Pinnacle classes
 

Hey just curious if anyone has been in Memphis recently and knows about recent hiring. How many classes, if any, have they been starting every month? Which planes/bases are new hires getting assigned? How long until they start putting new hires back into the CRJ200?

As far as I know there is 1 or 2 classes a month, running at the Mesaba facility in Eagan, MN. The last class split between the Q400 and the Saab, I don't know about Q bases but all of the Saab guys except 1 went to IAH, and the 1 went to CRW.

As far as the jet, don't hold your breath.

Nothing wrong with flying props...

Nope, but everything wrong with flying the Saab. :p :)

Eww Saab scum.

Not at all, I just want to see some people come to JFK below me now that I am out of initial training and settled in on the jet. Would switch to either prop if I didn't have to go back to training all over again.

It's unlikely. If anything, you might end up being displaced into a prop before to long. That is unless the ugly "F" bomb creeps in like everyone is saying. Either way, its a chit sandwich and we all gotta take a bite.

I dont see how the F bomb will get used, weve been understaffed all year and 11-09 states we need close to 100 more. Just because its winter and flying slows down a bit we suddenly forgot all that? Ill admit when I first heard the news I thought it would go that way but now it doesnt make sense. That is unless they park planes but that would just potentially make us properly staffed...

Bankruptcy could lead to it but not all BK's have furloughs.

Nothing in the Airline Business has ever made any sense, never have NEVER WILL.

I'd take the Q400 over the CRJ200 or ERJ145 anyday. Beautifull airplane

How the heck did we get to a point where the Q400 is not good enough anymore? remember these days

JetPhotos.Net Photo » Comair Saab 340A by George W. Hamlin

I had a talk with the CP on the XJ side about a week ago and for what its worth with all the attrition he said they needed 200 guys...

All the training on the 200 side is going to be transfers until fall 2012 at least. With all the guys likely to bid the CRJ when their seat locks are up on the Saab or the Q there may not be any new hires going to the CRJ for a long time.

Of course that assumes there will be no changes to the ability to transfer between certificates.

Right now all the hiring is on the Colgan side with classes running until May at least. At the the time of the 11-09 award we were short around 100, and new hire classes in Nov and Dec had 12 each. Since the last new hires came on property in Sept we have lost around 14 a month. So that is 100 we were short, we've lost 28 more, and hired 12. Quite a few planes will have to be parked before furloughs can happen. When the mass exodus to Fedex starts in the spring it will get even worse.

Word is classes have stopped... And why do you keep talking about a mass exodus to FedEx... what do you consider a mass exodus? You've mentioned that a few times like we're losing 30 a month to FedEx. Last time I check, this ain't CandyLand.

Think you got some bad info on new hire classes. Also.....There are quite a few MEM guys waiting on class dates at FedEx.

Yep, one DTW CA just left for Fed Ex about 1-2 weeks ago

They cancelled all classes? They delayed some classes but they did just start some new classes within the last week or two. As far as new hires, I don't think they planned on having any new hires until spring anyway besides what was slated for 11-09.

Regardless of how BK plays out they are going to need pilots here in a bad way in the next few years. It isn't just Fedex, people are leaving left and right currently and that is without any major hiring going on. That is assuming they don't get rid of 3/4's of the fleet, if they do that then we become Comair #2 and junior FO's will have 10 years longevity and this place is doomed more than it is now.

I ran into the Pinnacle recruiters in the hotel van about a week ago in MSP and they said all hiring into Pinnacle has stopped because of the flight hours requirement or something...but she said they wanted to hire another 250 pilots onto the colgan side, but said it has been hard to find pilots. The only way pilots will come to the pinnacle side now at least inthe short term will have to be from vacancy.

I applied with 4000 hours of time and haven't heard anything. There's only airline apps to apply to, correct?

Yes airline apps is the only way...also have you taken the ATP written?? Your profile won't show up fro them unless you have checked that box.. good luck

Actually, I was street captain there before. So yes, I've taken the written.

Thanks!

...... You left and now you want to return to the very bottom????

Stopped, delayed, same thing... and 1-5 a month to Fedex, although I thinks a bit high, is definitely not a mass exodus. I never said classes cancled. The lead check airman is probably fairly credible. This is nothing new, classes were sent home for a few weeks last year because of the clog. Flykat made it out like classes are rolling through and guys are leaving in droves for Fedex, both highlt innacurate statements. Thats all.

Isnt that more from our own training and not from the recent news?

Are you talking about classes here? If so, I'm going to agree with AL; classes are running as if nothing has happened. I'm not saying that the recent events won't eventually slow down training, but for now it's business as usual.

Sucks yes, but with the integration with Colgan, I could be home based. The money problems will be fixed and movement should start getting quicker over the next year.

I've been gone a couple of years now, the painful memories have faded....

:)

Good to know, hope it stays that way...

I just got the call for an interview next week, Wed the 21st! They pulled my application off Airlineapps. Can't wait to get there and see how it goes! I was told flying Saabs and the Q. Then from there, I can bid to wherever and fly whatever in the Pinnacle/Colgan/Mesaba realm. I think I want IAH, don't care flying what. What would get me off reserve the quickest? and how long? Any ideas?

Congratulations! If I had to guess I'd say the Saab would have the shortest time on reserve, but until all this realignment finishes there's really no telling.

Congrats. We operate both Saabs and Q's in IAH. Most recent classes have been fairly even; splitting classes down the middle between aircraft. There's a good chance you will start to see most of the classes coming through become strictly saab, as there were far more vacancies in the last realignment. As for domiciles, IAD is the most junior base for new hires and therefore would probably result in the shortest amount of time spent on reserve.

I couldn't really tell you how much time you will spend on reserve; it depends on how many end up getting hired below you. If I was forced to guess....I'd say 6 months...maybe someone else can give some insight.

I love being wrong about stuff like this... congrats sir! I'd be interested to hear how it goes for you next week. Interview class size? Plans for traning if they tell you... thank you sir. Congrats again.

We only had 21 (only 1 for IAH the rest for EWR) spots for new hires on the Q in the last vacancy and they've already had one split class. So if you go to the Q, chances are you will be on the bottom of the list for a very long time and in EWR. The Saab in IAD is definitely the most junior but you probably won't hit a full line (not standup or buildup) for at least 6 months maybe more. Also, remember you will be seatlocked for one year from the completion of IOE so don't expect to bid the CRJ quickly (you wouldn't have the seniority to hold it anyways).

That's the thing I think many people misunderstand. It doesn't really matter how many people are hired below you, but rather how many above you upgrade. They can hire all they want below me but all they've been doing is increasing the number of reserve lines. Granted they've added planes and lines down here since I started but we've gone from 6 reserve lines to 20 so it's kind of like walking up the down escalator. I've been on the Q in IAH for going on 9 months and I still can't even sniff a line. I got a couple build ups here and there but they were mostly reserve days. I'd likely be a year or two at least away from holding a hard line down here and maybe 6 months to a year away from doing it in EWR. There are guys in my crashpad who are Saab FOs hired fall of 2010 who just got a line for the first time this month. Of course, as always, YMMV.

Seats assigned based off performance during training or just randomly assigned?

Seniority and operational need

Seniority, oldest gets first dibs and on down the line it goes to the youngest who gets the scraps.

Aircraft is assigned during training based on vacancy. Right now as of our last vacancy we only have Q and Saab slots, mostly Saab. When you get to class you pick aircraft/base in order from oldest in class to youngest (same hire date so someone older is more senior in class)

I'm pretty sure the last class was just assigned by age; eldest to the Q and rest to the saab. I could have misunderstood though...apparently it doesn't take much.....

Gotcha! Thanks.

Estimate 10-15 flight hrs a month on reserve?

DTW has been 75+ but that is on the jet.

That sounds a wee bit high to my knowledge, at least this time of year. I think staffing has finally started catch up. Should be north of 15 hours though.