This company has always intrigued me, If they can get some aircraft upgrades it could be a great place as long as Airways accepts the flow thru. But this Trans States thing seems a little far fetched.

How many likes of blow do you have to do to be delirious enough to say PDT would be a great place if they got an aircraft upgrade? :confused:

I don't care if it's a plastic shell, or a hand carved marble outhouse. A hole in the ground no matter how you surround it is still a hole full of rank smelling $3!^.

We don't have a flow through. It's more of a preferential interview. The company has been telling people that to try and get people to come here.

The process really works like this:
Each month that Airways runs a new hire class, Either 25% of the classes or 3 pilots (Whichever is LESS) must be offered a class date. (That's total for the month, not per class)

Before you can do this, you have to sign a waiver saying that airways has full access to your personnel file and training records. You must then put in an application to USAirways.

If they go through your application, and then go through your records, and there's nothing that they don't like, you will eventually get a call where you will still have to interview for the job just like someone off the street.

2 big caveats with this program is that:
a) The language in the contract mentions specifically that it is an agreement with USAirways only and that it needs to be renegotiated in the event of a merger. (The language is unclear, some would say that it is null and void with the merger, and some will say that it would be status quo and would only need renegotiated if we wanted to change something. Only time will tell on that one.
and
b) The language says that at the "sole discretion" of Usairways, if there are no qualified candidates, then they don't have to take anyone from PDT at all.

As far as I know, no one has gone over there yet through this program, so we see if it is effective or not at getting PDT people hired there.

You obviously do not know much about PDT!

1. A flow does not exist, never has and never will. Just a ploy to get new hires in the door and/or slow attrition. As many have pointed out, read the contract and you will see that this is not anything close to a flow.
2. Management here has the mentality that there crews are disposable and they have no desire to treat you like a human.

Stay the F away from PDT!

I left PDT for RAH and Its much better. Rah has a garbage contract, but its a better job. Pdt and rah do share yur 2nd point though. Upper management at both are ****bags. Ive never regretted leaving pdt-Its a dead end...

Also left PDT to come to RAH. Have not regretted it yet.

So what happened down at Piedmont's school house that Sir JK suited up and communicated an apology to the New hire/ upgrade class?
This does not sound like the PDT that I left with its caring environment of " Ask PIedmont" forums and "most on time departures awards". ;)

If he apologized, I hope he plans on apologizing to many that have had to deal with him thru the years.

Very well done. Probably the best explanation I have seen yet. I now would like to ask Meccathor what you think about the future of the planes timing out OR a merger to obtain some RJ's? You seem to have a pretty educated opinion.

I was surprised to see Bozo say RAH is truly greener grass. That says a lot to me. Either way I look up to all you RJ guys!!!!!:D

Its slightly less yellow grass:) I know of 6 guys who have come over- 2 of them couldve upgraded at pdt and chose rah- bases and equip was the reason. The jet is just an easier job-Less legs and great a/c. Being based at a hub lends itself to a bettr sked. But everyone is different as there are plenty of angry guys at Rah. Choose wisely for yur situation.

I can't believe JK is still at that place. He is known throughout the industry as being spineless. Every airline knows about JK . I kind of feel bad for him though because this is the only job he can hold. Word spreads and I'm sure he knows this. Very sad.

PDT News and Rumors
 

My guess is the instructors were all sent to fly the line because we are short staffed causing a delay in training.....

Just a wild guess though, would like to know what's going on down there in the Training Department.

Nope, classes are still in session.

PDT News and Rumors
 

So what happened?

:eek: Not true. Prior to PDT's merger with ALG, there was a flow UP to Mid Altlantic, the E170 operation at US Airways, until it was sold to RAH and they were furloughed. About 100 pilots from PDT and ALG participated (flowed up). All became part of the APL and most were subsequently recalled.

Just sayin' ;)

LH

Thats still not a flow to AWE.

Soooomeone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they were all offered numbers at LCC after RAH bought Mid Atlantic

They were even given J4J positions at PSA.

Of course there was no flow to AWE. AWE was never a signatory to the flow up agreement. It was a totally separate contract...still is.

Yes, hence the original point.

LCC management moved the E170 flying onto the LCC Operating certificate in early 2004. Per the Mainline contract, any flying on that certificate must be accomplished by pilots on the US Airways Master Seniority List. Any pilot that flowed up to the E170 from PDT or ALG (which took place in 2004) received a US Airways seniority number on their DOH.

Correct and accurate information.

Your original point was:

It did exist with US Airways.

No the original argument was about the company misguiding potential recruits with a flow that does not exist. The point was made, I don't think any potential new hires care about a pathway that existed nearly 10 years ago that was still not a true flow because it passed through another carrier.

Btw.. how many actually made it through with that?

About 90-100 pilots...not sure of the exact number.

Here in SBY the most junior F/O is a build up line holder for July. Only 4 CA on straight reserve. Open time is premium for the whole month. Things are about to get interesting...

Stay safe out there

Apparently he pulled his normal crap to the last new hire class and they did not like it. A bunch of them sent letters to the company detailing his actions and it got him in a little hot water.

Since he has SF in his back pocket the guy thinks he can get away with anything.

Ya things are definitely getting interesting. Here's the catch 22: They need to upgrade FOs to fill the spots for all the Captain attrition. However, because they are so short on FOs, they can't afford to upgrade anyone to Capt. until they get new FOs. They can't get new FOs because the schedules are so bad (from the low staffing) and no one is upgrading to Capt. here (among other things). No one is upgrading to Capt. because they can't get FOs....and so on

Here comes the street captains!

Exactly what's happening at Eagle, and hopefully becomes a trend at ALL airlines. Supply and demand. Sucks for the guys waiting up upgrade, but good for the pilots as a whole.

So glad I left... Good luck to all PDT guys-Really hope it works out for you.

Look at the current new hire class. Youngest pilot in there is 33. They all have 3000+ hours and upon LOE will be ATP, DHC-8 PIC typed with an SOE restriction.

Piedmont July Class
 

currently in the Piedmont July class but just got an offer from Republic. I have another interview with expressjet coming up. Piedmont was/is my back if I didn't get any other offers

I've heard twice now that training was told to get prepared to certify us for Cat 2 approaches. Anyone else hear this? Why would we decide to do this now?

The owners of PDT, mainline, set a date in stone for sometime in 2014 (don't remember the exact date but Feb rings a bell) that we need to be equipped and cat II certified. It's not being trained yet but could be very soon.

RNAV would be a nice upgrade too (ERI) but cat II seems to be the higher priority. The ERI situation is only temporary until the ILS is back in ops.

How much does it cost to certify an airframe for Cat 2? I'm not sure I trust some of our planes to perform Cat 2 approaches.

We were cat II before, we got rid of it because it made our training more expensive

It has pilot in command limitations not SOE limitations

I think the CAT II is a Star Alliance Requirement

PDT News and Rumors
 

How many of those 3000 hr, age 33 plus guys are going to stick around? I'm guessing few. I'm in that bracket you mention. If there was such a thing as a one leg commute and a schedule to take advantage of it I'd go back to Piedmont yesterday. (well, truthfully I'd need the left seat back too......:-))