Any Colgan New Hires on here?
 

Just Curious, I'm in the class starting Wednesday the 7th. If anyone has any experience with Colgan they want to throw out there feel free.

1st Post!

Hi 135Drvr,
I'm just curious as well - how did you decide to work for Colgan? Guessing from your screen name, you already have quality jet time.....

I have some experience with Colgan..................Run, run as fast as you can and don't look back:p

Go in with a good attitude, work hard, form your own opinions on QOL and use it for what it is...to build time and move on.

I've also had experience with Colgan and found them to be a good honest company. I had a great time working there. People were great and the flying was fun. I got great experience, was able to upgrade quickly, and after three years moved on to a major airline. Like any company I had one or two minor issues. But I was never asked to fly when I thought the aircraft was unsafe or when I was fatigued. Try to stay out of a NE maintenance base (Albany and Hyannis), unlike SAAbaroowski. That will keep you away from the part 91 ferry flights.

Once I left Colgan I found that major airline captains, a large number of which came from civilian ranks and flew turboprops themselves, very respectful of SAAB drivers. My transistion to the 737 was a breaze.

Good Luck! Have fun.

Decided Colgan seemed like a good company. Maybe not the best pay and fancy schmancy RJ's, but hey I get the jet time where I need it. My goal is fasted PIC so I can get on with my favorite major by 30. Whatever it takes to get there I am willing to do and from a close friend/check airman @ the major i wants POV Colgan is the fasted way through their doors. I figure from everything I have read that all the Regionals are in one way or another very similar. It's really about QOL and the plane you want to fly. The Q400 seems like a nice plane (as long as the gear holds together) and I will be able to live close to my Guard unit (which will supplement the meager pay).

Wow! Way to help the industry out. I'll just have to get a second job to help Colgan/Pinnacle out. You'll find that attitudes like this will annoy other pilots in this industry.... especially union pilots that have beter compensation and schedules than Colgan.

PS - All regionals are NOT similar. Research some contracts (or lack thereof).

If it's not too late.... just don't show up at Colgan.

Yeap, Dont forget Mesa,GoJets, is out there as well; after all, you dont care, its all about the fastest Upgrade. "Double dip" with your MIL leave as well .nice.:rolleyes:

Wow, you guys are quite the welcoming group of guys. So far I haven't seen Colgan an anyones worst of the worst list, nor best of the best lists.

"Wow! Way to help the industry out. I'll just have to get a second job to help Colgan/Pinnacle out. You'll find that attitudes like this will annoy other pilots in this industry.... especially union pilots that have beter compensation and schedules than Colgan."

What are these so called better compensation schedules? They all look about the same to me, unless were talking about the difference of $2/hour. O and I guess QOL doesn't matter either and the fact that Colgan Outbases unlike the rest in the industry which is advantageous to many of their pilots. Reference above:

"I've also had experience with Colgan and found them to be a good honest company. I had a great time working there. People were great and the flying was fun. I got great experience, was able to upgrade quickly, and after three years moved on to a major airline. Like any company I had one or two minor issues. But I was never asked to fly when I thought the aircraft was unsafe or when I was fatigued. Try to stay out of a NE maintenance base (Albany and Hyannis), unlike SAAbaroowski. That will keep you away from the part 91 ferry flights.

Once I left Colgan I found that major airline captains, a large number of which came from civilian ranks and flew turboprops themselves, very respectful of SAAB drivers. My transistion to the 737 was a breeze.

Good Luck! Have fun."

Guess what this guy had to say was bogus? Find me a pilot who doesn't have one or two issues with their company/airline/mil job/any job and I'll show you a liar.

Sir-
The difference is this. Look at Captain pay on that Q400 vs. what ExpressJet or Skywest makes on their smaller 50 seater.

Look at WORK RULES. Do you know what these are? Colgan doesn't have a lot of them. $21 an hour at Colgan is worse than $19 an hour at Skywest. Why? Work rules. A Skywest pilot will credit much more each month at $19 than Colgan at $21 ...result: Colgan pilots working more for less.

See what I am saying? I don't at all mean to sound unwelcoming to this board I am trying to share with you that NOT all regionals are the same. They are not.

ExpressJet guys in EWR aren't going super-pro-colgan-is-awesome because they are flying LARGER airplanes for less. Who cares what kind of engines it has?

You'll find soon enough that Colgan doesn't have just "one or two issues".

As a consequence of Colgan's actions, one CA I flew with there now has a "letter" (forget what it is really called) in his military folder. He picked up open time to help Colgan out.. they never gave him a flight to go to his base.. when they did the flight was oversold.. they paid Continental something like $1000 just to ride the jumpseat.. he still got there late.. What a class act those Colgans are :rolleyes:

I absolutely agree with your statement. But this statement being said doesn't mean that a job at Skywest or Republic has come my way and I have turned it down. I would love to fly for Republic or Skywest, but I am also thinking close to my unit. I am also a child of the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) so that makes for a more pressing decision.

As for this comment:

Yeap, Dont forget Mesa,GoJets, is out there as well; after all, you dont care, its all about the fastest Upgrade. "Double dip" with your MIL leave as well .nice.

If your not in the Guard or Reserve, you need to watch what you say about this "Double dip" crap. Show a little respect for what we do.

Outstation bases will, and have already started, to go away. Pinnacle guys feel free to chime in regarding the history of you outstation basing.

Are you near PHL? Go interview at Air Wisconsin? Or XJT for EWR.

How much time in the 135 do you have?

Make sure you do some more research before you decide to show up for class. I'm not saying Colgan isn't right for you, because I'm not you. I will say I had the quick upgrade and all that here at Colgan and if I could do it over again I wouldn't. There is not really any work rules at all, just "work guidelines" that change depending on company needs for that day. This can be very frustrating not knowing what to expect day to day. Our Q400 rates are an insult to every Colgan pilot that has worked their Arsse off for this place. We are a good 7 dollars or so BELOW industry average.

Keep in mind guys the speed of the Q400. If the Q is used on some similar distance routes now used with the SAAB, you actually make the same or even less on the Q because of less block time. While some routes will be longer, many proposed routes are similar to the SAAB, so they make MORE money and you don't!

We have no matching 401K, no profit sharing, if your a senior FO and get removed from the line for IOE you get reserve without pay protection. They change the monthly bids AFTER you bid on them. There is some good, outstation basing is nice for some (that according to Phil himself is going away starting 1Q next year). Sometimes you can sneak one by CS, and their is a relatively quick upgrade.

Thanks for pointing some Colgan facts out. Not trying to bash crappy companies, just trying to education regional new hires is important.... because I wish I had all this advice.

MudPupppy & N2

Thank you for your insight. I appreciate your advice :)

About 60 hours so far, I'm just getting mission qualed.

If you pass the upgrade interiew and haven't made any enemies (e.g. don't complain about constantly receiving the shaft) at the company to date.

This is true

I can't wait until you Q400 guys come on this board and scream bloody hell when your QOL is destroyed working in and out of an airport like EWR with no work rules, no domicile rest, pay protection..................you guys are in a world of hurt......................oh but wait you have a Check Airmen buddy at a major so all you need is 1,000hrs TPIC, way to help out the industry.


Thats the problem with this industry everybody is out for themselves...........

Where is Colgan doing training for the Q? Is it going to be like the SAAB; indoc and systems in Manassas, then sim at a some other location? Or are they going to have FlightSafety do all the training; like Republic?

Most likely you will have Ed for indoc.. beware the almighty alrighty haha :p

"alrighty", I always wanted to know what a "wifferdill" was ;)

Saab not everyone here has that mentality.

Although I have 870 TPIC and just got the 757 at COA. I was at Colgan for 2 years and a couple months.

Colgan is a steping stone for most. I doubt 135 deserves such a sh!tty welcome here. If you are such martyrs and know alls step up and quit the industry. Hey saab, did you really go to Colgan for any reason other than to get time and get out. Please don't bother us with your sob story again.
Good luck 135.

Manassas for ground then Toronto for the Q. Are you still at Colgan SAAB? No Joke with the welcome. 4 words "Means to an End" For those of you who hate it so much, quit and spare us all the *****ing.

congrats on the Job at CAL, thats awesome...............

I prefer SAAB :D

Sorry about that SAAB

Nice catch saab, it's small for a reason.:p

haha, ok in all honesty, I haven't been at Colgan for a while now, my experience was mine only, and it is really unfair to claim that all of line pilots at Colgan go through what I went through. The majors are hiring and Colgan has quick upgrades so I think you are in a good spot, especially if you have other military experience, and if you have an "in" somewhere else, more power to you, thats great. XJT works well for me, because I live near EWR and I need to make more than I could at Colgan to survive, but if you have another income and the pay at Colgan won't be an issue, again, more power to ya. The Q is an impressive airplane for the most part and you will enjoy,

For what its worth:

no place is as great as it may seem, and no place is as bad as it may seem

Good luck and welcome to APC, :)

SAAB is XJT hiring slowing down?

I guess none of the other new hires want to post after all this crazyness :)

yeah they plan on like 300-400 for next year, but they said that about last year so well see, hey Check your PM's ;)

Welcome aboard! I'll see you either tomorrow night or Wednesday. Good luck.

I wonder what your AVATAR will look like with one landing gear buckled underneath the wing......:p

Indoc is in Manassas, sim in Toronto.

I must admit, my wife is none-too-happy about the goings-on with the SAS Q's....

ahhhh you guys will be fine, with Colgans stellar mx and all :D

I think the SAS incident was caused by a mx screw-up

first day of 121 experience put your stuff out to other regionals and get the hell out. if you wouldn't mind doing something for me...

give brink the finger