TSA guys...
 

Will you guys share your schedules if for RIC and STL.

Thanks in advance

STL Guys from what I see and bid get anyting from 14 to 16 days off a month on average. You can somtimes trade around and get more or less days off. Lots of 4 and 3 day trips.
I just took a look at some of the junior lines, and it seems like there are alot of 4 day trips with a day trip on the front or back side.

As with most places I think, the lines get worse as you go down the list.

RIC not sure about, but I think thier lines are close, but with a few less days off a month. At one point I thought Sr lines in RIC were 14 or 15 days off.

Most lines seem to be built between 83 and 95 hours. Mixed of all three codeshares.

I am sure there will be more to post that spend more time with the bid packet.

Sorry I could not provide you with a real look at our bid packets.

Reeves

thanks for the reply. I got a job offer today so just want to know what to expect. When do the lines usually start. I am thinking of commuting from LAX/SNA. Also what are the travel benefits like?

comuting for TSA isn't going to be any cup of tea, especially when you're junior, and especially when you're on reserve. You'll be hanging out in STL for 5 days in a row (if you're not called) and then find yourself going home for two days at a time. Best of luck on the commute, but if you could avoid it, i'd highly recommend it....might wanna look towards the west coast.

But if we have a summer like we did last year reserve wont last long if at all.

I was talking to some JAN new hires that are online now, and the SR ones in that class did not sit any reserve at all. At least in STL.

To be honest I have no clue anymore what the staffing is like. But I have heard there are about 20 FO's waiting on checkairman for IOE.

Holding a line at min days off and commuting sucks. I'm only doing it from STL-IND and I have a commuter clause to use. If I have only two days off I just stay in Indy. I'd never imagine doing it without one. Move to STL or wait for a western base at another regional. Your sanity will thank you.

On reserve at TSA or a line towards the bottom will guarantee you min days off. You may be able to trade some stuff around to get a better schedule but even that is a crapshoot. With that distance, and only a couple direct options (I think AA is the only with a couple nonstops) and that distance you're spending the majority of your days off trying to get home, and then back to work.

I think this month I am going to get a Build up line as opposed to reserve or a regular line.

I really want the line with 11 days off and a whole bunch of 4-day trips and a lot of TAFB but it doesnt look like im going to get that.

All I can say is that I didnt mind reserve here so far. The only thing I didnt/dont like is the airport reserve thing... If I'm going to be wearing the uniform I wanna go somewhere. Oh well, you win some and you lose some all the time.

I dont know what I'm talking about now....

Salukipilot, what class were you in? Janurary?

Yuppers! ;)

Saluki, what did you think of ground school? I am about to start in 2 weeks so any tips or early information would be great... thanks

Personally I liked it and didnt think it was too bad. Ground school is about 5 weeks of new information so dont forget to bring tons of notebooks and pens, highlighters too! Class goes from 8 to 5 with 10 minute breaks every hour so you barely feel like youre in a classroom. The subject matter is explained well and the instructors are always there to help you with your questions. As long as you show up to class every day and pay attention there is no way you can fail the written tests and a low chance you will fail the oral.

I dont know how big the May class is but make a study group ASAP and dont forget about the mentors when youre almost done with systems. They will teach you in a style 180 degrees from your instructor if your're lost.

The only thing about training here is the sim but if you need any advice about that just PM me when SIM time comes along.

Hope that helps!

Thanks I appreciate the insight... I have been working on all the memory items the last few days...

The 2nd DVD they give you that has the flows on it (but not really), do they really expect you to figure out the exact flows for day 1? or will they give you a list when you get there? I watched it, but would rather have something on paper to study...

Knowing the memory items and limitations is going to help out a lot. You dont want to be cramming those in the night before your systems test or oral. When you get here they will quiz you on those day by day so when it comes time you WILL be ready. Its a good program.

In the SOP there is a section with the flows printed out. I wouldnt worry too much about those yet though. I used the DVD to see what SF was doing to the SOP flows to make them easier to remember, more practical. The paper trainers in the training center are perfect for flow training with your sim partner or just someone else who is in training with you.

Overall "day 1" they expect you to know what to expect...not really to have everything down cold. Just keep plugging at it and it will become second nature in no time!

Yeah, the 2nd DVD is helpful.... It helped me fall asleep every time I watched it... lol hey Saluki what are your initials I was in the Jan class too.

LOL nm I think I figured it out with your fender flier site.

By the way, sorry for hijacking the thread a little bit....:rolleyes:

Well it is nice to hear some of you are making it through training.
I heard that FEB pass rate was pretty bad, and in fact I think it was the worst pass rate I had heard of since I have been here.

Welcome to the line

does TSA have their own sims? what about housing while in training? did any of you guys go home? what are the travel benefits like...what about family (parents...)? how big are classes usually. i am guessing i will be in the july class...anyways any additional infor will help

think the previous worst pass rate was december 2006, 50% washout, most all of them were sim. Feb, was the worst Oral fail rate i had heard about, hopefully, everyone will be putting in the extra effort, and get these guys to the line. Best of luck to all.

I was in the DEC o6, and it was pretty rough for some.

Of that 50 percent, I think that was about half and half sim and oral if I remember right.

Nice to know new-hire's are still failing out left and right :rolleyes: You'd think they would have gotten their act together by now...I feel for all y'all.

I passed the FEB4th class and knowing what I know now I would have NEVER went through it, this is coming from some one who already had completed another ground school at another regional. It was miserable. In the end, because there are still 4 or 5 guys finishing sim, it will be more than a 50% washout rate. Still it was surprising because pretty much everybody was a CFI with good flight time and unlike the other airline ground school where we turned the whole hotel floor into a dorm, it didn't seem like a party kind of class I guess it's because we were spread out at different hotels. Anyways The fail rate I think could only be explained because of the SIM but also because the class was too big and the instructor(s) weren't prepared. It kind of felt like those 500+ seat college style classes where guys were there just to listen and as soon as they stepped out of class all knowledge was out of their head. Airline ground schools especially need to be intimate and preferably one on one like some of the majors do. In the end though it was passable so I don't blame TSA, just the odds were not in your favor....

threegreen, and others going into training, the only tips I can give you is to know the memory items and limitations COLD. The DVDs? Sorry SF, You can through those away, useless, well actually they're good if you want to fall asleep fast. The first two weeks are laid back, it's just Indoc, no brainier stuff. Focus on systems, I think they give you the big black binder of systems first day of ground school. READ it WELL before systems class if you read the binder Chapter to Chapter at least once or twice it's a guaranteed pass on the oral. It's not a hard read too because not much text and a lot of pictures. You can read the whole thing in about 6 hours but understand it. As far as the SIM, sorry to say, is really hit or miss and it depends on who you get as a Flight Saftey instructor, who you get on training if you have to do extra sessions and how fast you're able to adapt to style of flying. There were guys that failed that I would have never believed would so in the end I conluded that TSA training is hit or miss. SIM is tough and most went over the regular sessions. TSA knows their failure rate and they provide mentors and a lot of ways to help you take advantage of that. Good luck.

We all know ground school at Transstates is fast pace so you have to be ready and get all the help you can find. NEW HIRES go to the Hilton down the road and get help from the Captain upgrades or recurrent guys. When I was in ground school the Hilton was my home. Captain upgrades study from 6PM till late at night. I would recommend you try all the can to get help.

Am in STL for a month and I posted my name and number asking if any one wanted to study(Memory Items, flows and profiles) and I never got a call. If any one needs help I have a lot of information and I am willing to work with new hires to get them thru. Remember, you can study for hours and get nothing out of it. It has to be effective studying try not to learn the wrong stuff a.k.a gouges or you might get burnt. I have come across many bad gouges in my time.

Goodluck to all at the Hulas University.

I do the same thing. When I have to overnight at the Pear Tree I always try to talk to the new hires and see how they are doing. I always try to get the word out when I am staying in town.

I have been encouraged to see the new hires that I have talked on line and they are making it through. I do not have that much ego to say that I am the reason through training. But I hope my advice at least helped.

I know I wish I would have had more guidence when I went through. I lived in a crashpad with a bunch TSA guys when I was in groundschool. I know that I am not a smart guy by any means, and I know I could not have done with out them.

My turn to return the favor to the Pilot group.

Reeves

reevesofskyking, I agree 100%. I had to get all the help I needed because am just a dumb pilot. I hope I can return the favor because I know if was a new world for me when I started.

Hey all, I'm going to be in the May 5 class. Can't wait to get started!! I know I will need all the help I can get, so if anyone wants to start a study group let me know. I think I might stay at the pear tree.

Anyone else going to be in the May 5 class? I've been studying the limitations they give you during the interview, but I think I've found an error. The speeds for Vmo it lists: to 0 - 8,000 250kts, from 10,000 - 26,000 320kts. There is nothing from 8,000 - 10,000. Anyone know??

Thanks for the help.

well i just looked at my DMV record and found out something, i had an "ooops" in High School that i had to go to traffic school (nothing serious was just going little fast and hit a curb in a turn)...anyways long story short i thought it was off my record but it was not. I told the airline i had nothing on my record, so i am trying to get hold of Cathy but she is not picking up. What do you guys think? I am screwed or what?

Thats not an error.

I was told in brazil that 250 speed limit goes away at 8000, so that is how they wrote the software for the red line. Once you pass 8000 you see the red line retreating on the tape and it slowly works it way up to 320

Just remember 250 is the limit below ten in the US

GearGoesDown -

I am in the May 5th class as well and would be MORE than willing to start one. I know one other person in the class and im sure they would be game as well... We are gonna be seeing alot of one another so we all might as well get friendly in the beginning... :D I would PM you but you need more posts before you can send or receive....

can any of you guys PM me Cathy's (or is it Kathy?)email please?

thanks got it

I think I might stay at the pear tree. What about you? I stayed there for the interview and it looked to be okay.

honestly I havent even looked at any hotels yet.... but if thats where everyone else is, sounds like its the place to be.... how far is it from the training center?

I have know idea if that is where everyone else stays. I just stayed there for the night when I had my interview and there were a few others in training there. I think it was about a 10 or so min van ride.

I have not yet received the e-mail from Kathy about the hotels available and all the other details so I’ll take another look at it then.

Pear tree has a good rate. and they will give you a monthly rate, I think it works out to be about 30 a day on the monthly rate.

I know the hilton also gives prety good rates, but I do not know what they are right now.

i dont know what current pear tree rates are, but when i stayed there dec 06 to jan 07 it came out to 20 bucks a day if u stayed for more than 30 days

Unless you can find a crashpad, the Pear Tree is where it's at. (And take my advice, stay the hell away from the crashpads down the road in the ghetto). The one I stayed in during training was broken into twice while I was in ground school...

Add my name to the list if you ever come across any questions during your training, go ahead and pm me. Remember there are a lot of great guys and gals at Trans States that will go out of there way to help out the best they can. Great mentors out in STL. I myself am RIC based so if there is anything I can do please feel free and ask away. That being said, please give me a couple of days to reply just because I don't fly trips with my cpu handy.

I would also be willing to help anybody who has any questions... (Not in STL much, as I'm RIC based as well). Lots of guys helped me out when I was new, and I'd be happy to return the favor... TSA takes a lot of flak on here, but the pilot group is second-to-none.

Namreg,

do you have an email since you cant do PMs yet. I got a qs for you