GUM will stay. In the employee Q & A it was stated that over the course of setting up the merge this year they will look at weather they want to keep CMI separate on the Air Mic cerfitikate or merge the ops in to the new United.

If they closed that GUM Ops, let's just say there would be a 'few' certain characters that would be forced back into 'west civilization'.....and those certain 'few' would not be able to function in a normal society. That I am sure of.

That's a whole different discussion for a different day.

On point, I would put money on what SUPERfluf said about the operating certificate.

Can someone explain Air Mike to the rest of us?

Are they CAL Planes or their own? Can it be bid just like any other base? Can they fly east of Hawaii? How many pilots/planes are there, what's their seniority, and has there been a lot of movement in and out of there over the years?

Thanks

Uhhh....no.

Ya, Delta/NWA shows us the right way and US/AW shows the way NOT to do it!

Q:Are they CAL Planes or their own?
A: They are CAL owned planes operating under a separate certificate

Q: Can it be bid just like any other base?
A: Yes, when we run our bids if there's openings anyone can bid it.

Q: Can they fly east of Hawaii?
A: No, currently they do not

Q: How many pilots/planes are there, what's their seniority, and has there been a lot of movement in and out of there over the years?

A: Not sure how many 737-800's there are out there but they have 52 Captains and 67 F/O's. Captain seniority varies from senior '83 scabs to 1998 hires. I'd say movement lately has been minimal. Back in the mid '90's lots of junior F/O's were shipped out there during furloughs.

The GUM flying is done by CAL Pilots. Bidding out there/back is 'seamless' so to speak. The GUM Ops does operate on a different certificate, but outside that, it's all done from the 'same' CAL Master Seniority List. The only list's that are 'separate' is the FA seniority lists.....AirMike vs CAL.

Not sure on the specifics, but depending on your length/or commitment to be based there (I 'think' 18-24 months), there is company paid moved expenses factored in (car/household/ect)......as well as a living expense too - IE rent $$ given to you monthly (somewhere on the order of $1000/mo). I have never done this myself, so maybe those who have can touch more specifically on that.

**GUM flying is all B737/800 flying....LN Pay Rates.

**STAFFING: CA-52 FO-67 (numbers as of May 2010 staffing)

**Seniority Ranges: CA 11/83 --->02/96
FO 04/87---->11/07

**Outside of the "Island Hopper" trip, there are not many 'overnights' so to speak.....so your in your own bed a lot more than other CAL flying state side. Many guys/gals bid their schedules to fly first or last half of the month, and back the following month up in the opposite sense giving large amount of days off in a stretch....enabling time off for travel/or long distance commutes.

**As far as the in/out of staffing, I would guess the top 1/3 of the FO's list has been pretty stagnant.....as well as the top 1/2 of the CA's list being the same. Since it's a 'small base', very much a family feel.

--------------------------------------->

NOTE....as EWR pointed out, IF there are now /700's based there....figure 'blended rate' (average/divide LN vs SN to get pay rate) pay on VAC, Sick-time, and Training.

Otherwise, it's "Fly it like you stole it"....AKA you get paid LN for flying /800 a/c, or you will get paid SN for flying the /700.

And by family feel, my esteemed colleague means: 'wife swapping' and other recreational activities.

I'd say something but the mods would shut me down...

Anyway, thanks for the info on Air Mike, our biggest piece of flying is subbed out from Air Mike so hoping things stay the status quo out here in the islands.

Not true anymore. The 737-700 is being or is going to be used on a couple of recently announced destinations. Fiji comes to mind and not sure about others so no longer the high pay stuff exclusively.