Monthly

filler

Every month

Only if we are hiring bc that’s the only time vacancies are created

With such a large amount of flying out of LAX, what’s the rumor on a LAX base for crew ?

Rumor has always been the company doesn’t want the headache of employing people/contractors in California

and I don’t blame them either lol

Unlikely. Last conference call, the base question was answered as: 4 cities specifically noted by management, BWI and TPA as the two cities to see the most growth moving forward, and EWR and PHL as the two cities that have had the most growth recently, noting the EWR operation has been a 'pleasant surprise' or something to that effect, and said any new base would likely be one of those four.

They can't help themselves with the temptation of another Florida base. They cant resist

Nothing goes wrong in Florida! No rain, no tropical storms, no hurricanes, no airspace constraints that might disrupt (or completely halt) operations…. Nononono, Florida is the BEST place! No flooding…. I could go on…

hey, we are Florida’s Airline.

we should just make the entire state a base!

You ever notice the trend; ever quarter the company takes a large financial hit for something directly related to being heavily invested in Florida. Every damn quarter.

Helena, Montana is where it’s at! No airspace constraints, no hurricane, no tropical storms…just an occasional snow flake or two and that’s it. Beautiful weather most the year.

we really need to move our whole operations from FLL to a new facility in HLN.

now I’m not quite sure what our loads would look like doing HLN-CUN, HLN-BOG or HLN-EWR though.

This will also be a good first test to see if the change to the network will indeed make us more resilient at IROPS.

Unfortunately Florida is the home of the cheap flyer and vacationer and that’s what we do. That said at the moment Florida and NE are pretty maxed out between us and JB so I’d expect to see growth elsewhere as we grab more business or at least a slightly less frugal vacationer that wants to visit somewhere other than Florida. I’ll still be huge but hopefully growth elsewhere

Expect to see new bases at tpa, srq, rsw, pbi, pie, jax and tlh

How far out is ORD for new hires? Starting class next month and wondering if ORD was still a couple months. Also, how feasible would commuting from ORD be?
TIA

Mas o menos 6 months. Commuting to reserve for a while. Once a line holder trips will usually be commutable on one end.

ATL Base
 

How easy will be get ATL for new classes?

Just flew with 2 guys in the last month fresh off IOE, ORD based. Both had under 2000 when hired. Eye opening especially flying into MGGT O_O

my favorite is when they say things like “oh there’s mountains there?”

Or when they just show up and didn’t even bother to look at the route guide or the important things about those airports. “Yeah, I’m just kinda along for the ride”

That’s a product of the amazing international training Spirit does. The PowerPoint written by an intern with inaccurate information and a turn you did 6 months ago on OE really give you the confidence you need to feel prepared for going down south.

Just to add to that the info is usually 50% outdated and they are assigning a trip on reserve where you really have no time to prepare or review

Like it matters where you are going. At least 50 percent of the fng’s I’ve flown with lately are along for the ride no matter if you’re going down south or to myrtle beach.

That awkward moment when you have to stop the plane before entering the ramp, you set the brake, and silence for a few seconds until the FO says “oh, is this ramp controlled” and they frantically start to look for the frequency in the charts, yet has no idea where it is.

Is this not briefed prior? Do you really sit there in silence and what for your FO to realize something isn't right? Is it pleasurable to watch someone struggle? These are the kind of posts that really bother me about pilots. It seems like a "better than" mentality, and maybe I am reading it differently than intended. Whether it's a "FNG" or not, are we not all on the same team? I can tell you that I have never watched my captain miss something and sit there silently while they struggle and secretly think " let's see if he figures it out". I can assure you, captains miss things too. Come on guys!

See, that’s the entitlement junk right there.

Most of the time I actually brief “ramp is open, so we will call them,” when it’s their leg, they brief. You think it’s “pleasurable” for us? You think any CA would rather have someone who just doesn’t care vs someone solid? You have to be joking.

But that doesn’t even matter. This is a professional flying job, guys demand big money and guys are getting paid well, reaching six figures in their mid 20s and only 4-5 years after doing their first “steep turn”. If you think the job of the CA is to micro manage the right seat and hold their hand through every responsibility of the right seat, well, that ain’t happening. Give tips, help mentor, and help fill in some gaps, absolutely. But this isn’t IOE, this isn’t a guy on high mins, these are a select few who are “along for the ride” and sadly the numbers have increased as NK decides to hire many at first sight.

So yeah, you’re damn right I stop the plane and wait before entering the ramp. I can’t enter the ramp, I’m not working radios, and I can’t spend the entire trip telling the guy next to me what he needs to do, assuming he doesn’t know how to do his job.

I agree with you and I hope you debrief all this with the FO once the parking checklist is complete so they do better to improve themselves for the next time.

Absolutely. And honestly, sometimes it takes the awkward parking of the plane before entering the ramp to act as a “wake up call” to some that you have to pull your weight, CAs aren’t going to spoon feed your frequencies and you have to learn how to be effective at your job. This isn’t the majority of FOs, not even close, but a more common occurrence over the last year. But let’s be honest, nobody flying Airbus aircraft at a major airline should have to be reminded that they need to talk on the radios on the ground at major airports.

agreed


filler

If its a matter of "someone just doesn't care", then yes, I agree with you. Like I said, maybe I interpreted what you were saying wrong. Nobody, right OR left seat should be along for the ride. It is a professional job and people are expected to know their job, but a "not my job" mentality will get you killed. Explain to me how it is entitlement to expect to work as a crew? Lets be honest, some of the airport charts aren't exactly crystal clear and if you don't have the tribal knowledge, I can see it being missed. NOW.....if we're talking about an experienced FO who should know better but is lazy....then......set the brake and stare. I think we are just looking at it from two different perspectives.

I think you both have valid points…but:

The regional training departments have been taking inexperienced guys/gals and getting them up to speed for most of their existence. It isn’t unreasonable to expect the same of a major training department - not if they are going to accept those same inexperienced trainees. It’s a cost of doing business.

Tribal knowledge? You mean AOM vol 2?

With all do respect, we are coming from this from two different places if your profile is correct and you’re 6 months in at your first regional. I’m not saying this as a dig, but it seems like you’re so quick to want to drop the CRMTEM you learned at college, that you didn’t hear a damn word I said, it was made clear about the type of pilot we were talking about.

Well with all DUE respect to you, Sir; I don't know how my tenure in the 121 world is relevant in this scenario. I heard every word you said, which was a reply to posts talking about new guys at Spirit. The same posts talking about the experience level of folks being hired in todays environment. So, my original post was asking if you would really just set the brake and stare at an FO...that FO being one of the new hires this thread has been talking about. CRMTEM is not just "something I learned in college", I'm sorry you feel that way. I do not doubt or question your experience, and would normally look to someone with your (assumed) level of experience to learn from. But, thank you for taking the time to go through my post history to gauge my experience level and discount my opinion.

It's even better while you are taxing and the FO asks YOU what the ramp frequency is. Like I got them all memorized or something? Look it up like a big boy. Had that on multiple trips now.

Well I agree, new or not, that's ridiculous.

And for the record, you are right. I am relatively new to the 121 world and I mean it when I said I do look to those with a lot more experience to gain valuable information and learn from. I am not trying to argue what the job of each pilot is....we are on the same page there. I am just saying, as one of the "new guys", if a captain just stopped and stared at me, it would make me feel like crap and not want to fly with them again...it would not be productive. Now, talking about experienced, but lazy FOs, which is what I believe you are referring to, I am on your side. Lazy is lazy, regardless of experience....and I don't like it either. So, I am sorry if my comments rubbed you the wrong way....I am not out to make enemies, even on an anonymous forum. We may be worlds apart in experience, but I don't think we are all that far apart in beliefs.

Thing is no one should have to care about your feelings. This is a big boy job. We all are expected to be professionals. I’m not out to make you feel good about yourself or care if you want to fly with me again.

This. 100%. Know your job; do your job.

You guys sound like a joy to be on a trip with!