Upcoming Colgan Interview
 

I received a call today from Cathy and Chuck, Jr. They are having an interview session this friday at La Guardia. I got a brief phone interview consisting of tell me about yourself, any questions about colgan, and describe fuel system on the King Air (or your current ME aircraft). They offered me a chance to interview in person, but I think I am gonna decline their offer. (I said that would have to get back to them)

It is just too hard for me to leave my current cushy job. I dont want to take the big pay cut and lose all my toys (car and motorcycle). I think I'll hold out for Republic, XJT, ASA, SkyWest, et cetera... I'm not in a hurry; simply enjoying my awesome QOL :D.

But I digress, the main point of this thread was to simply alert pilots of an upcoming Colgan Air interview session. Think about the questions I listed above and have something somewhat ready to say. I was rather unprepared, actually suprised is more like it. My answers during the phone screening weren't stellar, so do not feel that you have to be "super pilot" during this phase of the interview process.

Good luck!

Chuck and Cathy are very nice people. When I interviewed I had alot fun, Flight safety was pretty cool, though LGA is the craziest place I have ever been to. Good luck to all

You should go ahead and interview, even though you might have no intention taking the job. Real interview experience is invaluable. It can only help you feel more comfortable, have an idea of what to expect, and give you confidence when the time comes to interview for that job you DO want.

So again, my advice would be to interview for the sh!ts and giggles and to gain some interview experience.

TIFWIW

Good advice, I may do that if I can get a hard day off from my current employer.

go there and tell them to stop posting ads looking for pilots with x amount of time when they really want people with 2x.


just kidding i already did that and they stopped

Current mins are 600-100 per airlineapps.com.

I have 770-180 with 100 hrs in a King Air.

When I went to interview, I had a lot of fun. I didn't get hired, but it was still a good experience. I don't know what your career goals are or how long you've been flying that King Air, but if you want to move on to something else, you'll have to put in a lot more than 100 hours. It is something I've realized on more than one occasion. Good luck in your decision. I believe Colgan would be a great opportunity.

Am I understanding this correctly? Even though Colgan is asking for 1000 TT and 100 ME, they will hire me on with 600 & 100?

What is everyone's take on this company's stability? I mean, I know my guess is just as good as yours, but some other points of views are nice. I am wondering with the gas prices rising like they are, how likely is it to get hired one day and furloughed a few days later?

When I interviewed, Chuck Colgan Jr. said, "There's no such thing as a furloughed Colgan pilot." I think they have a solid market. They fly EAS routes, which guarantees them success on those routes. Outside of those routes, the rest of their structure is as vulnerable as anyone elses. One leg up they have on everyone else is that they fly the more economical turboprops where many others went to jets. I think they have a niche, and if you can get hired there, you'll have job security more than many other airline pilots. Can you get hired with 600TT and 100ME? Sure. There were guys there who had those times. One thing though, hiring is at a trickle, which means they can be pickier. They don't have to hire everyone with a Commercial ME and a pulse. Go ahead and apply. If you get the interview, you have the same shot to get hired as anyone else. Good luck.

When I interviewed, Mr Colgan said they only furloughed once briefly after 9/11. They called people back fairly quickly. Thats once in the entire companies history.

Thanks alot WILLFLYFORFOOD. Just when I think there is no hope, I run across good news like this. Fly Safe

Good luck. Don't spend your career at the regional level. When I had 600 hours (which wasn't too long ago), I didn't feel like there was much hope either, but the time comes quickly. There's always a job to have somewhere, as long as you aren't too picky.

Cool Being ERJ135. Like I said earlier, I like other views also, so I see there is hope for me. I am big on statistics also, if they have furloughed only once in the company's history, that sounds like a company that is doing something right. I am not a commercial aviation historian, but outside of FedEx and maybe Southwest, I don't know of to many more airlines that can say that about furloughed pilots, especially after 9/11.

Keep the dirty side down, unless you are fly aerobatics:-)

they wont hire you with 600/100.
they want 600/200 or 1000/100

i went down to there group interviews at miami beach aeroservice center, i had 625/115, the pimple faced 27 year old chief pilot took one look at my resume and told me they wanted more time, didnt even start asking me questions or interviewing me so I didnt blow it by saying something wrong. I asked him why they keep advertising on climbto350 for 600/100. He replied that n my case they want 600/200 or about 1000/100.
I then sent my resume thru climbto350 after they posted it again and got an email back from Chucky saying to keep flying.

They kinda ****ed me off but oh well I got hired elsewhere anyways. Luckily I flew down to miami for free. So I sent them an anonymous email telling them to post what there actually looking for instead of getting kids hopes up and sure enough they changed their climbto350 post. Who has 200 multi at 600 anyways? You either A. lucky enough to work at a fancy multi training FBO, B. you know someone with a multi or C. a gulfstream scab

Who has 200 multi at 600 anyways?


An ATP grad who now CFIs for them most likely will have those numbers.

-LA

I almost do... 770/185

Ok hate2u we don't have a pimple faced cheif pilot... we only have one cp and he comes with a world of experience behind him. Even when we were hiring like mad we were very selective on the people we hired. Colgan is a stepping stone to something bigger with one of the greatest pilot groups in the industry.

We did furlough after 911 for 2 weeks. The mins have a lot to do with your attitude. Many of the people doing the interviews are line capt's and fo's so naturally they want people they can work with online. The current capt upgrade is getting longer (14 to 24 months) in the Saab but maybe faster in the Beech.

It's a great place to work if you have a good attitude... hope this helps

And by the way at 600hrs I had about 450 ME and 350 ME Turbine with no pay for training and no instructing just a little luck and a good attitude.

I Hate To Break It To You hatetobreakit2you, but in my opinion, either you are (A.) salty because you did not get hired or (B.) maybe you are just that way, but I am sure that Chief Pilot or whoever you called a Pimple Face So and So could see that a mile away, because he has been around it for a while now, so I am almost certain that your attitude did not rub him the right way. I wouldn't want to be on a 3 day trip with a a person that seem like he or she was going to be a problem either nor would I want them to be working for my company or the company that I represent. So maybe your attitude indicator need to be adjusted, but I see that you are an FO for somebody, so I could be wrong, or (B.) Maybe you slipped through the cracks and the truth will eventually come to the light, I don't know.

I have been in the military now for 13 years, and right off the back, I can tell the want to be's/ problem children when they walk in the door, just like that 27 year old pimpled face pilot that had enough power to tell you that you did not have enough hours, but keep up the good work.

I agree with JATAGA 100%, Attitude is EVERYTHING in this industry.

i didnt give him an attitude because i didnt even have a chance to open my mouth and i dont think my handshake is that bad.

yes i was a little ****ed because I am just starting out and already realizing the sad truth about this industry that says one thing and means another. Thankfully I flew for free so I didnt lose too much time or money to go to it.

Well with you just starting out so to speak, here is a little advice for you, this is a very small communtity, everyone knows everyone. It took me some time to see that, but it is true. From FedEx to the Army, from ComAir to United you will never know who knows who, just like you will never know who is reading these threads. Now I am not the smartest, but I am sure if I worked at Colgan, and I wanted to figure out who called me a Pimple Face 27 year old whatever, and your so called "sent in an email that could not be traced" I could find you. Not saying that guy would or could do it, but you don't know who he knows where.

My point is, you are a dhc-6 FO, but I am sure you are planning to move on to something bigger better faster and pays more etc. the Freedom of Speech may not be an Amendment that you want to ride all of the time because of the toes that you might step on in the process. This is a very political industry you dig, but if that is what you do, keep the ball rolling, but let me know how you are progressing in 10 to 12 years.

I know a few guys now with 4,000 hours plus, but cannot get passed the interviews because they have been blackballed by somebody who knows somebody him or her that knows somebody.

You are grown so live your life the way that you want to, but you probably want to listen to some of the old heads that have been in this game for a few years, they have been around this long being the Devil's Advocate.

Take Care////Good Luck