It is $21,560 if you have a CRJ type rating already, and $16,560 if you are not typed currently.

After 1 year, then you get the FO retention bonus.

First Officer Retention Bonus: First Officers will be eligible to receive a $20,000 retention bonus once they mark their one-year anniversary with the company. The bonus is paid in $2,500 quarterly installments beginning on the first quarter following their anniversary date and continuing over two years or until upgrade to Captain.

 

19 Dec is my start date for ground

 

You should get it. Just email them.

The pay is changing so fast right now that I doubt they can keep up with all of the paperwork.

I think we have had 3 changes/raises in the last few months. In addition, our hourly rate changes each quarter with a new blended rate.

 

+2 what everyone here has already said, they can contractually make you doing training for 6 days before a day off. Thats not typical, but to give an example, my partner during IPT's was struggling real bad. They didnt want to fire him, because he was trying hard and they could tell, but they "recommended" he come in on Saturday to drill and drill with some of the weekend instructors. I was also recommended to come in initially, as "we live and die as a crew" however, they ended up deciding that it would be better if he had another instructor in there as the captain, that way they could drill and drill the flows and callouts. It all went well, like I said, it was optional, but im sure if he had declined, they would have canned him next time he didnt pass a check. They really do want you to succeed there. Thats just an example of how it can go into the weekend. I expected to have all the weekends off, as I was going home to a new baby every weekend. Just manage your expectations and dont tell family/loved ones you will DEFINITELY have the weekends off, as things can happen. If you can commit the 6 weeks in Dayton and go 110%, it works out a lot better, and just consider any off time as a bonus. In theory, you should be studying during the weekend. The training center is open 24/7 and you are allowed to go there whenever you want after you get your ID and practice on the paper tigers and V-Sims. Gotta have an instructor for the IPT's, but there were instructors who worked weekends, and several guys in my class were able to talk them into opening one up and getting a couple hours of free practice. Thats worth gold, and if you dont believe me, as some people who had to cut it in exactly the right amount of time.

Of course, everything I just described may be different now there are an abundance of students. When I went through training it was a ghost town there as they had just ramped the FO hiring back up after DEC's.

 

It's Dayton, OH... not exactly a ton to do anyway. I would recommend you go in on Saturday whether you need it or not; at least on the front end. It will reduce stress if you can get in front of the power curve instead of finding yourself behind and trying to catch up. Just one crazy man's opinion.

 

Flexninja and Dubz - That is great advice.

Here are a few things that I would recommend. If any employees agree/disagree, feel free to chime in.

- Really take time to learn your flows and callouts for the lesson before your IPT session. You will see in the syllabus what you are going to do each day. Look at that ahead of time. They give you posters, so hang them in your room and practice. Some guys put them on foam boards and use them in the lobby/breakfast area with their partner. Others just tape them to the wall in their room (bring blue painters tape for this). If you know your flows and callouts, you will get a lot out of IPT sessions. If not, you will waste time with them when you could be learning how to fly the airplane.

- There are videos of all of the flows/callouts and a "full flight" that will be made available to you. It is two captains in a sim, and they go through a full flight, from powering up a dark airplane to pulling into the gate. Watch them. Several times. They are a great training tool. After a few times, and studying, you will be able to point out the few mistakes they make in the videos.

- Once you are doing well, learn the captain flows before you go to the sim. This will save you a ton of time in the sim. Instead of taking 30+ mins to get off of the gate, it will take you 5 minutes and you will have more time to practice for the checkride. They are not required, but if you can do the First Flight of the Day captain flow, you can get the airplane ready to fly. There are only a few captain flows anyways.

- Consider Saturday a class day, even if it isn't. Get up, go to the training center, and study. Make it seem like part of your job. Stay caught up, or get ahead if you know what is next.

- Take good notes. This is really helpful for studying for the oral, and you will thank yourself later on when you get ready to go for upgrade/PC (although AQP is coming!!!)

- We used to get a limitations sheet to fill out each day, I imagine that it is the same. It is a blank copy of the test. It has all of the limitations that you are responsible for and the memory items from the QRH. They will give it to you each day of class to fill out as a practice. I made copies, and made myself fill it out twice each night before I would go out to dinner. Then, after the test was given for real in class, I kept filling it out once a day until after my oral. Trust me, you will thank yourself if you are disciplined and do this. It seems excessive, but if you know these cold, it makes the oral so much easier and less stressful.

- Make friends in class and have fun. It is actually a lot of fun. Find some fun things to do and relax. It isn't that stressful unless you make it. Be prepared for class each day, spend an hour after class at the hotel studying before dinner. Then, go out and grab dinner and a drink with people in class. Go out on Saturday night and Sunday. The Air Force Museum is a great weekend day trip. If you study bit and don't get behind, you will enjoy it.

 

Excellent advice all around. The biggest weakness of people coming into sims is profiles and callouts. People waste a lot of precious sim time repeating basic items that they should really know down cold before getting that far.

 

This single piece of advice is the best one can give. Writing everything down is an active learning process and helps one retain so much more. When I come up for a training event, I write out a new set of flash cards.

 

Limitations, immediate action items is step one. Once you have those down cold, start looking over your flows, call outs and profiles. Practice them with your partner every day, and drill each other on your limitations and immediate action items. Before each lesson in the IPTs, go over the expected material with your partner and chair fly the whole thing. I found it helpful to throw a tennis ball against the wall while practicing my call outs. Helps your brain focus on what you need to remember and juggle a different task which is good practice. When you get to the sim keep doing it. Every day.

 

The new Form with the new bonus rates was just received this morning. Today's class signed for the new bonus. If you don't get a copy before you Dec 19 Class, the one you sign will reflect the new rates.