Chautauqua Pool

[frqntflyr]

I'm going to try and squeeze a question in between this match. I'm a CHQ poolie from purdue also (yes I've flipped burgers, instructed and waited tables, so please no animosity). This may be a stupid question but do you think orlando will go really senior? I ask b/c I'm from the south florida area and would love to come back. 4 years in lafayette and i realize winters aren't my cup of tea. One more thing.....as I sit here anxiously awaiting a phone call with my lease ending in aug 15, I'm wondering if anyone has heard anything about when the first new hire class may come into play? Thanks in advance!

 

[airzim]

OH!

I see now. BVT1151 is with Comair. That is why he is so messed up. He's one of the "REGIONAL JETS BELONG AT THE REGIONAL CARRIERS, NOT THE MAJORS" kinda Comair guys. I'm sure he was hired later, but fits in well with all the other heroes who paid Comair $10,000 each and worked long hours without pay. But then got all wrapped up in "all the union revelry and forgot about reality" by expecting their union brothers at the other ALPA airlines to pay for them to strike their way out of the damage their own pilots caused the profession. I'd be crazy to think he was going to thank his fellow ALPA pilots for buying Comair the contract he currently enjoys. BVT is not alone at Comair though. I'm sure a fair majority feel zero gratitude for the rest of us ALPA pukes who dug them out of the mess they created for themselves there so they could have a nice contract and fly their RJ's.

 

[slapstick]

Why would someone choose to flight instruct for 3000 hours, knowing they could go through a school with a bridge program and get an airline job much faster? (not to mention an education)i'm not talking about the early '90's, i'm talking about the way things are now. i'm sorry you had to "earn your job the hard way", but i don't plan to instruct and flip burgers for a few more years just to earn your respect. If you were presented such an opportunity, you'd have taken ahold of it without a second thought.


Military pilots can fly T-38's after as much time as it takes the rest of us to 'upgrade' to a Cessna 182. Agreed, 300 hours is very low time, but there is something to be said for quality of training experience. How much is a 3000-hr. CFI learning with every new touch and go?

 

[h25b]

I'm a former CHQ pilot and Purdue grad. wishing to interject some reason here. Especially since I'm no longer in the airline game... (By choice, not furlough...) The opportunity given to us is, by any measure, is an outstanding one. Also one that ANYONE would take advantage of. But, it's a priviledge, not a right and could all come crashing down with a CEO or other management change at CHQ. I joined CHQ with about 800 hrs. and soon found out that the percentage of 727 knowledge used is about zero. All that brain beating teaches you is how to learn systems. It DOES NOT teach you one thing about stick and rudder skills. That's where tooling around in a Piper, Cessna, or whatever helps out. Don't think for ONE MINUTE that just because you've got 100 hrs. in the 727 sim, the Beechjet type (along with those 100 hrs.), etc. that your GRRRR EAT.

Keep your mouth shut about your background and prove yourself behind the stick. Which isn't entirely difficult. I guess what I'm saying is BE HUMBLE. Statements like, "They KNOW jets and have been flying for 4 years with a discipline thats been related to military flying. Better yet (or worse yet for you) during checkrides, they regularly outfly those 2000 hour pilots who are wandering the streets." is NOT being humble. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with all of that nonsense, but I think when you are given the kind of opportunity we were and are still given those are the kind of statements that if thought, they're not vocalized.

It's times like these, when those less fortunate are wandering the streets, hoping like hell to get back in to the cockpit and feed their families, that we keep our mouths shut and greatfully accept ANY opportunity afforded us. Purdue IS a fine school that allowed me to have some pretty cool deals float my way, but it sure didn't teach me everything. Keep level heads and the rest you'll figure out as you go.

 

[Checks]

How can you guys be in a pool for CHQ when the HR lady told me they arent hiring and still have guys laided off? Just curious because I will calling her back again tomorrow.

Also,

"They KNOW jets and have been flying for 4 years with a discipline thats been related to military flying.



Did the guy who wrote this have military time under his belt? Did he fly F18's with the Marines in Desert Storm and then transfer to Purdue to finish his education? Maybe it was the Navy and F-14's? Or the Army and AH-64 Apaches? Just curious....seems like he knows a lot.

 

[slapstick]

I can't stand arrogant pilots, either. But I haven't noticed any more arrogance around Purdue than anywhere else where pilots are. (I could mention attitudes at another university, but we don't need more finger-pointing).

h25b, I agree. We don't think for a minute that knowing 727 numbers will ever be of real value, but we recognize that it helps prepare us for ground school in any transport-category airplane. Our profs tell us this.

I only wish people wouldn't flame Purdue for the opinions of a few vocal and overly-proud students.

 

[pilotdad]

Checks

Checks, the Chautauqua pool most likely results from the announcement of the new codeshare aggreement with Delta. The pilots currently flying the Orlando routes are going to be offered the positions first. Whether or not they choose to stay with Comair for seniority purposes and are willing to move or choose to stay near Orlando and start at the bottom of the seniority list with Chautauqua will be their choice. If they choose to stay with Comair, this will open up several positions for Chautauqua. Some will be absorbed by the ongoing retraining of the Saab pilots into the RJs. This is where most of the recall is occuring at the present. And given the fact that these flights out of Orlando are not due to commence until November gives Chautauqua a little time to sort things out, hence the pool in waiting.

 

[pilotdad]

h25b's post

h25b hit the nail on the head. An arrogant attitude will get you nowhere in this profession. Better learn to drop it before you get to an interview, because it will not "fly" there. Take heed of his entire post.

 

[frqntflyr]

Re: Checks

"The pilots currently flying the Orlando routes are going to be offered the positions first."

what is that all about? I thought that comair will be moving into DFW. If the orlando guys leave comair, then comair will be short on pilots for DFW, wont they?? I can see CHQ interviewing in the near future to fill these positions, but I doubt one single comair guy is going to jump to the bottom of CHQ's seniority list. It just doens't make any sense other than not having to move....and thats never a certainty. What if MCO goes real senior (although if there are lower payscales for the EMB-135 this probably wont be the case). Then are these comair guys going to magically bid the most senior base at CHQ soon after they start? I don't think so. Just doesn't make sense pilotdad....maybe I'm just not understanding your post.

 

[pilotdad]

Frequent

Maybe it does not make sense, but that is the word I have heard. There might be some newbie FOs working there that might be interested in keeping the route. I do not know how senior MCO is to Comair. It is just an option thrown out to them I guess. Comair I believe has a large pool to draw from so I do not think they will be short of pilots. Like you say, it probably won't be senior since they will be flying the 135. Who knows in this business.