The first bunch of pilots hired will be dual qualified (CA/FO), until more pilots are added to the seniority list. Most of the folks being hired right now are going to end up as initial cadre/instructors on the 175. Later classes will be FOs, however, realistically everybody they hire in the next 5 months will be hired based upon "captain qualifications" since they will essentially upgrade right out of training based on the delivery schedule.

Hello Helium 3, I also have an interview in July. Just wondering does Compass Pays for hotel rooms during training and whats is the pay during training any thoughts.

Hello dashkat.....

I received an email attachment with some info and a request to fill out additional forms. In the attachment it states that all expenses other than travel are my responsibility.

I am not sure about the pay during training but from what I understand you will be single occupancy in the hotel that they provide.

Wish I could provide more info for you but as of now that is all I know.

H3

One word of advice about the application process.

Make sure your paperwork is IMPECCABLE. (One would think that this is a no brainer...) Don't come to the interview with blanks or questions about how to fill out a section of the application or other forms/info that they mail to you. If the same folks are participating in the Compass interviews that did the old ACA interviews (and it's many of the same management/people), coming with messed up/incomplete paperwork is an auto no-go.

Looks like most of the management came from Independence Air...is that a good management team? What do the former Indy pilots think of those folks?

Are there any future plans for Compass to have pilot bases anywhere other than MSP? If MEM or DTW is on the horizon, when is that expected to be implemented?

Just a guess, but for now I would say MDP is the only base through mid next year at the earliest. I would guess fall 08 to mid 09 would be a safe bet. BUT it would totally depend on what momma (NWA) wants out of the kids. I think a good indicator would be to listen to what is happening with Mesaba's growth and Pinnacle's happenings...Will they still be flying red tails in a few years? (Pinnacle that is)

Just my 2 cents...nothing to stand on.

Hey, a few answers to some of the questions from my understanding. Compass will positive space you for the interview but will NOT pay for your hotel room when you get there. They also are NOT paying for hotels during training. They are however paying you during training. The pay will be 3.5 hours at your flight rate. CA's will be $60.41 an hour.
I think it is bad they are not paying for the rooms in training but for me the QOL and pay increase will be worth it. They told us during th interview process that they will be opening MEM and Detroit by next year.
Not much but hope it helps.

Hello XtremeF150, did you start training already? Thank you for the information on the hotel and pay during training. Just one last thing, is indoc in MSP? How about aircraft system training were is that done?

I really dont like that deal about the hotel in training!!! Sure it may not be too bad for captains but soon the FO's to be hired will be seeing less than 85 ish dollars a day for hotel and food while the captains will see over $200 for the same training.

That is gonna drive a lot of people away. If they say they will hire you in as an FO but you should be a captain in less than 6 months.

Systems training I believe is going to be in Montreal. Don't know about indoc.

Is what i gather correct. Indoc in MSP systems and sims in Montreal and they dont pay for your hotel in Montreal either? I have heard of airlines not getting you a hotel in the hub/base, but at someplace where noone lives is strange. And ideas if this is true??

Just called to confirm interview and asked if I could attend an earlier interview.
I was told May 30 was available so I jumped on it.
I have received a packet. Instructions are to fill out the paperwork and fax it to them and bring the originals to the interview.
It isn't what I would expect for a pilot application package.
Should I expect something more than a few pages?

Good luck Helium3. Keep me inform about the interview. I am still schedul for July. I wish I could attend an earlier one, but I am currently out of the country.

Thanks Dashkat....

I'll let you know how it was when it's over.
Between the interview and my required attendance at the Indy 500 this weekend I am feelin' pretty good right now. ;)(seats across from pit entrance for the past 6 years).:D
Hoping for the best.

H3

What was the written test like? Any performance type questions or just basic ATP - either you know it or you don't - type questions?

Sounds like straight out of the Gleim. No computational type questions from what I have heard second hand (Weight shift, CG, performance, etc). 75 questions, computerized test.

3 person interview panel. 2 mainline CA's and one retired pilot now working HR. Some folks have also had a 4th HR (non pilot) representative. Typical HR type questions, little or no technical:

"Why do you want to work for us"
"Tell us about each of your previous jobs"
"What do you know about the E170"
"Tell us about a time when there was conflict in the cockpit"
etc...

Sim ride is 727 sim, blocked at 45 minutes, but many are taking much less time. Profile is something similar to this:

1. 250 knots/5000'/180 heading.
2. Maintain altitude/heading- slow to 200 knots.
3. Maintain speed/heading, descend to 2000' at 1000FPM
4. Passing 3500', turn right using 30 degree bank to 040, while continuing descent to 2000 at 200 knots/1000FPM.
5. Level off/rollout. Maintain 2000, turn left using 30 degree bank to 270 while accelerating to 250 knots.
6. Roll out. Maintain 250 knots, turn right using 30 degrees bank to 120, while climbing to 5000 at 1000FPM.
7. Approaching 360 degree heading, reverse turn to left to 360 heading using 30 degrees bank while continuing climb at 250kts/1000 FPM.
8. Approaching 360 heading (level 5000), steep turn at 45 degrees left or right to 180 heading, roll out and reverse steep turn.
9. Proceed direct to VOR. Slow to 200 knots. Determine hold entry, enter the hold and complete one circuit.

I'm wondering if there's anybody that has started at Compass, and might be able to elaborate on a few questions such as:

-Pay during training?
-When benefits start?
-Jumpseating?
-The ALPA contract?
-Flow thru?

I've got a class date, but as a start up there is really no one to ask, even the company's not sure!

Thanks

Because NWA's parent company owns Champion Air....727-200s:cool:

Hey, sorry haven't been on in a while. I am actually still waiting to start class. Still have a little over a month with the current job. From what I understand the ground school will all be held in MSP at the same facility that is used for the interview. I think it is also shared by Mesaba and PanAm. The sims should be in Montreal. Again all of this is too my understanding so no low blows on any misguided info :D

Hmm that might be why...There are a lot of FedEx posters in the sim briefing room too. When I asked about them, the sim guy said that FedEx uses that sim sometimes...I thought they were all in MEM but who knows.

Perhaps, but remember that the 727 sim that compass is using isn't a NWA sim. It's owned by Pan Am International Flight Academy and is in their sim building. Not the NWA facility down the road.

Sold it to PanAm to manage since NWA doesn't fly them mainline...it's possible. It'd be cheaper to have someone else worry about it.

are these guys going to be just MSP based, or are they also going to be DTW and MEM. Also, Lets say person A gets hired with compass today, and person B gets hired at Northwest next year. Person A flows to NWA in 2 years, who is higher on the NWA seniority list, basically does person A jump ahead of person B just because he or she worked at Compass.

I think the answers to your ?'s are:

Yes there will be more than 1 base. i have heard something about early/mid next year...the usual NWA bases.

From what I have heard the main line guy would have a higher seniority. The Compass person would kind of be stapled to the bottom...It is probably different if they are a NWA furlough that has temporarily gone to Compass.

As I understand it, people flowing up from compass will start at the bottom of the seniority list as a new hire. The only advantage of the flow through is that compass pilots that have eligibility to flow through have first rights at open new hire training slots (without interviewing again) over any off the street applicants. (IE potentially all of the NWA new hires down the road could flow up via compass).

This is exactly the way it was explained to us during the info portion of the interview.

Interview on Tuesday. Hopefully I can provide some info for everyone when I return... If anyone has interviewed lately, how about some fresh info for all of us?

My background:
Submitted app. prior to window being open
4700TT 3900JET 1600PIC
Former ACA/IDE currently flying gov't contract G-III

That's an interesting angle...if you don't have a union, you're a scab.

Interview yesterday. Good people. Went EXACTLY as stated on this thread. Other news today says that Mesaba signed a flowthrough agreement as well. Not sure if I'm as interested in Compass now... If NWA is likely hiring next year - wouldn't it make more sense to attempt a hire off the street rather than be locked in at Compass for 30 months? Thoughts?

Well, I don't know why one wouldn't be able to apply to NWA from Compass without waiting for the flowthrough. I guess for a MEM native, it is a little closer to home and FedEx was what I was thinking but I definately wouldn't turn a job at NWA down...flowthrough or street.

I guess for a lot of people at decent regionals it is a hard decision to leave the left seat at an already stable company...even to move to the left seat again. I am one of the people who didn't have a lot to lose....actually much more to gain for me.....