Haha, mine either. But what does she expect me to do when shes watching grey's anatomy or some chick flick?

 

For SAAB and other former Colgan guys, after going through what you went through, do you regret going to Colgan and wish maybe you had gone to your current regional first? Also, what was your reasoning for going to Colgan to begin with? Sorry I have so many questions but after reading your Colgan experiences I am rethinking what I want to do.

 

Saab, you were at CJC for 9 months, does that mean you broke your training contract? If so, could you elaborate on the process that you went through.

 

I think anyone would rather get to the place they want to stay as soon as possible. Seniority is everything. As far as people saying that flying turboprops is good experience for flying jets, I have heard the opposite. I have heard instructors say that teaching a turboprop guy how to do engine failures in a rear-engined jet is a nightmare. In the jet it takes a lot of finesse whereas in the prop you just shove your foot into the floor. I've never flown a turboprop but if you just shove your foot to the floor in the CRJ/ERJ you are going to learn the meaning of "dutch roll" pretty quick.

 

Yes I do agree, that's my goal too, I hope that we can agree to disagree on the other stuff.

Weren't you only here a year? I've been here a whole lot longer than that, so perhaps you're the jackass.

The ability to change times was removed from the functionality of crewtrac about 4 years ago, and even before that crewtrac users could only change the times before the flight occured, not after, therefore this is not plausible. This is why it annoys me when people post anecdotes without having a full understanding of what's happened to them. Maybe the station put them in wrong? That happens to me constantly, and is why I have to keep records and check every day.

How about that time? Every time I've stayed at LGA, and it's happened more than I would have liked, I've stayed right across the street from the airport. The only times I've ever been sent to a hotel far away, it has been because all the hotels closer were full. In fact, last time I stayed in HPN our normal hotel was full, so they sent me 30 minutes away to a Hilton at $250 a night, because it was the next closest thing. So, is it more likely that they suddenly and drastically changed their hotel policy for one night just to **** you off, or that the hotels around the airport were just full and you are being a twit about it?

Are you sure you turned in your time sheet on time? If not, I cannot imagine why you wouldn't have been paid for that, unless you calculated the time wrong and were not entitled to that much pay. In light of other comments I find both to be possible.

Since I am decidedly not an ignorant 3 month guy I will go ahead and not keep my mouth shut. Last month marked 9 and a half years I've spent in this business. I've been laid off, furloughed twice, had two companys go out of business under my feet, and I've helped start entirely new airlines, I've resigned my job over differences with management, and I've also been in management. But now I'm here, and I find it to be entirely tolerable (and I'm just a line captain, not any kind of mgmt, for those of you who might assume otherwise). So, if you could, it might not be wise not to presume your year in the business has given you a comprehensive picture of what it's all about. And while I respect your right to say what you do about the company, I ask that you respect my right to contradict it, since I think that most of what you say is crap, and there are a lot of kids on here who might not know any better.

 

Actually I am glad that I went to Colgan for multiple reasons. First and foremost like the first girl you slept with, your always gonna have a place in your heart for em Colgan hired me so for that I was thankful. Expressjet was always my first choice, I got two "no thank you" emails then decided ok I need to go get some 121 time, and Colgan was the first to hire me so I took it. I was so excited, to be honest It was badass the SAAB too, it was awesome and the flying was great. The company wasnt the best but the pilots I flew with were the best bunch of guys, I really do mean it too, they were great. If I could do it over agian (I know seniority is everything) but I would have becuase I really did learn how to fly, 6-8 legs a day down to mins in and out of LGA. I did break the contract and yes i got a bill in the mail, only after I questioned my last paycheck, wasnt so brilliant on my part but whatever, we learn from our mistakes. I luckliy have two employment lawyers in the fam and they say no worries very very expensive and hard to enforce, I will kepp you guys updated though. Honestly guys your first 121 gig is pretty awesome. I remember flying ABE-PIT on my IOE I thought that I was big pimp of the world, smile ear to ear, however slowly I realized that you know what, I (WE PILOTS) have a skill, a skill that requires alot of training and even more money. I begin to realize they were taking advantage of me and I should be treated with respect at the very least. Hell I was only flying a 34 seat turbo-prop, but still I was somehwat responsable for the
a/c and the people in it, I should be treated with some godamn respect and I should not have to call the VP of ops to get a hotel after a 14hr duty day and 8 hrs of 121 flying in snow & Ice. After a while I got fed up with stuff like that and I had ther experience so I applied and got hired at XJT. I am grateful to the Colgans for hiring me and for the CA's I flew with who taught me how to fly 121, I am also grateful becuase I will appreciate XJT that much more. I see it around the training center and in my class, a lot of arrogant kids that think cause they CFI'd for a few months they deserve to fly a jet! I wish some of them did what I did, worked a 16hr duty day then part 91 and airplane all over the northeast, built character for sure. Whatever you guys decide, just think long and hard about why you want to go to a certian airline, wether it be location, PIC, equiptment, pay whatever, but think long and hard, especially if you are going to go to GOJETS or MESA. Well if anybody has any other questions about Colgan or XJT PM I will do my best to help.

P.S. To they guy above that is trying to discredit me & my experience please don't it happened and it continues to happen.

 

Fair enough. Best of luck to everybody.

 

Thank you SAAB for posting your thoughts. I appreciate it.

 

Im grateful for your post Saab, in my interview with colgan, the line pilot told us that colgan was the place you went to and got your time. you dont make a career there. Get your time, get your experience, work hard, and move on. It is a stepping stone. I want to go to colgan to gain the experience, i want to earn my keep. Personally, if i had more time, i would fly night freight to earn my keep. Either way, I dont feel entitled to a jet, much less a 50 pax jet. Granted, with the way places are hiring, i really want to start with the t-props and move my way up. Sorta nostalgic if you ask me. Anyways, the eventual goal is to work with my mentor and long time family friend, a 767 capt at North American. International charter in wide bodies sounds like my kinda stuff.

 

hey BeatsCFIing, care to comment on your interview expereince at Colgan? Any words for wisdom, I'm preparing for mine monday.

~ Thanks