We, 1/16, were at the tail end of systems when we found out our first bid. The 1/3 class was at the tail end of IPT.

It looks like they are doing a monthly bid that covers both classes for that month.

IF that trend continues we'll have one more bid that should post before end of sims, which is the cut off for initial base assignment. We should have another bid during IOE but since I'll be past the cut off I'll have to wait for the effective date.

So I'm waiting for the DCA numbers to show up late this month. Once that happens I'll hopefully be able to modify my bid, if needed, to the base I want after IOE.

 

Yep PS during IOE and one PS r/t until your relocation days, which we were told would take about two/three weeks. So use that one PS ticket wisely.

I hope I see very little of DCA. I despise that airport. I actually wish we did more ORD flying. But that will have to wait until we get the all the Envoy birds.

 

You may be the first person that I have ever heard that likes ORD more than DCA. DCA is a great airport. Great food, fun approaches, good rampers, and beautiful scenery. (The World sucks, but so do 50 seat jets, so don't fly those!) ORD is just congested taxiways, terrible weather, and disgruntled rampers.

You will likely get 3 base bids or more before you finish IOE. If you don't get what you want on the first one, just be patient and don't panic.

Classes are at 25+ every other week, with more than 50 a month. We are also upgrading 25+ a month. By the time you finish IOE, you will have at least 150 new FOs behind you and 75+ less FOs in front of you (not counting outside attrition).

Also, for you guys starting class next week, we will have at least 1 more CRJ 700 on property by the time that you hit the line in May. That will mean more lines of flying every month.

2017 is going to be all about fleet and line growth, high attrition to the majors, short times on reserve, and fast upgrades.

 

So I am guessing that the base bidding system is separate from the scheduling system?? Do you bid for your base on the company website?

Also, confirm they PS you to your IOE location and put you up??

EXAMPLE: you are based at CVG but have IOE out of DCA. Will PSA positive space you to DCA and put you up (if needed) before you start your IOE flights?

Thanks for entertaining my "new guy" questions....

 

IOE is actually pretty good here. They will let you pick 1-2 (3 maybe) airports near your HOME and they will positive space you from your HOME to where your IOE starts on AA metal. They'll also provide a hotel outside the actual days if you need to come in the night before/stay an extra night. Plus if they can't get you home after the pairing and put you in a hotel, they'll build 10+ hours of rest into the positive space (AA calls them "must rides") but you are welcome to use your non-rev benefits or CASS to get home before your positive space flights and not lose the duty/DH pay. For example, I got put with a TYS IOE LCA, and we operated the last flight of the night into TYS. They put me in a hotel and built 11 hours of rest into my DH before scheduling my must ride. I ended up taking a direct flight home on Delta at 6am instead with CASS.

At a previous airline, they would only positive space you from your assigned base to another base if you got an IOE pairing outside your base, so PSA is actually really great about getting you from HOME to the trip.

 

Very COOL!

 

I have an interview scheduled for 28 Feb. Any tips/tricks/advice/gouge other than what's on aviationinterviews.com? I'm an active duty AF F-16 guy so a bit rusty on some of the FARs, Jepp charts, and other ATP written type stuff since it's been 4 years since my ATP checkride. Anyone recommend Sheppard Air test prep for the tech test?

Thanks fellas!

 

Study the gouge at the website and you can't go wrong. Have your logbooks in order too. Be yourself and have fun!

 

Check your PM. I just wrote you.

 

AviationInterviews is very good. Sheppard Air is great as well. I would recommend both. I have read that we changed the written test, but don't know exactly how/what. I am sure that it will be ATP type questions, so that is where Sheppard Air is great. Even though I studied the gouge, I studied Sheppard Air as well to make sure that I was ready.

I had a referral recently that was prior 121 but had not flown in several years. He studied, and did well on the interview, but they really asked a lot of questions about him not being current. That seems to be really big. If you have flown anything recently, that is a huge plus. He was given a "pool" offer because he had not flown an airplane in 4+ years, and they will fit him into a class sometime in the future. But, they said that if he gets a little bit of time in the cockpit of something, then he can go into the next class that he wants.

I have told people to go down to the local FBO and get a BFR and/or IPC just to get current in flying before going to interview. It is a couple hundred bucks, but now that first year pay is $60k+, it is worth it to get the job. Plus, flying around in a little airplane is fun.