My guess is he was flying a Q: that is a higher category and class than you? You asked for it, you got it.


I am a four year guy. I dropped 3 percent over all (sucks but I can accept it with arbitration). In Saab relative seniority, I dropped about 15 percent (slap in the face). So, yeah, I made out like a bandit


Thank heaven for the five year fences. None of you shiny jet guys will come over and slum it up on the turbo prop side.

 

unless he is one of the merger committee members, technically he or she did NOT ask for category/status integration. We line pilots had 0 input on the integration method our committee choose. Did they put it up for a line pilot vote at your certificate?

 

I don't get it. Every CJC pilot I Know lost a bit to a ton of relatively seniority. Our top guy lost 12 percent or so and the feb 08 guys lost like 30%. Where's the windfall in that?

 

OK, OK, some of you guys think that actually flying the aircraft...ie Q-400 Captain automatically puts you in Catagory 2. Not so...it is what your senority could hold if a phantom list was published with the top guys bidding the top equipment.

Example...Number 1 Colgan guy was a SF-340 FO in IAH. Flying the Saab fat, dumb and happy as an FO. He would still be in Catagory 2 because his actual senority number could hold Q-400 Captain.

Lots of examples of that on the CRJ-900 on the XJ side. There are quite a few junior guys that are 900 Captains, but are put in the turboprop CA catagory in terms of senority numbers. They will continue to fly the 900, but will be reserve for years and years and even more years.

 

so there is only a fence on the saab for 9e guys? xj has full bidding power as long as there are vacancies? am i reading that right?

 

Yes good question !?!?

 

And you forgot the fences to boot............

 

How many XJ Saab CA's are remaining? This issue is huge in the event of a displacement because 9E guys can only head backwards into a right seat, while a junior CJC or XJ guy can go to the Saab or Q.

 

The bigger question is will they commute or not for a captain spot? I think no..

 

Read the entire decision. You will not be on reserve for the "rest of your career." Colgan has to maintain a minimum number of CA Saab and Q spots. Currently Colgan is under the Saab limit and way under the Q limit which means we have growth still in our own aircraft.

If a Saab vacancy were to come up tomorrow for recent attrition, it would be within the minimum Saab spots and Colgan pilots would have first shot at those. What would most likely happen is a Saab FO would bid the vacancy/award and be given it because it falls in line with the minimum CA spots. That pilots is an FO so would be junior to you and therefor give you another pilot below you.

Colgan is under the minumum Q CA spots by almost 45 positions. If Colgan keeps the same Q staffing this would provide as a fence for the first 7 or so new Q's that come. If Colgan decided to up the current Q CA staffing, all of those spots will come from Colgan pilots. Those pilots will be Colgan Saab CA's senior to you, they will move to the Q and your spot as a Saab CA will move up as well.

Everything is not doom and gloom. I know pilots like to roll around in their own misery and tears but lets be big boys about this, educate ourselves about the entire decision, and move on.