Mesa Upgrade Time
 

It's getting very very scary at Mesa. The latest upgrade was awarded to a 09/25/07 hire date. Considering it is taking about 5 months to get through the training at Mesa, this means that this person has probaly been online for a month. I talked to a pilot in the crew room yesterday who was awarded upgrade. I asked him what his times were on the CRJ and he said he had about 300 hours in the right seat. I asked him what he flew before this and he said a CESSNA 182! I think I am going to upgrade just so I don't have to fly with these people. Oh, and the latest rumor mill is that negotiations on the new contract went well and the union will make an announcement today that we have a TA to vote on. We shall see.

Yea, these 300 hour wonder captains are going to be a real hoot. I was petrified with 1300 in the jet and 2 years at the company.

They say you get 2 buckets when you upgrade- 1 is full and labeled "LUCK", the other is empty and labeled "EXPERIENCE". You hope the empty one fills up before the other one goes dry.

Let's see if the 3rd bucket that Mesa hand you (the one you bleed your life into) goes away in a few hours. I am still skeptical, but it sure would be nice to get the pressure off.

I cannot believe that Mesa is already hiring street captains. I'm glad I work and a better regional with an industry leading contract. Yes, while I'm sitting here in the right seat building valuable SIC time, I'll be laughing at all those mesa guys who are now sitting left seat building worthless PIC time. Sure, they will get to a Legacy Airline sooner than most, but I'm sure glad at the end of the day I can say that I worked for a better regional than they did...even though they will now be making more than me at their new airline.:rolleyes:

"My regional is better than yours":D

Heck, seeing as how most legacy carriers don't require PIC right now, it don't really matter do it? Go to a good regional and stop hating life... that's my .02
:cool:

WOW. I can't believe people are still going there.

I'm not usually a big doom and gloom guy, but it would seem that if they are rolling the dice this way, something bad is going to happen. And soon.

2006 Comair accident....something bad like that?

Not sticking up for Mesa, or agree with having super low time Capt, but BAD things can and do happen to any sized airline, regardless of status.

I hope you are not suggesting that 5191 had anything to do with experience. Both were very experienced pilots. It just goes to show that accidents can happen to anyone at anytime and anywhere, no matter what your experience level may be. Between human fators, environmental factors, fatigue, stress, etc... many things can add up to be an unfortunate set of circumstances and sometimes experience can only help so much.

I think that was his point.

If they beat you to the majors they win and you lose... bottom line.

Secondly if they lose more planes I bet we'll see these wonder upgrades stop.

I re-read his/her post and I see the err of my ways. I just read it wrong, darn it . Thanks for the heads up.

now THAT is a short upgrade...

working for mesa will get you to a major faster perhaps but most likely take some precious time off your life with all the stress, as a mesa pilot friend of mine would say. enjoy your time at mesa anyways.

i think but nothing happens.

But at what price? QOL, family, dignity? If you're young, single, have no life, and don't have too much pride or self-respect it might be OK.

Are they actually hiring street Capt's? What are the mins? What equip./ Dom.?

Working at Mesa DOES NOT get you to a major faster, it ables you to meet the mins and apply sooner. That's it, don't confuse the two. Do you guys think the majors are just waiting for someone to hit 1000 PIC so they can call'em in?? I guess they're going "hey Ralph we noticed you have 999 jet PIC, please fax your resume after your next leg".

Total time and total hours on multi-crew aircraft play role, whether you believe or not. Just because one wonder kid gets an interview with 2500tt, doesn't mean everyone will.

Not officially - just a mention in a company email about 3 weeks ago. The premise was: if you're qualified for the seat, bid it so we don't have to hire street guys.

They've awarded it to about 100 since, so I think they hit their #.

When I'm 40 and at a major/legacy, and you tell me how much better off you are than me (even though I will have been there for 5 years longer than you), I will giggle like a little girl.

I think most others would too.

Mesa doesn't upgrade captains.

They upgrade left seat slaves; the job requirements are:

-Manage multiple MELs (far more than other companies)
-Take weekly junior assignments with stride
-Be pressured to fly fatigued
-Prepare for unsafe stand up overnights
-Won't be paid for ground stops (negative block or better)
-Won't be paid for cancellations
-Won't be respected
-Fear of losing job to China
-Wait at the curb for hotel rooms
-Rude crew trackers
-Regular min rest
-Won't see your family much (8 days off a month, 2 at a time)


That's what being a pilot at Mesa means. Good luck everyone. I think you should strike next month and put JO on the curb. Actually, thats what the entire industry thinks.