So assuming things makes you look dumb. I am not applying to blowjet and have no intention of it. I am also extremely educated as I have several friends with many years of experience. (most at majors) All of them have told me to do what is best for me and I 100% agree. I am sick of people on this board being so damn petty when some of us really want to get information or "get educated" as you so eloquently stated. If you don't like the company then stay outof the thread unless you have some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism to lend.

to add to this I realize it seemed like I was attacking you whiz and I am not. It was a general statement to everyone who bashes a company on a thread like this

Well said Stryker, btw which pool are you in?

noone will make 170K a year if people keep settling for the bottom feeders. Management loves those who settle for less and willing to do this job for less and less. We all know who to thank for our complaints today.

Was in asa's and Tsa's. Now just kinda in limbo

Hey its all good Stryker. I guess some of us just get a little frustrated with some of those who are still instructing when, unless we throw anything short of a parade for them wanting to do ANYTHING to get a job in a shiny jet, they short circuit and get very defensive. Its just classic examples of you telling them what they don't want to hear, them knowing deep down that its all relatively true, but to entertain the thought that making the decision to go to a place like Mesa is anything short of brilliant is too much to handle. They only want to hear the folks that say "sure, go for it" and block out the folks that have been there and say "DON'T" because they've already made up their minds and any amount of reasoning or rational thought will not be entertained.

By its very nature constructive criticism is not always positive. It's human nature to weight information more heavily if it supports your decision and more easily discount information that does not. Something that you should really try to be conscious of and try to guard against. As far as going to Mesa, you're still gonna have 8 days off a month and you're still only going to be making about $1200/mo (what kind of crummy instructing gig is that!?). But hey, at least its a jet, right? I'll leave you with this thought: almost without exception, everyone from Mesa I've ever talked to or heard talk about Mesa regrets going there or wishes they were somewhere else. Take that for whatever you think its worth.

Oh, and from my experience, most guys at the majors are pretty out of touch with what is going on at the regionals. And since you gotta do the regional thing first, I would think that you'd be more interested in what guys that are there now have to say.

I have been at MESA for 12 years and I have been lucky also.I realize everyone has not, but some of that is of your own making. What you fail to understand is that those "top tier" regionals have not always been top tier. They became top tier after several contracts that were won by the the previous (and current)pilots efforts to make them such. We at MESA are on our 2nd contract and are in negotiations for our 3rd. This 3rd contract is where we need to clean things up. I find (through talking to other regional pilots) that they don't know the history of their carrier and think that the management gave these things willingly,I can assure you they did not. ASA spent almost 5 years getting their current contract and it is better than ours, but not much better than they could have had 5 years ago. It is easy to walk into a good contract and then put others down.It is much more difficult to stay and make one better. We would appreciate others support (as we have supported theirs) and understanding that their contracts have developed to the point they are because of hard work,support of others and time. Remember, no airline pilots 1st or 2nd contracts have ever been GREAT. It takes time.

Come on FBH, everyone has had at least one chubby chaser incident. If not, you don't drink enough! :D[/QUOTE]

Well,..........:o
fbh

Thats great. I just wasn't willing to continue waiting for years and years at Mesa under the old crapbag contract while JO and his crooked braintrust do everything in their power to drag the implementation of a new and better contract into place. I also saw an attrition rate of close to 100 pilots a month as a bad sign, large lawsuits yet to be determined as a bad sign and general apathy and malaise from many of the remaining pilot group not very appealing. SO, based on those factors (and others) I felt it would not be in my best interest to stay. If you stay and can make a difference, kudos. You've moved a mountain.

VERY WELL SAID UNDGUY! finally someone with some sense....

Why, because he supports your theory? Overwhelming majoirty say and feel otherwise. Amazing.

So you have a good contract now, but what if that changes in two years - bankruptcy, concessions, etc. - do you recomend that people just run away or should they stay and fight at your airline?

Listen, where I'm at we have a decent contract. Could it be better? Yes. But if we end up voting in a contract that is less than what we have now, why on earth would I stick around to try and get a better one when history would have shown me that the pilot group as a whole, despite valient efforts on the part of others, will in the end shoot themselves in the foot? Thats foolish. If I saw the momentum of the group at MAG moving forward and making progress I may have stayed. I didn't so I left. Apathy is just toxic to me and I saw more than I cared for over there.

So, using your logic....Comair had contract #2 when MESA was working on contract #1...Comair had a crap contract and PFT so we should blame Comair for our crap 1st contract?.....is that your logic?

Easy there, I wouldn't try using logic on AirWillie...he's not too familiar with that concept.:D

Has anyone been to a "cattle call" interview session before? I'm attending the upcoming Denver call for Mesa and was wondering how different, if any, is the interview process compared to when they fly you into their HUB and have an official sit down interview? I'm talking in general, info on Mesa's would be best, but any experience at these would be helpful....I'm not talking about a gouge by the way.

I have been to a SkyWest group interview. They start off giving you company information and then show a video with photos of their departments. Then they break you off into groups and assign you a pilot to interview you. They only interviewed if you met the minimums so don't fly out somewhere if you don't. Then that pilot talks to you as a group and gets you to interact with eachother. Then they sit down individually and ask questions like, why SkyWest, what is your experience, when can you start. After all that, if they liked you, you were invited to a formal interview in SLC.

However, it is my understanding that Mesa will not invite you to their hub but do it all there. Read the gouges because everyone I know that interviewed at Mesa said it was identical to the gouges. Prepare yourself for the ATP written because that will eliminate a lof of pilots. My friend said about 3-4 out of 20 went home after the test.

I also think it is worth it to fill out the application online before you go. If you can print it and bring it with you.

Good luck and be prepared for a lot of bashing for you for even applying. I don't think anyone can judge anyone else for wanting a job right now in the current state of this economy. However, do your homework on this company. There are a few pilots on here that are at Mesa and will tell you the good and bad. Of course the good is fast upgrades and the bad is the pay and less time off.

I'm interviewing at Mesa in Sept! See everyone there!

Wow...never seen so many so excited for a shot with the ugly fat girl!

Anyone know if they still charge the $50 fee to interview? Do they charge it at the group interviews? JO himself probably mans a table at the front door and laughs at you as he takes your money...

Amazing how when all thats left is the fat girl some will sell out just to get a piece

They no longer charge the 50 dollars. Good luck to all that are interviewing.

Trust me......im not excited......just sarcasm....been there done that feeling......you greenhorns have no idea

What could you possibly be talking about? I bet he's got at least a year of instructing so clearly he's got it all figured out. Us hacks that been in the game for a few years don't have a clue.

Just to clear things up
 

I just want to say that I in no way endorse Mesa. I absolutely understand that lots of places have it much better than I do. I applied at Skywest and blew the interview in SLC. I really wanted a base in Tucson or Phoenix and that was my main reason for my choice of airlines to interview with. Now I realize that there are more important things than where you are based. I have thought of leaving Mesa to go to Republic or Skywest many times since I started with them. Mesa can be very frustrating and they do many things with no regard for the pilot's QOL or even the contract for that matter. Anyway, I will once again try to bring this thread back to the original posters point. If Mesa is the only gig in town I would say great. Just know that you will put up with lots of crap from scheduling and you will fly alot and be away from home alot. 8 days off for reserves never changes and 10 days off for a line will be standard for at least a year. You will get a hotel while in training, split a house with two or three other guys in a four bedroom home at good ole' Gateway Airport while in ground school and then you get your own hotel room once in sim. You will get a hotel room and you will not have to share it with anyone once online even if your on a stand-up overnight. Pay is your guarantee from day one of training. Good luck to all who apply, and if you get on with Mesa and end up getting furloughed you can always go right back to that instructing job. I will answer any questions anyone has truthfully if you have them. Just to give you an idea of a week in the life of Mesa I pulled a post I made on here in February of this year.

This bid I will have 10 days off with a whopping 77 hours of pay credit. You should know your schedule 28 days in advance based on what you bid. In reality my schedule will probably get changed at least 10-20 times in a month, my planned days off will change at least two or three times and I never have any idea what is going to happen or when I will get home. When these guys on APC tell you that your choice of airline is a huge decision they are not lying. When I chose my airline I read all the messages on here saying don't go to XYZ airline cause it's horrible and management treats you like crap and I had the attitude of it can't be that bad. I thought they were just exagerating but they aren't. Heres an example of my schedule the last three days. 8 a.m. day one: fly a leg to airport A, get there at 9:15 a.m., done for the day, overnight there till 7 a.m. the next day when I fly to airport B, sit at airport B for 5 HOURS, fly a leg to airport C, done for the day. Away from base for 36 hours for 4.5 hours of pay. Day three is supposed to be my day off. Crew scheduling calls and informs me that I am being junior manned and will not get my day off as scheduled. 15 hours of duty on my day off and now I can't commute home. Because my original bid had 11 days off and our minimum is 10, they don't even have to give me another day off. Choose very very wisely when deciding on an airline, it can and will affect your life greatly.

Wow, 15 pages for two questions, I'm impressed.

So any word on the aircraft for the fastest upgrade path?

Thanks for the good answers so far. Being the fat girl does have it's benefits.

For the young computer not-so-literate crowd: Intel 80386 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It is not my birthday, measurements, or phone number (nice try!). :cool:

Just curious what you are flying and if you ever got the PHX base or not.

I know. Its like telling a 17 year old not to blaze down the highway at 100mph in the new Mustang they got their hands on because its very unsafe and they could kill themselves. You can tell them this until you're blue in the face but their feeling is you're an old fart, they know better and won't give a hoot until the 'stang is a crumbled heap on the side of the road while they, if lucky, walk away with some cuts and scratches.

Don't go to Mesa.

upgrade at mesa?, why so you can "get your time and get out" those days are over you will be riding that turd of an airline until it goes belly up and never upgrade, then be on the street. be smart kids

I must say, the post of "a day in the life of" kinda opened my eyes to the company and QOL. I think making factual post like that would cut all the back and forth out about the company if we had real experience or current pilots throughin in their two cents about what their bid periods are, upgrade time...etc Thanks for the post guys.

Do you REALLY need your face rubbed in dog doo before you smell it and make the decision to turn the other way?????

I really hated CFIing foreign students in FL 125hrs a month not including ground instruction....so yes and I might even need smacked on the nose to make me turn the other way and go back to teaching....

So you've heard from those that were there that its a terrible job, you even admit the post about the "day in the life" made you stop and think yet you'll still go to a complete crapbag company. SJS at its finest folks. Pretty soon you greenhorns will be the guys at JO's 51st birthday party slapping him on the bum up on stage just to get a shot at one of those sharp looking jets!!

Dude you need to get off your high horse I beleive you used to work at Mesa right........ The last thing I want to do is rah rah the co. (especially during so called negotiations) but seriously take a look in the mirror. Your experience gained as an FO at Mesa has a large part to do with employment at your current job.

BTW for all individuals interested I was forewarned I did not heed the counsel I wish I had, but I have made the most of it. Best of luck to all times are tough.

Yes I did and if I had heard from some of those who were there you bet your a** I would have taken a HARD look at the decision to go there. My fault for not doing the research. But these guys are getting the truth SPOON FED to them and they still decide to ignore it. I could have spent a few more years instructing and gotten the same job just like 90% of the guys in my ground school did. So right now it may take some more instructing, BIG DEAL. So save your attacks for when you need them with all the nonsense you'll continue to put up with at MAG. Its about trying to educate some naive kids about the life they are in for over there, not about being on a "high horse". But like I said, usually the naive know it all and whats best so this is a waste of time.......do whatever you want. Just don't expect us that have been there to dab your tears in the end.

Mesa? Read UND's post one more time there, junior...I'm lousy seniority in base here and I'm still enjoying 80 hours and 17 days off in August. The best part is my time at home is mine. I could pick up over 100 hours credit like usual and still hold 14 days off, but at least I have the choice not to.

Dab my tears please.........already turned down some offers as the pay was not acceptable, but it looks like you've got all the answers best of luck to you greenhorn.:D

Wow, got me with the greenhorn comment. Yup, your a master. Well done sensei. I'm sure your maturity is commesurate with your total time :D

That's classic you are speaking to me about maturity. :eek: Keep up the laughs chief. But you are correct sir I still consider myself a greenhorn it's all relative ya know.