Skywest: I refuse to work for big brother, when they are holding ASA under water to drown. Sorry.

Freedom: Mesa? You serious? Why would I want to work under those work rules, and for JO?

Shuttle America: I could deal with RAH. No doubt there, they are on my list.

Pinnacle: Well, they are #2.

ASA will remain #1, just because there is no commute. If I get furloughed, and have to take a commute. . .then so be it, but right now I'd rather take my chances. Nevertheless, I'm still a good 400 hours and 50 hours multi short of minimums, plus I wouldn't mind instructing for some time to gain a bit more hours.

CMEL in progress right now.

 

You might be right, but it sure doesn't look like it from where I'm standing.

Good luck with the contract. You guys deserve something worth celebrating

 

I hope I am right. I have been on the line for about 6 months and morale is low. I hope that ASA is in the low swing of an upward cyclic event. In other words, there is no way but up.

The flying is great.....the rest stinks! ATL is a poster-child for how not to run an airport. Delays are out of sight....rampers could care less....pilots are demoralized. It's GOT to get better.

A contract would make a huge difference! Until then.........."the beatings will stop when morale improves!"

 

Thanks for the reply. Additionally, when you say 2 of the 20 are selected for the ATR, do they just split two people off from their 20 person classes or does the entire class generally get the same equipment? Thanks again.

 

No. It's really based on attrition. We are losing far more CRJ200 crews than the ATR or CRJ700. One thing to note.....the ATR is a relatively senior aircraft. They usually fly short trips....the crews are typically home in the evenings vs. long overnights in the RJ's. The CRJ700's have better pay rates, so crews stick by them longer. Attrition is the main factor.

Here is a paste from an email we rec'd a few days ago............

"Sorry I did not get the staffing information out to you sooner but I was waiting for more information on the last 2 CRJ700 aircraft coming to us from Comair. As of today, it appears they will come in October. Based on the aircraft delivery information and current attrition, we are planning to run new hire classes of 40 for the remainder of this year. Upgrades are planned at 20 per month from now until the first week in December.
Starting in July, we will be conducting classes of 4 every two weeks for the CRJ700, down from class sizes of 10. The numbers will be skewed to the First Officer ranks since Captain attrition only runs 2-3 per month. Overall pilot attrition is planned at 6 per week or 26 per month. In April attrition was 28, May was 17 and June is so far 30.
Starting in July, staffing requirements are as follows:

• ATR Crews needed -- 45 available Captains -- 41 available F/Os -- 42
• CRJ200 Crews needed -- 464 available Captains -- 455 available F/Os -- 452
• CR700 Crews needed -- 163 available Captains -- 176 available F/Os -- 178

As the month of July progresses, we will continue to move to the plus side and in good shape to staff the rest of the summer schedule. The summer schedule does though start winding down after August 22. Block hours will be down in September but then start ramping back up in October and reaching a peak in December.
Unless our attrition spikes from current plan, we are in a good position to absorb the 2 remaining aircraft and pull the average line values down. I appreciate those who gave up their vacation weeks (84 total) and picked up open time over the past five months, it helped to minimize the extensions and junior assigning."

 

Thanks for the info as well Cubflyer.

 

Take stock young lad....

1. a strike is not going to happen. Period. Best case is we will get released someday and mang/union will strike a deal in the 11th hour. Their too close already. Worst case is we will get everything we want and then not be competitive and that will kill our future growth (not saying I believe this, but that is mang. story)

2. We will not EVER be stapled to bottom of Skywest list. they guy that posted that probably is a real ASA captain but I'm guessing wrote that after a long trip; certainly a flair for the dramatic. If we merge it will be date of hire or percentage based. The ASA guys want date of hire (except for our most senior 100, they will actually go backwards) but the 4 to 5 year guys would get a big advantage. I'm a 10 year guy, I think I would stay the same) The Skywest guys want percentage based because the young guys think it would effect their upgrade to Captain.

This is a silly fear, here's why. It will take another few months for ASA to get a contract, let's say 6 months. Then it would take at a min of 6 months for a merger to take place. Then, another 6 to 12 months for the merger language to be written (how long did it take U.S. Air/Am West?) Then there would be a 12 to 18 month fence before we could cross bid domiciles.
So let's add that up 6+6+12+18=42 3.5 YEARS!!!!! Everyone working at Skywest or ASA as a newhire today, will still make the upgrade on schedule. It would be the guys hired AFTER that program was announced that might be affected!

Finally, your comment about SW union. Many believe it will pass. But it is not a REQUIREMENT. There is case law already out there which supports that. It would no doubt make it easier, but not required.

Hope this helps,
Stick

 

The contract will not change the attitude much. Trust me. I was here in 98 and that was an awesome contract improvement. The ramp in ATL did/will suck and that will always be a source of tension.

Where did that letter about the hiring get posted, I have not seen that.

Stick

P.S. in the month of June by the 20th we had already lost 30 pilots and we've got 10 days to go....

 

If you get the ATR you should jump for joy. I too was a little bummed at first about not "getting the jet" but you really don't know what you're missing. It's a fantastic training dept and all the people on the plane are genuinely fun to be around.

Don't worry... you'll see a jet before you retire. Landing is where all the fun is and I get to do hundreds more per year than the jet folk. Plus... I don't have to type something every time the plan changes! I'll move to the jet when I feel like working more... for now I just want to fly!

 

Stick, I appreciate your insight. Keep it coming.

My comments were directed specifically at the thought of either a strike, or the potential for being stapling at the bottom of the seniority list.

I honestly, do not foresee either one of those two things happening. I agree, a contract will come out at the 11th hour if not before. Merging the lists, well. . .yes, that'll take time. . .and the WHOLE ASA Pilot work group will not be stapled to the bottom, but rather both lists (ASA & SKW) will be properly merged.

One can hope.

It's amazing how many guys / gals are leaving. Like I said earlier, I'm in no rush. I'd like to instruct for some time, instead of coming right on in right at the minimums - I don't want to be THAT guy. But, I just hope that this time next year things are starting to look on the up and up, and they will want another local to work for them. . . especially one with a meteorology background.