Well guys and Galls if ya'll look at Colgans senority list you will see that over 90% of F/Os on the Q were hired in 08 which means they were hired for that aircraft and not transitioned from the saab. Most of the other F/Os were displaced from the removal of the mighty Beech from airframe inventory and sever down sizing on the US Airways Saab ops. Colgan had policy in effect that said no transitions to to or from the same paygrade. Hence the no F/O to F/O. I dont know if this is still in effect or not.

Now to go back to the original question since no one has answered it. Most Captains enjoyed the transition. This is not the first time being trained in a new aircraft so you are more at easy. If you are coming from the Saab its simpler. They seemed to try and rebuild the Saab with pointless numbers and system knowledge that goes way beyond most maintenance personel. The Q was very cut and dry. Yes it also looks better on a resume to show aircrafts at 65k weights as apossed to 29k or 17k depending on what you have flown.

Having spent many years in the Saab Id have to say that it was a much stronger aircraft than the Q but they both have their strenghts. An FMS is nice but they don't call it a gotcha airplane for nothing!

 

I would not come to the Q since the senior FOs will be passed if and when upgrades come due to their new 12 month FO seatlock in the Q. It will hurt me short term as far as bidding with a few guys over me but help me in the long run when there are a few less guys able to bid SF340 CA due to their seatlocks.

 

The bad thing about being a Q FO is the majority is pretty junior to most Saab FO's. So when the Q deliveries start coming in over the next few years many of the new Q CA's will be Saab CA transitions to the Q, senior Saab FO's will replace those CA's on the Saabs and so on.

Because of this I would not be surprised to see Q FO's take upgrade in the Saab first and transition over when there seniority can hold it.

 

Smart move, sounds like you got your head on straight.
I used to give the same advice to FOs I used to fly with when I worked there.
Getting that PIC time is key, if both planes pay the same as a FO why bother?
Best of luck.

 

Exactly, I will be bidding whichever I can hold left seat first in. Of course common sense says that it will be the saab which is not a problem at all. I will keep my seat warm until a seat somewhere in the system opens up for me which at this point will probably be a year to a year and a half or so. 3 year FO pay here I come.

 

The one thing with Colgan is you never know. If those Q's come online and the movement continues over to that side of the operation you will probably be back in St. Louis before you know it.

Can't beat that mexican place down the block from the Holiday Inn.

 

I have never run into a potential or actual employer that has ever cared how much your airplane weighed because it really does not matter. But if that is how you want to justify it go right ahead.

 

Just because you haven't doesn't mean anything. Fill out an application with a foreign career, like Cathay, and you'll see.

 

Add Jetblue to your list.

 

Definatly Jet Blue Mr. Foreman.