I think that is very accurate. Especially the part about the possibility of the FAA imposing SIC minimums. You know management would fight that idea though. They would not be able to find all that cheap labor
that they love so much.

 

I don't think it would change anything. You'd just have 1,000 hour cfi's or 1,500 hour cfi's rushing to cheap pay in hopes of moving on.

It doesn't matter what their total time is when they start. Labor is going to be cheap as long as there is a steady supply of it.

The good news is that regionals are having a harder and harder time finding pilots. They've pretty much lowered the mins down to a CMEL license, so all that's left to do is increase pay.

Simple supply and demand.

 

While supply and demand has this industry in a chokehold, the problem is that people still need a few things to get to a right seat interview. You need MONEY, and a good bit of it- you need instructors to teach those students, Where are they? O wait, RIGHT SEAT JOBS! You also need the time to go from ads and ideas of $250K a year airline jobs to a CMEL- which is 6months even at the fastest pilot pump (ATP or equivalent). So there are a few HUGE issues that keep this industry in a lurch. There is a definate problem with management running the train on the pilot groups. I have friends that are sitting at 600/100 or better and they cannot get interviews because all these regionals (including mine ) are booked solid with ATP, RAA, etc. b/c of the nice kickback they get for actually hiring the guys. It would be my hope (for previous reasons stated) that I think the FAA should have 121 SIC mins. i wouldnt make them too restrictive- say 500TT, 250PIC, 50night,25act, 75xc, but enough to make these academies have to at least employ the applicants as instructors. The shame of it is that the industry will have to see a safety issue in order for this to happen- look at the FAA's past, the vast majority of regs and limitations comes from the deaths of aviators and civilians (as sad as it is ). However you cut the mustard there is a shortage in supply, and a constant reminder (with each airplane order) that more pilots are needed. Pay /benefits/ and overall QOL need to be improved to keep this industry a good one. The current path is not one that promotes a good career in terms beyond a W-2. Days off, scheduling's ability to jerk the chain, retirement, and health care benefits are huge items that need to be addressed. As much as everyone plans to go on to a major carrier, many will find a happy median and comfortable spot at a regional and stay there- that fact should not be met with the realization that all you worked for has just left you alone, in debt, and unhappy in life. The days of $79.99 round trip tickets needs to end- sure its great, but I am willing to bet a hell of alot more than $79.99 on the fact that if this industry continues and we have 23 year old 1500 hour captains, and 21 year old 250 hour first officers something will happen to some innocent people. Would you pay a few dollars more to know the guys up front are more experienced and enjoy coming to work- aka they "care"? Would you want your family to be on a plane with a 1500 captain and a 250 hour FO? I have nothing against age- I am looking to make captain at 23- but I also expect to have a bit more experience than 1500 hours. I am approaching 1100 now and every flight I learn something, even a couple times I have saved the captain's and my ass from a possible violation. At PCL there was the 3000 hour min to capt- I am a firm believer in that. I have flown with new 3000 hour guys, and even to them some things are still new. ALPA needs to step up and do things not just to keep getting 2% of our dismal paychecks. We need higher standards for both our enjoyment and furthurance in the career, but also for safety. No matter what- safety comes first right? I see it as coming second to a significant crash due to inexperience and corporate greed. Look at the comair crash- I dont call those guys inexperienced, but work rules killed 50 people, and -by all accounts- a great captain and family man and ruined the FO's life- he has to live with the fact that 49 died, why? pilot error? sure, you keep me up all night and I cant blame him. These guys were not reckless, they were following their ALPA contract, but how many people can stay up and operate a $20M piece of machinery after being up all night? I was lucky in college to get the coffee pot to work in the morning after an all nighter! I have "high speeds" at PCL but after the comair crash I make sure I get at least an afternoon nap of a few hours as well as at least a 3 hour nap in the middle of my "continous duty". It is time for ALPA to do something. I have seen no effort on there part- other than inflating a giant rat that to me shows no significance! Ok.. fingers are sore now!

 

Here is the thing guys. pt and his buddies have been to busy dealing with nwa, and colgan to even negotiate with us, hence the fact there have been no negotiations. They haven't been interested in it, and until now they haven't cared. I really do believe that they want to have a contract soon with the pilots. Now whether it is an acceptable on is another question. Hopefully they will finally sit down and negotiate instead throwing the last and final offer at us. The flight attendants we have been flying with for the last couple weeks said "I hate to say it but our contract is a big improvement." i would have to agree with them. of course that is just looking at the highlights of the contract. company pays for uniforms and luggage, they get on time incentive bonuses, more days off, Way better pay, different reserve rules (FA's currently can be on reserve for 20hrs!! hahaha). so they seem pretty excited. hopefully i will feel the same way on friday.

 

Yeah, best of luck to you guys. All of us at Colgan are hoping that you guys get an awesome contract that sets the bar much higher. We need something to shoot for when we step up to the table after getting organized!

 

..right now, you don't even meet 135 mins at 1100 hrs. and you REALLY don't have a clue...come back in another 5000 hrs, few types, and 15 yrs...jeeze.#$&*!!

 

Great Post, these things are exactly what needs to happen in this industry. You really don't have to pay any dues to get to a regional these days, at least the ****tier ones out there. This is effecting supply and demand. They don't have enough pilot's, why not just lower the minimums. Don't have enough captains... lower the minimums. Pay does not increase like it should with a shortage of pilots. This is something that needs to be addressed for safety reasons and to make this industry a better place. I think we are all going to be flying RJ's for longer than we think. unfortunately I am flying routes that were and should be mainline everyday.

 

CFI's would demand more because of the time they already invested in aviation. There wouldn't be as many of the academy pilots because now it would take them more than 6 months to go form 0 to RJ FO... Simple Supply and Demand, pay would have to go up.

 

Well I obviously lit you off like a bottle rocket but at what point in my ramble did I say anything about my long track record in the industry? did you see me in favor of low experience? I am trying to raise the bar, and at 1100 hours the bar is low in my book, but thats quite a bit different than the 250 hours we are discussing, and the fact that for 750 hours I was at a level over the training environment and below a regional- cause I was "time building" while finishing school. During that time I found I was making crap for wages (but they are still about what I make flying a 50 seat jet now) and I learned SOO much in the time that the ink dried on my temp until I showed up at a 121 ground school. These lessons are things that you may or may not see in a jet, but it was flying back to the basics. Flying "raw data" without a flight director, having to make PIC decisions about "can I go" "is that safe" "do we need to stop and get gas cause these winds and vectors around weather were not planned" "is that weather a factor"- things that you would experience in 6 months of instructing or doing any other job where you are the one signing for the airplane. And frankly 15 years right now doesnt matter in this argument b/c 15 years ago this problem wasnt even thought up, this is fresh to me, just as it is you. 15 years of flying is great, but a regional race to the bottom only lit off with the RJ's as of the late few years- I would say 1999 but I am not an aviation historian by any means. Correct me if I am wrong, but years ago a regional was a jetstream, beech, or saab- where you needed 2000+ to get an interview. I commend someone on 5000 hours, many types, and 15 years in the industry- currently I look in the left seat and try to learn as much from that guy/gal as I can during my trip with him/her. The problem we are discussing is when you look to the left, see your reflection in the mirror and realize that you have never been in this situation and arent sure what to do because you just meet the FAA's ATP mins and havent dealt with things that captains have already seen over and over again from back in the days of being an FO with 2500-3000 hours. Years ago you would still be hoping to get an interview soon for the right seat! Please, correct me if I am wrong- I hate to give out incorrect facts and will gladly apologize and correct anything said in eir, but these are the facts as I have seen them in my limited time in the industry.

 

So what's wrong with that? It takes time to review legal and other ramifications of the Colgan purchase that came out of left field and and a new plane purchase.

Things don't always happen on your timetable. If there is a scope violation you will find out about it soon enough.

Relax.