Hello everyone. Hey I know this has been beaten to bare feet, but I jumpseated in on Comair yesterday, and was told to update my stuff at airline apps. I fellow pilot told me that Comair is about to ramp up hiring again due to the fact of sooooooo many pilots leaving, even with lower mins they can't get enough to replace the attrition. I also heard once they restart, mins are going to go to Comm. Inst. ME.

Any truth to the rumor ?? What have you heard?

Thanks.

It is true there is alot of attrition here right now. Last month 30 pilots left. We have been averaging about that many for at least 6 months. Last months breakdown was 10 CA and 20 FO.

We are scheduled for 3 new hire classes in October after only having 1 in August and 2 in September.

Pilot Vacancy bid closes today with 34 captain upgrades. (Company memo says expect 60 more upgrades in first quarter of 08.)

Havent heard anything about new hiring mins.

Rumor is that hiring will increase to 50/month in october and beyond.

I just quit there so that is one more opening FO that is.

I don't see how that is possible, or why. it seems to me that there are plenty of FO's. I haven't been flying in over 2 weeks. i was on for 6 days 1 off and now im on the back side of 5 days on. and nothing-- no trips in open time or anything..This seems to be the norm from all the people i have talked to. even new hires just off IOE have been doing nothing.. usually they want to fly them first to get there 100.. so who knows--time will tell i guess

JFK is way overstaffed with FO's I hear new hires are going to start going to CVG....just a rumor around here though... I didnt fly for over 20 days, right after IOE, let me tell u, that was interesting considaring i only had like 40 hours in the plane....

Not flying on reserve is a good thing.

I've been flying quite a bit since IOE. Just about to hit 100 hours. I'm at JFK too. I pretty much got this whole month already scheduled, except a few days with nothing yet. But I have heard that others guys aren't flying as much. Just hold on to your 100 hour sheet a little longer You just won't be able to fly into DCA, like I have been about every trip. But yeah, it seems they have too many guys on reserve in JFK. However my CA right now, said he's been called out just about everyday! We'll just wait till winter and the weather displaces everyone.

As far as hiring, I'm not sure whats going on these days. I'm really hoping for a Boston base to open. I'd take that in a second. But "due to staffing" thats not happening.

What's driving the mass exodus right now?

Seems everyone I know or heard of that has left has been hired by a major or fractional company. Most guys that said they'd leave "as soon as we get the bankruptcy pay-out" are probably leaving now and in the near future. You couldn't expect people to leave the day after the pay-out, as we all know in this industry its a long drawn out process to find and get a job and you'd be silly to leave without another job lined up.

Also, the 4-5+ year upgrade and long reserve times in CVG and JFK (Captains) is probably driving the desire to search elsewhere.