I'm flying the CRJ. It took me a year of commuting to the east coast (Dulles then Charlotte) before I was awarded Phoenix. I am really enjoying my 8 days off on reserve. Phoenix is becoming more senior by the day for FO's because Airways is cutting some of our flying in Phoenix. If you come to Mesa now you can pretty much count on going to IAD or ORD.

Of those two, is it hard to get ORD over IAH? or is it pretty much luck of the draw? I heard ORD is a very junior CRJ base...

Sorry for the ignorance but what is APC and where do I find it for the list of bases? I currently live in the Fort Lauderdale area and I'm not reall keen on picking up and moving somewhere cold :-) I guess the commute to ORD or IAD wouldn't be horrid for the short term

Nevermind, found it....oops

Yes, the "everything" is on the table for the contract. Block or better, trip/duty rigs, more days off/month, and a raise. The company doesn't want to give us any of it, so this will be a long process. This pilot group will not accept anything less than a contract on par with SKW/XJT/RAH.

I'd say a strike is entirely possible, but with the legal stuff involved it will be a few years, if ever, before we do. I for one am ready to walk if that's what it takes.

But you'd fly for free right, it's all about the flight time? Come on Mesa pilots get me a good contract, I deserve it. :eek:

I sincerely hope you guys get something but with JO in charge I doubt you'll get much. It's going to be interesting to see what creative things he's going to come up with this time.

Never said I was going to fly for free. I said "pay is not a concern". $19 an hour ain't that much different from $22 an hour. Both are below poverty wages considering the hours away from home and the responsibility you take. Thus, pay is still not a concern, but I'm not flying for free, 'cept if I get the job and if we go over block time, like every other pilot that doesn't have "block or better" in their contract.

Then again, a certain other regional had a very difficult time getting their paychecks straight, too, thus several hours there were "flown for free".

$19 to $22 over min guarantee and a year is $2700.... not a lot to some but most of us yeah that pays some bills... good luck in these times asking for A LOT of things that should be in your contract already.

Well the important thing is the pilot group IS fighting for these things.... If they stay strong enough they have to get SOME of the things they are asking for.... and something is better than nothing....

For anyone who has taken the written at Mesa recently, are their Weight and Balance questions from the ATP just curious, since I'm prepping....I had my ATP on lock in June for Comair interview but then we all know how that ended up for everyone....

Best post on this entire thread.

Same team here but am looking for some clarification on your post.

You didn't have to come to the airport until 9:15, and was released at 3 am. 6:15 on "duty" by my count. The other 9:45, you should have been at your crashpad sleeping, watching TV, APC-ing etc.

Don't let your bitterness towards Mesa paint an unrealistic picture of what the rest of us deal with everyday.

If I'm at a crash pad unable to drink then that sounds like duty time to me. Who said I'm bitter? That was just one example of a very realistic day I had at Mesa. I unfortunately have had plenty other days not as good as that one.

Apologize for assuming. Good luck to you guys at Freedom.

ok,......just out of interest how many guys are going to this open house gig in the morning in ord

"upgrade at mesa?...those days are over you will be riding that turd of an airline until it goes belly up and never upgrade...."

I was hired 10 Mar 08 for the DHC8. I am scheduled for upgrade training on 3 Sep 08. Today, upgrades can be quick for those that already have met ATP minimums. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Outstanding! In the midst of all of the blah blah about "my sub par pay is better than your sub-er par pay", "my fatigue-inducing schedule is better than your slightly more fatiguing schedule", etc, it is a relief to hear some real solidarity.

The MAG MEC is working hard on significant contract improvements. They face an uphill fight dealing with a very tightwad company during a very labor-hostile period for our nation.

I think a strike is unlikely because I do not think the current president will allow one to occur under the LRA. If I remember correctly, when another airline strike was looming, the White House stated that if the pilots struck, their FAA certificates would be revoked.

What are the key points on the table for this round of contract negotiations?

1. Block or better.
2. Trip rigs - minimum pay for a days work.
3. Duty rigs - stipulations regarding duty periods and compensation.
4. More days off per bid period for lineholders and reserves.
5. A raise.
6. Increase in training pay.
7. Full deadhead pay (currently 50%).

At an absolute bare minimum, I want to see #'s 1,4, 5 and 7.

I'm confident that the rest of the pilot group will not vote in a contract with any less.

better add #3 unless u like the 3hr sits

Yet el presidente will allow airlines to cease operations. . . I think the current one is a lame duck and the next one will have much larger things to worry about than a bottom-rate regional airline's ****ing contest with its employees. Of course, a CEO can always bankrupt the company, close the doors, and form a new company. "What strike?"

I still don't quite understand but what exactly does the whole "block or better" thing actually mean?

Also how hard is it to get Chicago? I have heard its pretty junior...

It could be hard for block or better... in CLT we all hear you all calling out the gate 15-20min before you push to keep your ontime performance lookin good... but now your out to in is a nice big block compared to anyone else... i dont think the efficiency there will help out much in negotiating for that part... good luck though. do you all do this in every city??

MAG pays based on "historical block"

"Block or better" means this:

Block: the scheduled time to get from point A-B.
Historical Block: the 6-month average to get from A-B
...or better: the actual time it takes to release the brake at A and set it at B, if it takes longer than the Block.

MAG does not have ACARS so yes, most pilots I have met fudge the out/in like crazy. Despite this, there are often times that you get stuck in a ground stop or a holding patten that takes you WAAAAAY beyond the block. You WILL NOT get paid for this time at MAG. I don't think I am being clear: you will FLY FOR FREE at some point during your run at MAG due to some enroute delay that takes you beyond the block. YOU WILL FLY FOR FREE. Are we clear on that point? Is this message getting through to anyone?

Now, I can't count the times I have been in JFK sitting in line (#80 for takeoff or something ridiculous). My round trip pay has run out on several occasions before LEAVING to go to the out station. THEN, to add insult to injury, legs at the end of my trip start to fall off because of 30/7 issues WITHOUT PAY PROTECTION.

Yea, come to MAG. We're hiring, it's a hoot!
:rolleyes:

Got an email from our Negociations committee today. Apparently the company and the union have reached an agreement. According to the email, details will be ironed out this weekend, then it will be presented next week to our entire MEC, then to us.

We'll see what happens.

Good luck guys if that's indeed true!

A quick question on bases
 

A quick question on the chances of getting Charlotte or Grand Junction for a FO? I hear that there is a possibility of CVG for Sept . I would ultimately like to be out west - is that a tough one for bases other than Phoenix?

The Dash bases are DEN, PHX, and GJT. GJT is the most senior for CA's. For Dash FO's, GJT is most senior, DEN and PHX are about even. If you are in a hurry to be out west, the Dash is the way to go. There has been a lot of Dash hiring lately, so that could mean the next few classes will go mainly to the jets.

On the jet side, I believe that CLT is more senior than JFK, ORD, and IAD. PHX is very senior for jet pilots. The Hawaii bases are mid-lower seniority, probably due to the cost of living. If you wind up assigned jets, your choices will probably be suck up the COL in the islands or wait for your seniority to hold PHX.

Hope this helps.

I'll be honest with you, I had considered going to the mesa program before I made my schooling decision. I decided to get my degree at a regular university, then goto a dedicated flight school. I was lucky and had friends in the industry who warned me about the nature of the MGT at MAG. I didn't know what it meant, but I followed their advice, after instructing, I got a job a what I guess most people would say is a respectable regional, and after working here, and talking to other active Mesa pilots, there IS a HUGE difference. MAG is a horrible place to work. I know flying a shiny jet has it's lure, but their contract and QOL is really bad. You won't really know how bad it is until you experience it. If you don't have a family, don't care about being home, like being treated like crap, and can live off of scraps for money, then.....you can choose that route. But if any of those things are important, Mesa is NOT the right place. Mesa as a company, has done everything they can to ruin the regionals. I would never hope for someone to lose their job, but the company Mesa, needs to go. You are better off waiting for a regional and build your time as a flight instructor, besides...you are making more money now like that I am guessing than you will at mesa, and you are home....everynight...mesa guys on reserve....8-9 days off a month.
I am far from a sky god....I worked for all my hours...and paid up the butt. But anyone with less than 500TT really shouldn't be in a jet anyway....

500TT? really

You know this argument has been beaten to death, give it up...

Really.
Just like you shouldn't upgrade until you have seen at least 2 full seasons. We all know how to push the thrust forward and deal with the the normal stuff, but when even the smallest change in the normal happens, those who are 'light' on TT, show their limited experience. You cannot, ever, teach experience.

Maybe not a "sky god" but you speak the truth! Mesa did lead the way to ruin the regionals... noone can argue against that and if they think they will build from being a piece, into a "skywest"... haha goodluck...

Anyone with 500TT and cant look past the jet.. think its all good w/ 8 days off, crap QOL.. etc, fine... we can all say we told you so now. But there's no hope for those at the brainwash academy in AZ. i've lost good friends to that place.

[quote=peterpower;437523]...I had considered going to the mesa program....I got a job a what I guess most people would say is a respectable regional, and after working here, and talking to other active Mesa pilots, there IS a HUGE difference. MAG is a horrible place to work. ...their contract and QOL is really bad. You won't really know how bad it is until you experience it....quote]

You haven't experienced it. I do not see how you can be such an expert on what things are like at Mesa without working there.

Ahhhh......so same 500TT guy that ends up in the Dash-8...thats ok no? Being that the Dash (or 1900) is a heck of a lot harder than any jet to learn how to fly, you still stand by your silly statement?

Along with 500TT guys not being qualified enough for a jet (according to you), maybe GA time folks shouldn't voice ignorant opinions about what it takes to hack it in the regionals.

I know this Mesa interview thread has turned into a Mesa bashing thread but I am curious if anyone went to the group interview and how it went.

EVERY Mesa thread turns into a bashing thread...

Its the least anyone can do for the company that ruined it all.

Nah, BA09 you need a little ****. *Hits Ignore* Ahhhh, much better. :D

All regionals suck.

Last year's PREM-O regional is this year's last place (everyone furloughing is last place in my book, and my book is the only one that matters to me). Last year's loser can be this year's PREM-O. Still any regional is crap and the difference between the bottom and the top isn't much (OMFG, 2 dollars an hour difference from top to bottom, whoohoo, that's under $2K per year, for some, it's a big deal, for others it's not worth getting out of bed).

So, asking those who've been there, how did the group interview go?