the East group is now 54 to 55 years old. The right seaters are actually older by about a year. If age 60 stays in place then around 80% of the East pilot group wil be gone in the next 5 years. That's gonna make for some big time movement. Heck I moved up over 300#'s this year alone. Also the company wants a contract in a big way, and when they want it that bad then a good contract is a very good possibility. So I would say it might not be such a bad place to try to get on with. I hope this helps.

I thought so much of its future, I left with 7 years of seniority under my belt. A relative "rookie" compared to the FOs on the east ... :D

As a matter of fact, there is at least one UPS FO who left USAir as a 20 year Captain ...

Doesn't mean we both made the right move though ...

Think of it as a step up to a large regional that flies Boeings, Airbus, and some international ... and you won't be dissappointed.

Another problem with USAir, as one poster indicated moving up 300 numbers. This occurred with NO HIRING ... USAir / AWA have been shrinking, and will continue to do so until hiring outpaces retirements and attrition.

Later, CC

what is going on with the USAPA vote?? My buddies on the east say there is a good chance it will get voted in...


cant imagine this would be very good for usair getting that single contract anytime soon.

Yes they have started calling to set up interviews.

I have heard this also, 8 a month till dec then 40+ a month then after till about 500ish new hires...

have not heard anything yet about a gouge to the interview though...

I have a few questions for anyone that has some insight into US Airways. Anyone know where the E190's are based for US Airways? Also is the starting pay the same regardless of aircraft? What is first year hourly pay rate? Any idea what health care costs for a pilot+family are? Thanks for your time!

1. E190s are all in PHL (from airlinepilotcentral.com website)
2. Starting pay is the same for all aircraft at America West but not US Airways (East). (from airlinepilotcentral.com website)
3. Starting pay at America West is $39/hr, and $41 for US Airways East. (from airlinepilotcentral.com website)
4. Healthcare costs are $52.72 per paycheck for UHC Choice Plan (HMO). (I called US Airways Benefits on the phone for you)

In regards to question #2 and #3 airlinepilotcentral.com says " Correction to below US Airways "East" payscale: $36,000 first year pay " anyone know what this means exactly?

Thank you very much for making the phone call for #4!

Looking forward to joining the team in late November or early December!:)

Good luck joining their team. I think it's an improvement over the commuters and I think you'll like it over there.

Second that thanks for making the call. I'll also see you guys in late Nov or early December. (Perfect time to go to class in PHX, eh?)

I don't know where you got those numbers but the East ones seem way off to me. We are losing about 25 per month on this side with 300 Captain upgrades for 2007 with a stable pilot head count.

Last pilot bid for Jan/ Feb has 97 openings for new hires on the East.

Does your bid specify what bases or equipment the 97 openings consist of?

Just guessing but wouldn't the higher pay/heavier equipment seats be offered internally to the E-190 guys first, leaving E-190 FO seats only for the new hires, probably?

first year pay in the 190 is actually higher than all the other planes and with only 5 190's now i'm thinking they don't have 97 FO's on it yet

Does your bid specify what bases or equipment the 97 openings consist of?


Yep
CLT, DCA and PHL 737
DCA and LGA Airbus
PHL E 190

Your turn - when did you apply, how long to interview, when is your class date? Give me the scoop.

I applied the night before the AirInc job fair in DCA on Sept 22. Met recruiters and handed them a resume at the job fair. They tried to look up my application online however they said I they could not find my application and asked if they could give my phone number to their IT Dept. I of course agreed to talk with them. I was called by the first week of Oct. for interview in CLT a couple of days later based on only my resume. I was unable to make it to CLT that week because of my current flying schedule. I was then scheduledYes i for the following week to interview in PHX.

Interview consisted of one hour panel interview with three HR people and then one hour panel interview with Chief Pilot and two check airman. Mostly personality and TMAT type questions. Some technical and some based on Jepp approach charts. Was told I would get a phone call with results that day or the next. Got a call about two hours afterwards and was told I got the job pending background checks.

Got a call last week from HR and they told me the first class on November 4th was filled with pilots that interviewed in CLT the week before. I was told to expect a Nov 26 or Dec 3rd class.

No other information as to what aircraft or what base. Was told we would find out first day of indoc in PHX.

Thats the scoop from my side! Thanks for the info and I would appreciate any other information about US Airways you could provide!

It's not a bad gig overall. Sure, people are uptight over the merger but that really isn't an issue for you.
On the East we are wwaaayyy short pilots and age 60 attrition is about 25 per month moving things along nicely. 300 Captain upgrades this year with about 1500 F/O's so, on paper, new hires will get a shot a the left seat in about 4 years - unless the seniority award arrives first to ruin the party.
I'd recommend living in base for quality of life issues on reserve. If you want seniority fast then I think there are over 30 openings on the E-190 which puts you close to a block right out of the gate. The International in PHL is going junior so if you want that type flying it'll be available once your 18 month ( 12 on the E-190 I think) seat lock is up.
Can't give you any intel on the West side of the house but it seems to be stagnant like the rest of the domestic market.
Congrats, you are at the front of the current hiring boom - 350 pilots in the next 18 months. Personally, I think we need many more than that!
All subject to the economy, oil and tea leaves.

What Equip for BOS?

What Equip for BOS? BUS+75?

BOS and LGA only have Bus drivers. Clt as of Jan will have all the domestic 75/76. Phl has all 190 and 75/76 international.DCA,PHL,CLT all have AB and 737.

A few more questions if anyone has time:

1. What does a typical 190 line look like?
2. How many days off typically/guaranteed?
3. How does reserve system work at US?
4. Can reserve pilots pick up trips out of open time to "create" a line for yourself?
5. Commuter clause in your contract?
6. Possibility for overtime?
7. Best ways to earn extra money (big pay cut from current job)?
8. Anyone have a copy of your current contract to share?

Thanks again for all the info!

Here goes nuttin. 1-I've heard that the E190 lines have a lot of 1 days but are changing rapidly as more planes are delivered.The trips usually have lots of legs cause the 190's are replacing the 737's, 11 more 190's in 2008.(You know-RJ's- Replacement Jets). 2-Reserves get 11 days off. 3-our reserve system is the "bucket" system. 1day/2day/3day/or 4day bucket--iow how many days you are on for say 3 then they will put you on the open 3 day before someone good for 5 days. It also looks at how much time you have for the month. Low timer goes out first. IOW there is no seniority on reserve except for the 1st day of the month. 4- 1st off we have primary lines next they take the open time and make secondary lines and lastly there are the reserve lines. Reserve lines fall into 2 catagories- Long call 9hrs to report paid at 72hrs/month and short call 90mins to report and paid at 76 hr guarantee. 5- we do have a prudent commuter policy-you've got to have a backup flight to get yourself in base before check in time.But it doesn't really apply to reserves. 6-no real overtime certainly not for pay. However as a reserve they can fly you 285 hrs in a 3 month period. so it's possible to fly 100 hrs in a month but the pay cap may be 85/90/95 hrs for the pay period -it varies based on how short they are gonna be. 7- Best way to earn extra money is not be a pilot in the first place. Having said that it is entirely possible to be on reserve and have another job as long as they know you might have to leave at a moments notice. But long call you've got 9 hrs so it's not really a problem as long as you live in base- PHL for the 190. 8- we really don't have a contract it is a series of side letters of "agreement" all 93 of them. All I know is I voted NO to all of them I could 'cause they suck! Hope this helps you!

:confused:

Imagine that ... a BINDING ARBITRATION award might get in the way of a new hire's chances at upgrade in 4 years ... THE HORROR ... :eek:

Wouldn't want a 4-10 year west FO to get in the way now ...

Later, CC

Nope. We sure woudn't want a 4yr west FO upgrading before a 20yr east FO. Now that would be ridiculous. Even arbitrators go off their rocker (or get influenced somehow:rolleyes:) and make decisions that make no sense. His two pilot helpers didn't agree with him. They guy is 83yrs old. And then there's alpa changing a long tradition of Date of Hire and Seniority. They changed their policy and made seniority for sale. Ah but that's another bad novel.....

I'll put in my .02 for the guys interested. The 190 is a very nice aircraft. Longer than a 737 and heavier than a DC9. Nice LCD screens, nearly as automated as a airbus, and for the most part a well thought out airplane. The passengers like it and most flight attendants give their approval although some say the front galley is a bit small. Right now the reserves have a pretty good life. Some short call reserves are only flying as little as 5hrs a month. Because of the bucket system it is hit and miss. Long calls are getting about 50hrs which makes it very commutable. Living in base is preferable. This of course is all subject to change. If they get short reserves will obviouly work more. Airplanes are coming quick and rumour is that we just signed a deal for a lot more. Only base right now is PHL but rumour is once more airplanes come, they'll put some in CLT. Only makes sense as the plane already flies some CLT routes. Cities are being added every month but out of PHL the 190 flies to DFW, MSY, BNA, RDU, BOS, YUL, ATL, and so on. Someone mentioned that the schedules are commuter schedules. Bull. In the bid packet 5 legs are rare. No more than the airbus. 1-4 legs are normal.

When you are a block holder you have a schedule adjustment period where you can swap trips with others and open time, and drop & pickup. Even once the month has started as a blockholder you can swap with open time two days prior to a trip. So what ends up is that the least desirable trips go to the reserves. As a reserve you'll do a lot of day trips such as PHL-BOS-PHL-BOS and standups. Day trips and standups are what blockholders tend to drop. The good news is that reserves are moving up to blockholders pretty quick right now. They are adding about 2 lines per month and I think they're at 26 hard lines right now. Senior FOs after their 12month lock are bidding off the airplane for more money so with the current movement you would probably be on reserve only 2-3 months. I've been at several airlines and have flown 121 over 20yrs and I can honestly say that we've got some of the best cockpit crews around. Most guys are laid back, professional, and fun. There's always the few jerks that are.....well...........they're everywhere.

If operations stay separate we can benefit from the high retirement rate and things are moving fast. We sure deserve it after putting up with years of bad managment and bad managerial decisions. No one know what is going to happen and it looks like next year will be a year of many changes and mergers and who knows how it will all play out. This career unfortunately is a roll of the dice. You make the best decision you can at the time and hope it's a good one. Personally I think it will all work out in time at Airways. Things are certainly not perfect right now but things will get better. One thing you commuter guys will like is that most of our east schedulers have been around a long time and they operate strickly by the book. No favorites or playing games. They'll get canned for that. Much much more professional than you're probably used to. ;)

Good luck to all of you applying and see you on line.

Not my words but sums it up nicely:

The vacancies created on the East weren't anywhere in your AWA 1998 hires so called expectations.

You keep driving narrow bodies around the desert in the shadow of Southwest on the cheap, because that was and has been your expectation

Or it could it be that some of us were aware of the mighty seven management team? Five of which left for America West to turn it around. Nah I'm sure a clueless moron such as yourself is far more in touch with the real goings on. While unfortunately Jeff is gone(deceased) there are still several left. While I'll admit America West wasn't my first choice(they just called first) I was aware of the brain trust that left Northwest with the goal of creating the world's best airline.

ACTUALLY ... I'll keep driving wide bodies around the BROWN world ...

It beats driving 757s to Hawaii every week like I did at Cactus ... sometimes ;)

But it certainly beats merging with a twice bankrupt airline that hasn't figured out how to grow up and respect itself ... or others.

Later, CC

A little shift in topic, but same company, and I didn't feel the need to start a new thread.
Today in CLT a US Airways 757 purposely blocked us in a spot and wouldn't move up even at the beckoning of the ramp controller. It took us and about 5 other RJ's a ten minute wait just because the crew of one airplane wouldn't move up 100 feet. Then, when we finally get moving, we hear from other crews snide remarks about the RJ's being the "replacements".

You mainline guys need to stop this behavior and give us respect. You wouldn't have a job without us. Who do you think brings in all your connecting passengers from the little podunk towns?

We are tired of things like what happened in Charlotte today, we are tired of hearing all you whine about your seniority list and how your job and life sucks. It does nothing more than to annoy your fellow pilots and makes people view you as disgruntled old farts. Please show some respect and you shall recieve it in return.

I wont comment on the blocked alley, because I was not there.. That being said, ML would not have jobs if it wasnt for Express? ML would never stop operations, just because they lost express. Surely you really don't believe this.
All Express really does is make flying more convenient for people who would have normally driven to a major airport to fly. Southwest is a prime example...they don't have any Express feed and they do just fine.

Most of us guys on mainlines come from the regionals so stop your hate writings and grow up. No one I know of has any disrespect for regionals. We are all pilots and equal. We are all human beings and equal. Do some individuals act like jerks? Sure. But to sterotype ALL mainline pilots like that is not only childish but only hurts our own profession. It is entirely possible that the 757 had other reasons that had nothing to do with you for doing what he did. Did you ask him to move up? Tell him to come up company freq. and find out what is going on. Solutions versus wining.

You're still welcome on my jumpseat anytime though :D.

What does bankrupt have to do with anything? Delta was in bankruptsy. Does that make them any less of a carrier or their pilots any less deserving of a career?

What you just fail to understand or accept is that it wasn't the pilot's decisions that led to the muck up of the airline. The ridiculous managements that were there previously raped and pillaged totally against our wills and wishes. So the pilots should be punished for managements ill will and greed? You have no idea what's going on or the history here.

What this country needs is a national seniority list (or the like) and maybe then we'll stop stabbing each other in the back for a few seniority numbers. Think about what's fair for all instead of wallowing in your greed.

Sorry to hear that but I'm not surprised. In Phoenix the chicken sh!ts are forcing West aircraft to go around. They either pull into position and sit or role to the last turn off reallllllll ssslllllloooooowwww. They never try anything in person of course, because they know us youngins will drag them behind the wood shed for a good beating.