BS,
I'm not trying to lobby or campaign for those who are there to up and walk out. I'm pretty aware of how hard it is to leave when you have time in, and become established.

I did it, and my situation was different than a lot of others. I lived in base as well, but my base was closing, so unlike your setup, mine had to change either way. It was a choice, it was hard, it put my family in a really hard spot for over a year. What worked for me didn't for a great friend who was in my class, his reasons to stay, even now are difficult to argue.

I'm trying really hard to keep the fresh fish from taking a job there without knowing what a world of crap they are in for. BS, you're QOL has probably taken quite some time to become reasonable there. These new guys don't have the benefit of the kind of movement other companies will have due to PDT's top heavy seniority list.

For someone getting on now, there's little hope for career progression, and as hiring minimums have become pretty much standard across the regional carriers, there's no incentive to go to PDT and deal with the crap just to get "some" job. There are others out there. If you have the time to get hired at PDT, you have the time to get hired at any other regional.

I realize deterring new guys from coming to PDT probably hurts your career progression whether through necessary staffing requirements affecting your schedule or upgrade potential, or hurting the company therefore jeopardizing your job, and I'm sorry, that's not my intention.

I mean no offense, as you said, your situation works for you and seems pretty reasonable, as reasonable as working at any regional can be.
But the perspective and QOL a new hire will face is far different from yours, and will likely not reach yours in any foreseeable time frame. Bottom line, the bottom 20% will continue churning and turning over, not much above that will move, and that's where the new guys will almost perpetually be swimming.

 

There is plenty of info out there addressing life at Piedmont. You can end your personal crusade to save potential applicants from the airline and themselves. If anyone goes in with their eyes closed it's not from a lack of available info.

I also think that spending some time at Piedmont and learning from guys who have been doing this a while can be one of the best things a pilot can do for his career. For that reason alone you ought to corral low time guys there. They will come out of the airline stronger, better pilots with strong decision making skills. Basic training for airline pilots almost.

 

On this note, minus the corralling the noobs there, you'll get no argument from me.

I have never learned more flying than from the guys I flew with at PDT. IMO, one of a few truly good things that came out of my time at PDT was the skills and knowledge I built and learned from some of the best pilots I've met.

On that note, between PDT and SKW, there is no comparison. We have some "seasoned " guys here, but they are fewer and further between than at PDT. As well as you don't get to know people here.. Sure you can learn from someone on a 4 day, but when you know them, know how they fly, respect them personally, it makes a big difference. You do get that at PDT.

Trash, on that point I can truly agree with you, and profess positively about PDT.

I have always said, the company and the job suck, the crews were the best.

 

How do you guys know where you are without a moving map???? :O

 

Guess, or ask ATC.

 

A sextant.

 

Ask the FA, they know everything.

 

Crazy voodoo magic, dating back to the days of steam gauges and paper!

 

What's going on with that latest perm bid that was revised? It went from 4 CA positions to 2. Is it supposed to be the 2nd round or did they reduce the number of upgrades. I can't tell.

 

Looks like 2 CA's moved into ROA, upgrading 2 into ROA and added 1 in CHO and 1 in EWN. Still 4 upgrades.