Pinnacle???
 

I currently live in MSP. I work for a regional airline, I have been there stuck in the right seat for 4 years and commuting on top of that. Pinnacle recently offered me a job with the assurence that I would upgrade in 6 months and no longer have to commute. Can anyone tell me what Pinnacle is like to work for? Is upgrade really only 6 months?

You can most likely hold your first choice of DTW, MSP, or MEM out of new hire training. Upgrade SENIORITY is not a problem- you can actually bid CA in new hire class if you have 3500TT, or be an FO for 6 months and upgrade at somepoint along the way. Since you said you have been an FO for a few years I am banking on you having more than 3500TT. It may be a good thing for you to be an FO for a little while if you have been flying a prop up to now (if you have been flying a CRJ disregard that statement). PNCL has alot of threads on here so the search will bring up lots of info! You will fly alot and upgrade quick at pncl, the contract is still being negotiated (up to the point of mediation). The pilot group is great but the pay and work rules are not the best right now- nothing is going to be passed by the pilot group that is not a "good" contract (thats why this is taking soo long). If you are looking for a quick upgrade for jet PIC time you should probrably strongly consider it- just keep in mind the company is not the most labor friendly. Things should only get better from here. Also we have CRJ-900s coming online in November in SLC and LAX that will go very junior (most likely junior), if you live out west you could just come over and be a -900 CA. Pay rates have yet to be determined.... Good luck with whatever road you take! Take a look at old posts though if you have time. There are quite a few PNCL pilots on here so you can see their opinions and also see which posters are "trolls" towards pinnacle... we think they got fired or quit...

As a captain you will get abused. You will be on reserve for at least 2 years. They will knock you down to 8 days off. Basically you will turn angry and start hating life.

Hating life is nothing new. I think all regionals are the same in crappy work rules. I am just sick of commuting and it seems like a good deal. What about the 15 CRJ's going to Mesaba?

So far they havent transfered any, no one really knows what is going on with that, but supposidly we are giving them 6 this year and the rest next year, with attrition and the delta flying, we wont even notice they are gone, maybe in MSP because thats where they all will be based for mesaba and with the 900's and compass there as well our flying might be reduced a little bit. IF you want to come and be a captain, I suggest do it now, get your time and get it over with. Your schedule will suck, just know that well ahead of time, and most likely it will not get better until you leave, but if you want turbine pic quickly and are willing to sacrifice 1 year to get it, than go for it and good luck.

I had 18 days off last month. August; I've worked 5 days so far.

GO MESABA!! :D

I'm lovin' life (and no comuting)

how long have you been at Mesaba? 18 days off is great

Mesaba is great:confused:...isn't there a 3 year seat lock...no chance for upgrading for the kid there

Well... truth is I got a 3 day trip pulled for someones IOE last month. BUT, 11 to 16 days is possible on a regular basis.

Most Junior CA upgrade is 490 we now have 730 pilots. I think as we grow upgrades will be more important then seats locks. They could always slap a letter in our contract. For me, MESABA is a great place to work though.

According to ATW magizine, the 15 CRJs were pulled by NWA because a contract had not been reached yet...HOwever, as stated above with the new Delta flying there will be no major difference with the loss of the CRJs and the addition of the 900's. There is a pretty good article on the company in the August 2007 edition of ATW (there is a picture of a 787 on the cover.) It seems with the purchase of Colgan, they are more stable, and money made there will be invested on the company as a whole... NOW only if they had a contract!

I don't think you understand. Commuting is NOTHING compared to being a reserve captain at Pinnacle. Make your own choice. I'm just warning you.

How many years did it take you to get 18 days off?

Life is rough working 3 days a week ain't it?

There is not a 3-yr seat lock at Mesaba. New Hires will be under a 3-yr EQUIPMENT lock UNLESS they can hold an upgrade sooner than that. What it means is you cannot be hired into the saab as an FO and in 1 year lateral over to the CRJ as an FO. You CAN upgrade at the first opportunity, even within the 3 year period.

Our upgrade minimums currently require 1000 hours of Mesaba flight time or 2 years with the company whichever comes first. There is no total time requirement other than FAR ATP mins.

At mesaba they hire into all 3 planes, so this person probably got lucky and got 900 fo out of training as one of the first ones so he will get the best schedules right out of the bat, better than fo's who have been there for years. I dont particularly like that system, but I dont work there so I dont care. It will be a rude awakening when that person upgrades though.........

The system is like that because the payrate is the same for all F/O's so there is essentially no junior or senior A/C for F/O's. None of the senior F/O's want the right seat of the -900. And with all the growth, they will be able to hold captain on something. I think I made it into the 2nd -900 F/O class so by the time we get all 36, I think I will be sitting pretty as far as QOL...thats my hope anyway.

true, but you will get captain pay and you will get pic so you can move on. no one comes to pinnacle to be a street captain for good qol. that is just stupid.

latest news is the planes are not going to be moved to mesaba, because mesaba said they didn't want them. like i have said before those planes will stay at pinnacle (we don't want them either). but its better for us to have them and not fly them and pay penalties, than it is for them to go back to mainline (mesaba) and not staff them there.

yeah, i once had a entire month off... by being bought out for oe.. big deal. when you say stuff like this it gives a false sense of what is really going on. i have 17 days off this month, been here for a little under 2 years, and that is my line, no oe buy off. just be honest and dont give people an inaccurate description of what their lines could be if they went to mesaba.

thanks for the info!!!

Ok...God wouldn't want to mis-represent:cool:.

11-16 days off, 60-97 credit, 150-345 TAFB. 2day 3day and 4day trips. Hotels from an old army barrack to the Hilton (no Paris). Important thing to realize is most Pilots like flying at Mesaba.

Lighten up Francis!!

NO...I'm not new and I fly the SAAB. Not sure what makes you think new guys get better scheds then old guys?:confused:

ok, just the guy was asking a serious question, just trying to help out.. its like if i were telling everybody i got an entire month off at pinnacle, and left out the fact that is very very very rare, and that it only happened because i was with an oe guy. and i don't disagree with you about most pilots liking mesab, i am sure they do. that is fine.

not trying to start anything, but you have to admit that is true in some cases, you guys have had a couple people hired off the street that went right to the 900 in one of the first classes. They will have awesome schedules. Sorry I assumed you flew the 900, i just looked at your picture.

Ya...it looked cool on the Bombardier website so I used it :D.

I should try to be more serious:o. I don't follow company affairs as much as RJ85FO. I'm trying to enjoy my career choice while no going off on all the negative that floats around. But...even 11 days off is better then the average joe! :rolleyes:

good way to do it, that 900 does look sharp in NWA colors I will admit.