i wasnt asking about colgan but just in general.

I'm pretty sure that your statement is accurate. Don't ask me how I know. ;-)

Untrue.

Training contracts are enforceable. However, their success varies with state laws, the required duration of employment, and whether the amount owed is truly a cost-recovery measure.

There are documented cases of pilot training agreements being upheld in court, and payment forced.

PM me if you want a link to some of the cases.

In theory yes. A company actually makes money off of you if you leave early because training costs are figured out into operating expense anyways. The problem is that these contracts are enforceable. So it's very simple, if you are against training contracts then don't go to that company.

I don't know why this needs to be private information, I'm always interested in case law, I'd love to see several examples of enforceable training contracts.
Disclaimer: I've never signed a training contract and if I did would probably only do so at a company I would be willing to stay at, however if there's one thing I've learned.... circumstances are subject to change.

Again, does Colgan still have you sign a training contract as a conditional offer of employment????? Can someone please answer?

I was called for a Colgan interview a few weeks ago and was told that I had to resign my seniority number OR sign a training contract. Also, I'd careful with signing training contracts and thinking you can walk away from them with ease like a lot of guys suggest. I knew a guy where it wound up messing with his credit score. AND make sure it's a training contract and not a "promissory note" with a bank name on it....

Colgan First Year Pay ($21/hour) x 75 hours/month = $1575/month x 12 months = $18900/year divided by 52 weeks/year = $363.46/week divided by 40 hours/week = $9.09/hour! You have a seniority number at another airline. Why would you subject yourself to Colgan when you can go get a job making $9.00 per hour and be home every night? Are you really that desperate to fly a plane? Colgan is a crappy and unsafe company. Don't subject yourself to such a place when you can pay the bills other ways.

okay, lets compare ....

Delta first year pay $54 per hour x 65 hours = $3510 (according to APC). Times 12 months is $42120. Divided by 52 weeks per year is $810 per week. Divided by 40 that is a bit over $20 per hour to fly an average of more than double the pax/miles. $20 buck an hour isnt bad, but really, for what it takes to get hired by Delta, is it that great?

I will agree with Cycle Pilot, in one respect: darn near any other industry will pay you a comparable salary (if not more) and you can be home every night.

No disrespect to Delta. Colgan is far from the Holy Grail, but given the choice of sitting reserve for Delta (and being subject to future furloughs) or being senior CA at Colgan and holding a decent line, I'll take being the big fish in the small pond.

..... But then I dont own a red tie, so I would not get hired anyway.


Readers should note that as a person in his 40s, the odds of me making CA at Delta are near zero.

FlyJSH,

I believe your analysis to be pretty flawed if based solely on money. There is a massive difference in what one has to look forward to at Delta in subsequent years, when compared to Colgan. The relationship of slightly more than double the money is valid for first year only then is substantially blown out of the water.

However, when you introduce other factors such as age, favorable basing, scheduling, etc., I see your point. It may not make sense for senior regional pilots to leave.