A lot of CA's have taken larger paycuts than that by going back to FO.

Also Comair's survival isn't exactly assured (I wouldn't even call it 50/50).

I'd much rather work at a company that has a say when and where they fly and not at a small jet provider.

Then again there are plenty of qualified A320 drivers on the street from pales such as United and Spirit.

 

IF this is true, I will probably submit an application regardless of what their advertised hiring minimums are. You definitely won't get hired if you don't submit an application.

Besides, I have to agree with BlueMoon. It's worth the roll of the dice to cut your losses here and try elsewhere. I really don't think you'd have much to lose and our prospects for survival at Comair are bleak at best.

 

You do not have to apply if you do not want to work for VA. If you want to stay at Comair, you do not have to apply.

 

An 8 or 9 year downgraded captain flying as an FO at Comair tops out at $41 on the 50 and $44 on the 70/90. It would make sence to move on. Comair is not going anywhere.

 

Comair is the target at the bottom of the big smoking hole that Mesaba is heading back towards.... And this merger was supposed to be great for everyone.... HA!

 

A merger is never good for pilots. Just wait till after SOC and you will major cuts.

 

This may need to be posted on another thread, but the childish bickering on other threads, (“Citation-vs-Dash8”, and most Mesa posts come to mind), makes this furloughed ComAir pilot look for thoughtful insight from those I know and trust.
Our government and ALPA are marching, goose-step toward a paradigm shift in airline hiring by proposing ATP's for all 121 carrier pilots. On the surface, this seems a logical step, but intrusive government oversight into pilot's records, and the accompanying tax-payer dollars spent (per CBO estimates of HR3371) will have NO quantifiable effect on safety, and the wishful thinking that airlines will crack-open multi-year contracts to pay more for qualifications completely ignores the negotiating process. A government that proposes millions spent on pig-excrement methane effects on global warming -(an actual program)- has not done a single study on ATP vs. non-ATP rated pilot safety. The catalyst for this is the Colgan crash, regardless of the fact that both pilots had well in excess of 1,500 hours. (others :ComAir/Lexington, Pinnacle/flame-out, FedEx MD11, etc.) Even if those in support of this change get their wish and regionals improve pay and QOL, it's quite possible the majors will contract further (“Hey, we already pay our regional a good/ lower wage, let's grow the regionals”), dumbing-down the industry to the lowest common denominator and further eroding those prized legacy carrier jobs.
Yes, I was hired with less than 1,500 hours, as were my late father (B747-400 Capt.) and brother (B737-800 Capt.)...mea culpa. We'd all be barred from the cockpit because of quantity-over-quality. My instructing slow flight and steep turns in a Cessna for another couple hundred hours will not make me into Capt. Sully or his unknown F/O. Flight instructing, crop-dusting, traffic-watch and like jobs are rapidly dwindling, and may even ingrain bad habits.
Kit Darby's fabled pilot shortage will materialize when age 65 kicks in. Where will we get our pilots? The military's cut to the bone (and all those ex-fighter jocks with less than 1,500hrs. will not be going to the majors OR the regionals), there's a mass exodus from GA training, and socialist Europeans have more freedom with ab-initio that we free Americans don't. On the FAA panel for rule change are flight school directors who are salivating at the chance to bilk students out of more money, (only spoiled rich kids need apply now).As aviation enthusiasts, shouldn't we be promoting our profession and not setting up obstacles for our young Lindbergs and Erharts, telling them you must pay exhorbitant sums to qualify?
The solution? Keep it simple...propose a military-style pipeline for all pilots. Prospective pilots entering training are asked what their goal is, and sent down 1 of 2 pipelines with corresponding license requirements Pipiline A) Casual day VFR flyer-Sport Pilot license. Owner/renter/business types get a combined private/instrument. No more restricted to day/night VFR types and increase safety. (This would be the stepping stone to Pipeline B) Professional Pilot license. Stage check 1-Private/ Checkride 2-Instrument. Stage check3 -Commercial Single/ Checkride 4-CFI.(at this point, those who want to fly commercial SEL leave the program). Stage check 5-Multi, checkride 6- to ATP PTS. Allow more FTD time (only certain FTD's) and count that as a qualifier for Professional License. Students and schools save money and get more of that all important instrument scan.
Too simple? (sorry this was long winded...but I believe this is a critical issue)
In fraternity-NoStep

 

NoStep,

There are two problems I see that I doubt will change much regardless of number of active pilots.

1) People have no problem buying their tickets from Orbitz or Travelocity as long as they can have it $1 cheaper. These same people put blind faith that the government will keep them safe from all harm because they monitor flight crew training and other mandates. Then when there are crashes these same geniuses that can't run the post office or Amtrak now propose even more useless laws on the books so that the priceline.com crowd will feel better knowing their government put words to paper and fix everything.

2) Even with age 65 I don't think we'll see the pilot shortage everyone is talking about. For starters, this recession isn't going to be adding any jobs for a few years. Airlines like Delta want to cut a lot of routes from their schedule so who knows how many pilots will be needed in the future. And remember, there wasn't always an age 60 now 65 rule. You could literally fly until you died, or at least stop passing your medicals. So who knows if there won't be a movement in a year or so for age 70.

Secondly, the airlines will lobby and get exemptions to address the pilot shortage if one ever happens. The government could always open up our domestic routes to foreign carriers and now you'll be competing against the Frenchy French for your domestic route.

Bottom line: have a backup plan. Do what we always do, plan for the worst and hope for the best. And no matter what you do, don't put your faith in some politician to save or create your job. Thats just a road of disappointment.

The Chow

 

Alright, Chow!!(clap, clap, clap!) You looked at the post, thought it over and offered provocative insight.

Your point #1 is exactly right, and I don't think alot of pilots who may have even read the bill realize this is a setup job in case, God forbid, you make a mistake in the cockpit. They will spend millions$ probing pilot records, as the bill demands, in order to scapegoat in the future (excellent point!)

I disagree with point #2, however. Yes, there could be a move for age 70, but the days when a pilot could fly until dead were over in the 1940-50's era thanks to C.R. Smith at American Airlines. We got a taste of what a shortage will look like in 2006-08 with the hiring boom.

Something else to keep in mind, fewer pilots qualified at entry level jobs will make reserve and upgrade seniority skyrocket. (Just food for thought).
Thanks again!
NoStep

 

Well its been one year and counting now.....I'll be pouring some out for the rest of my furloughed brethren