Pinnacle
 

If anyone is interested in Pinnacle but isn't sure they have the mins, I know of someone who just got an interview with 1030TT and 100ME with 100 instrument. He said Pinnacle is looking for 200 pilots like yesterday. Go to www.nwairlink.com and find the employment page. Submit your resume via email. He said just about everyone that he went with heard back within a week of sending the resume. He didn't even have someone walk it in.

I heard that they were hiring cpts off the street a few months back. Any idea if they are still hurting that bad?

Not sure, my friend didn't say. I'd say try it. Worst that could happen is they interview you and offer the F.O. seat.

My friend said he saw a Pinnacle memo that said their pilots had been flying in the 90s monthly. He also said the memo talked about how their strict interview process was being a success at lowering the washout rate for training. I guess they had a 100% class not too long ago.

I suppose that says something about the company. Why go somewhere just for a quick upgrade? Besides, all their quick movement is coming to a screaching halt because they received their last airplane. Upgrade times will go up and movement will be based off attrition which is pretty slow.

The only "quick upgrade" probably is Colgan. otherwise you're better off going to a more solid company like ExpressJet, Mesaba, SkyWest

Personally, I'm part of the proud 80% that doesn't make it through their interview. I'm glad to see that they have improved their standards, considering some of my classmates that they hired, referred to by at least one of their captains as such: "Flying as a passenger used to be fun, but now I know what kind of corn-holes are working up front..." You have to wonder, when they were hiring all of the people that you would have never thought had any business in an airline job!

I agree. I just found out that I know someone who got hired by pinnacle a while back who busted training and got lost on her CFI ride but somehow passed it. It really makes me skeptical about the old interview process. I'm glad they did make it harder, but it seems the net missed the ones who make me nervous.

I know every company has it's problem children, but Pinnacle by far stands out with problem pilots. :eek:

pinnacle run down
 

New hire at Pinnacle here. I agree that they've had many problems in the past, but some of that goes with going from saabs to all jets 5 years ago and being the fastest growing regional in the nation. They've also made over 40 million in the first 6 months of this year and were second the past 2 years in profit margin among regionals. This year Pinnacle is almost a lock for first. They are hiring great pilots now, though I agree that in the past some have been sub-standard. It is true that they have recieved their last CRJ from NW for a while, but the company will be finished with its new OPS certificate in October of 06 and are attempting to aquire either the crj 700 & 900 or the 70 & 100 seat ERJ. As far as upgrade time currently goes, once you have captain mins, you upgrade if you want to. Hope this helps!

Ps
 

The acceptance rate of interviewees stands between 20-30% according to some friends in hiring. Look for variations on the old gouge as far as the interview goes, but it's still pretty good. If you are looking for an agressive upward moving company doing a lot of things, Pinnacle is the place to be. There is some risk in agressiveness though.

upgrade time
 

Quote from SAABTRASH:"Besides, all their quick movement is coming to a screaching halt because they received their last airplane. Upgrade times will go up and movement will be based off attrition which is pretty slow.
The only "quick upgrade" probably is Colgan. otherwise you're better off going to a more solid company like ExpressJet, Mesaba, SkyWest[/QUOTE]

Actually, Pinnacle has been losing as many as 20/month primarily to FedEx. They have also had to cancel lines because of lack of crews. Pinnacle needs pilots BADLY! We are offering $500 to current employees who refer a candidate who successfully completes training. Management told our class that the new contract should be done by the end of the year...then again, that's management

One problem I heard though is that you get paid only $200/week for training, and you don't get that till the end of training. It'd be hard to not get paid for 2 months, even though they say they're paying through training. Wait 2 months for a $1600 payoff.

CA mins
 

Just a question: What are CA upgrade mins? TT PIC ACTUAl Time with the company?

You do only get paid $200/wk in training and Pinnacle pays your housing. You get paid weekly though, not in a lump sum.

capt. upgrade is 3000hrs with at least 500 w/i the company

How long have you been at 9E? MGT will tell you anything they please, especially to a new hire class. You do realize you're in the Red tail family, right? Sorry to burst your bubble, but don't expect to get a cotract for 2-3 years.

Hey saabtrash while i agree with you that Pinnacle has had its fair share of problems, I wont sit here and read some ignorant comments about Pinnacle pilots being problem children. Guess what every company has its fair share of problem pilots. As an ex 9e pilot I am proud to say that every single pilot I flew with there was as professional as in any other pilot group. I dont know who you are employed by if you are even employed but next time you open your mouth or type anything watch out who's feet you are stepping on, he or she might be in your left or right seat one day........

:eek: Exactly my point. I will watch out who I fly with and take their background into consideration. Then I might just call in sick.

We are losing closer to 25-30 a month (17 in the first 8 days of Sept), to other regionals, LCC, Majors and Cargo. It is about 50/50 between new FO's and CA's.

Rumors of contract by the end of this year (we have not even talked about section 3 yet) and more jets are abound in Nonconnah. Would you expect anything else to a new hire looking at no better than 11 day off for a long time?

Saabtrash you obviously do not have the professionalism that the industry demands. There is no point in even having a discussion with you. Your screen name says it all. Good Luck with your aviation career....

yea what pilot21 said

Saabtrash is resentful because he works for the "other" redtail regional. Things are not good at his airline right now, but the pendulum will swing once again. If history is any indicator, NW management will once again use Mesaba's current situation to attempt to get concessions from the Mesaba pilot group in exchange for jets. Then, Mesaba will again be the Golden Child who is hiring like mad, and people will be lined up at Mesaba's door to fly a jet for less than Pinnacle pays. Hiring will likely slow then at Pinnacle...maybe NW will take away a few jets from Pinnacle...and then the cycle will repeat. It happened when Mesaba got the AVROs...it happened when Pinnacle got the CRJs...and if management gets their way, it will continue to happen. NW management has been pitting the pilot groups at its regionals against one another for years in an attempt to control labor costs.

interview process?
 

hows the interview process at pinnacle?

I found this is on a job web site. Hopefully it will be helpful to you guys.


March 8, 2006
PINNACLE AIRLINES (First Officers (1000 TT, 200 ME, 100 INST))

Tel: no calls

Email: Click here to Apply
Web Site: http://www.nwairlink.com

Pinnacle was here last week and took 7 or 8. Their mins were 500TT and a multi rating. The two guys I talked to that got hired had under 700TT and a multi rating (about 25-30 hours multi time). So I would say that they are not very firm on their mins.

Now that's low
 

Wow those time are very low. Does UND have some type of deal with Pinnacle or something?

i interviewed in december off the street with 670/52. The hours were all (preferred) but ATP written and other paperwork was all required. They are just losing lots of people to attrition right now and I even heard a rumor that a decent percent werent passing training....No first hand info except for the interview....FWIW

Many of the regionals will lower their mins for UND grads, it's first time in my 3 years at UND that pinnacle has interviewed here. It is also the lowest amount of time I have ever heard anyone getting hired outta here with, it was just good timing and luck I guess. UND has a CRJ class (covers systems, the FMS, and such) and the lab for the class is flights in the CRJ sim. Most have a good knowledge of the systems, flow patterns, etc. by the time they finish the course, so I think having that helps a quite a bit when looking for a job.

I was going to say the same thing. They really need people bad.

edik

I would not really say they need pilots bad. They hired 8 of the 18 on the first day. And on the second day maybe two of the 11.

And they are strict on their minimums. The only reason they hired 500TT guys is because they had taken the CRJ Course at UND.

I wouldn't say they need people bad either...at least, not in the recent couple weeks. A couple buddies of mine sent in their resume and have not heard from Pinnacle in over 2 weeks. I think the hiring oasis has dried up at Pinnacle.

I interviewed on the 2nd day Pinnacle was here at UND and was hired with 560tt and 50 multi. I am not graduating until May so they are going to give me a class date in May or June as they become available.

Now I know not to fly Pinnacle.

Thats just plain nuts if that is the case..

From what it sounds like, when Pinnacle was here at UND they hired the really low time guys and left us higher time guys alone. Any ideas why? I feel like I did pretty well on the interview portion and the sim and I scored in the high 80s on the dreaded written test. My theory is they want guys who have too little time to jump ship when they see how bad things are at Pinnacle. I haven't heard anything but horror stories from people about Pinnacle. Kinda glad I didn't get hired... Best of luck to everyone who is going there.

And why is that check6?

560 hours. . .


I'm happy for the kid, but need I say more?

By Pass
 

The regionals are beginning to by pass guys with experience and maturity since they know that you will begin complaining much sooner. Plus a low time guy is stuck there for longer.

When attempting the airlines one has a narrowing windiow of eligibility. You have to be the right age with the right amount and quality of time. Too much or too little and you get tossed aside.

SkyHigh

SkyHigh FINALLY makes a good point.

Where can I sign? :rolleyes: