Originally Posted by C172SledDriver

I’ve heard that there have been some changes and some expected changes to come. Just wondering if anyone has seen those changes.

Originally Posted by CADR

There are no new QOL improvements coming. At least nothing has been indicated to the pilot group. However with that said, communication to the pilot group from both management and the union at times is poor. We usually never know what is really going on (if anything even is) which is why we come on here and gaggle like school kids. Also, management is very stuck in their ways and the people at the top are from a different era and just simply do not understand the climate of today’s regional world and what industry standards are today.

But facts are facts. yes there have been some small victories over the past couple years for the pilot group. The other fact is Piedmont is still far behind every other regional in terms of quality of life for its flight crews. If you are just starting out in the regional world and looking to park yourself for a few years then go somewhere else. Right now you can have a better QOL, make more money, work less, fly newer airplanes, and have better trips at most other regionals. If you want / need flow to AA then go for Envoy or PSA over PDT. There is nothing that currently makes PDT the “place” to go to when there are far superior options for a brand new hire.

Originally Posted by Duffman

The modified min day of 16 hours per 4-day trip is what really drags down your pay check at PDT. A standard trip is 80 hours time away from base, blocking (AKA, getting paid for) 17 hours. With Republic's trip RIG protection each trip would be a minimum of 20 hours. Then throw in their duty RIG protections and that number would probably go up even more. With 4-5 trips a month, that would be at least an extra 12-15 hours of pay per month, at least help compensate us for the inefficient schedules, time away from base, and bring us closer to a PSA or Envoy paycheck. Triple premium sounds good until you jumpseat on PSA and find out that after scoring triple premium and only getting 10 days off, the PSA crew still blocked more hours than you and got 14 days off. I'm sure management knows what needs to be done, but apparently there isn't enough pressure for them to break the longstanding PDT status quo, which is burning people out on the line. This kinda worries me because everybody is hurting for pilots right now and if PDT's reaction is too little, too late, then life as a line pilot at PDT will be very painful while they try to do more with less.

Originally Posted by CADR

As someone from the top of PDT once said “I do not pay pilots to work part-time”.

^ I thinks that says all you need to know about “those” at the top.

PDT management is stuck in the past. They are living out of touch with the norm of “industry standard” today. Hopefully American knocks some sense into them sooner rather than later. PDT wonders why they are currently struggling to hire pilots.... but honestly, why is it such a surprise? ... look around at the competition, PDT is decades behind in EVERYTHING that other regionals have and offer.

Sorry but we all have friends and we trust our friends at other regionals/majors and their word over the BS propaganda of the recruiting department.

PDT is going to have a rough summer, and serves them right. They have made zero commitment to making their flight crew’s lives better and have had zero communication to their flight crews on anything coming down the pipeline. Hopefully American takes notice and holds those at the top of PDT accountable for once.

Originally Posted by CADR

As someone from the top of PDT once said “I do not pay pilots to work part-time”.



PDT is going to have a rough summer, and serves them right. They have made zero commitment to making their flight crew’s lives better and have had zero communication to their flight crews on anything coming down the pipeline. Hopefully American takes notice and holds those at the top of PDT accountable for once.