Stickers
 

As a B6 pilot I speak for most of us, we’re disgusted my the possibility of furloughs. Would it be kosher if we made up a 260 sticker made up to wear on our bags? Judge makes me sick.

The best thing that can be done right now is for the senior pilots to let these 260 pilots fly as much as they can for the next few months. Senior pilots bid reserve and let the junior pilots be lineholders. Let the junior guys get 300-400 hours in the next 5-6 months so they have a better chance of getting picked up at a good airline somwehere.

I am sitting here in my crashpad with junior NK pilots that don't have enough hours to realistically get hired anywhere else. Save the stickers for preschool class. Help them in a meaningful way.

YES!!! Especially the ATL based captains need to bid reserve.

now I will try to do the same but sometimes I forget. 🤷‍♂️

That would be nice, but the opposite is happening. I know multiple who are blocking 90+hrs this month and picking up every trip they possibly can. If only reserves could pick up open time...or proffer for trips...or have more than 2 long call reserve lines...or drop reserve days when we have 20+ person buffer...or do anything that would make reserve worth bidding. But hey we have drop to zero, so it was worth it!

I highly doubt this is true. The super low time FOs who got hired with a wet ATP will most likely end up at the regionals, which was the standard teeth cutting 121 jet job prior to the post pandemic hiring frenzy.

At least now the pay has increased dramatically and one can actually afford to have a decent life in a major city as a first year regional FO, something a lof us never saw early in our careers.

I agree. Most regionals will be happy to hire FOs with ANY previous 121 time, some even giving credit for pay purposes for however many years of 121 time they have and will be delighted to upgrade them to CA as soon as they have 1000 hours of 121 time - then fly their butts off until they are competitive for a legacy. Not ideal, but not the end of the world either. Beats a short tour in the 'Stan's for sure.

I’m not sure what the state of the regional industry is like, but they still desperately need CAs. Unfortunately, low time 121 pilots won’t help a whole lot. I hope they land somewhere

Outside of the regionals, Frontier is still hiring. But they just implemented a $60,000, 2 year training contract. I cant help but wonder if it's implementation was expedited by the expectation that some NK pilots would come knkocking on their door.

Maybe, but they also changed their mins to 2500 TT and an ATP per the recruiting team at Sun N’ Fun

Been here two years and thats exactly what I'm doing. I have a couple new hire friennds that are stuck commuting to crash pads on "call me first" and still aren't getting trips. So I bid reserve in hopes to give those guys a chance to get some hours while I sit at home and get paid. Its a win win. Don't understand why more guys who live in base aren't bidding reserve right now. Keep updating your apps I know guys who are getting picked up with only 100hrs in the bus.

I would guess it’s because they have financial responsibilities that require them to credit above MMG (whether self induced or otherwise)

The bonuses at the regionals are really only for the DEC's at this point, and those will likely be ending soon too. Most of the regional pay bonuses and bumps were temporary if you actually read the fine print. It won't take long for regional pay to come back down. It won't drop back to $23/hour like it was in 2012, but it will certainly be much lower than what it is currently.

But, are you saying that it is ok that your cowarkers at a major airline should go back to the regionals? Pretty bad thing to be saying.

I bet the ones that are about to be furloughed also have financial responsibilities.

Right, my point was that some pilots didn’t maintain a lifestyle that would be supported on MMG. Should’ve planned better, idk

And when there are more reserve pilots than line trips available? How do you decide who gets to hold a line now that you’re sitting on reserve? Oh… seniority.

Every FO at Spirit is qualified to take a job that keeps them flying, puts food on the table and a roof over their head. That extra 100 hours of flight time between now and September isn’t going to keep them from getting furloughed if their number gets chopped. Might as well punch out now and start building seniority somewhere else like Atlas to get training done over the summer.

If you’re sitting on reserve not flying what’s the difference between that and being in indoc and training for 2-3 months.

Hard to get much more than MMG even as a lineholder. I was bidding max cedit lines and the most I was awarded was 75. Most of the time it was below 72. And good luck picking up anything in open time. Not like it was a year ago where you could easily manipulate your schedule and credit over 90hrs.

It’s not impossible. You just have to have the right processes in place. I would regularly credited over 100+/month until I left

If it helps anyone, jetBlue is still hiring.

Yea lets save 260 pilots so 90% of them can leave in a year anyway? Pass.

its well underway. my interview class at delta was all spirit guys. 10-12 year captains, LCAs the works...

You don't have to go all Ramsey and live only on MMG (or LTD) levels, assuming retirement savings is on track.

But you need to have a plan to live on MMG, or LTD, if it comes to pass. Ie use your discretionary spending on vacations, eating out, etc. Stuff you quickly can cut back on. Or on toys which can be liquidated if necessary.

McMansions and vacation homes are dangerous, if you need a 90 hours/month to cover it. You might have to sell in a very down market, maybe upside down, and it can take a while.

Part of that planning is psychological... don't want to end up clinically depressed if you lifestyle changes. You need to mentally partition the part above MMG (LTD) as "bonus". Remind yourself every day, that actually helps you appreciate and enjoy it more too.

You did a better job of communicating the point. The point is to be able to live off of MMG. I heard of guys working themselves into a ground because they needed to work 90+ hours a month to keep their toys

Putting a sticker on your bag is the pilot equivalent of "thoughts and prayers."

Sending positive vibes.

Honestly I'm sure it will work out. Those who leave will be rewarded and those who stay will too. Empty words, but things always seem to work out for 95% of the pilots I know who stuck with it. They are all rich by most peoples standards.