Mesa is the cheapest, and our mainline partners use us like tools. We were brought into CLT for one reason only. To screw over PSA and force their hand in signing a concessionary contract. When they voted no, we got their flying. Second time, they voted yes, and we were no longer needed in CLT. Now we are in DFW to do the same exact thing to Envoy. We are the agents that facilitate the whipsaw. Everyone is mad at PSA, but we really gave them no choice. If they voted no again, Mesa wouldn't be in DFW today.

 

So, as someone who comes from a flying history of single pilot ops, what's the best method to learn about CRM and flows and callouts, etc.
Will it be possible to do so or should I find a part 91 job that involves a crew, if possible?

 

I can't tell if you're new or just don't have any idea what you're talking about. Mesa was in clt many years before this recent contract whipsaw fest began.

 

They're not as hard as you would think. Flows are generally things found in whatever checklist is next. That's the difference between a checklist and a "do-list". A qrh is a do-list; you read the items it says one by one as you do them.

Call outs are best learned with a partner, running them in order repeatedly. My last job was pt91 without any of that stuff, and I managed to pick it up quickly enough.

 

Learning CRM started for me in the Rightseat. I watched, and learned, from both good and some not-so-good captains.

Good captains always involve the F/O in the decision-making process...eg - Should we go left or right around that wx? Or, hey are you comfortable with continuing this approach/landing?
I also learned from the bad captains ... Like Wow, I'd never do it like that, ever!
or like... No! Ken, ATC isn't going to give you direct PHX! Hahaha.

Back to Good captains and CRM. As captain, I've already made up my mind on something, I just want a second opinion. If he/she agrees, great. If not, then I ask why? Perhaps they see something that I overlooked.
That's why there's two of us up there.
Hope this helps.
B.S.

 

A little of both, but thats not to say I am totally wrong. Sure, Mesa acquired a few East coast airlines like CCair, which by default means Mesa was in CLT previously. Doesn't change the fact of how were were used in the Whipsaw.

 

I'm not arguing that we weren't/aren't being used as a tool. I'm also not talking about ccair. Mesa operating as Mesa was in clt long before this stuff started happening.

 

Hahaha, or how about no Ken, I don't want to decend at 3500fpm flight idle at the barber pole.

 

We were flying for Doug Parker/America West long before most of the Envoy FOs even had their commercial licenses, and probably before you were born.

America West bought US Air, US Air bought AA--we were flying for Parker long before PSA/Envoy/PDT, and there were no concessions taken to secure the additional AA flying.

I really am sorry for the frustrated FOs at other regionals--picking a regional is a crapshoot, and sometimes you get stuck as a 5-10 year FO on a crappy 50-seater. Been there, done that, used the food stamps.

Fwiw if we don't get those additional 18 EJets, Mesa upgrade times are going to scale upward again, and eventually--due to the fact that we don't have a flow and because we have lots of lifers and people wo degrees--the upgrade times at PSA/Envoy/PDT will eventually be faster than here...then maybe the haters will calm down.

 

It looks like after this next upgrade class we will be fully staffed for captains on the CRJ and E-Jet side. I would assume that with 7 more aircraft coming we will only need about 35-40 more captains. Without additional aircraft coming on property I can't see how the numbers will work out for any more quick upgrades. It seems that the majority of the quick upgrades have been due to the FAA requiring 1000 121 and not so much based on growth and seniority. If we have a slowdown all those guys who are short for 121 time will have it by the time we get any more airplanes. Thats assuming that United will award any more E-Jets to Mesa. After this next award class comes out I would not be surprised to see people moving on to other carriers that are hiring street Captains or paying more for FO's.