Do Colgan Pilots Care If They Get The Q400?

[Kaman]

I think that most of the Colgan pilots care if the "Q" is on the property. Any increase in fleet size is a good thing at any airline. I agree that the majority of the Captain slots are going to go pretty senior, but there are going to be some guys that find schedule, home-basing and location more important than the airframe thet fly. A big discrimator is going to be the payscale. I'm not very optimistic that the pay is going to be higher than $52.00/hr. for first year and up from there. I'd like to see $58.00, but $55.00 is "acceptable". By the way $55.00 is the current first year pay at PCL.
The future of the Beech is muddy at best. LVB is definetly going back to Raytheon in a few weeks. Beyond that I've not heard any firm news, but if you look at the economics of scale it makes no economic sense to have 47 SAABS, 15 Q-400s and 10 1900s. Obviously, the Q isn't going anywhere, and truth be told PCL Holdings, Inc. ordered FORTY-ONE Q-400s with 15 firm orders and 26 options. My personal opinion is that 5-7 years from now Colgan Air will be operating 50+ Q-400s and no other types, and will be out of the EAS business. Using past events to predict the future, Express 1 was a smallish EAS operator flying J-Balls and SAABs, and less than 7 years later are operating 127 CRJ-200s. These PCL folks are in the business to make money, and there is no money in EAS flying Be-1900s. At least not the type of money that these guys are telling their stockholders that they can make.
With that said, I think that the Beech will be gone in a couple of years as the EAS contracts come up for bid city by city. Beech pilots will transition to either the left seat of the SAAB or "Q" by seniority. It will be a win-win situation for the Beech pilots.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rorothead

 

[PCL_128]

By the way $55.00 is the current first year pay at PCL.

Yes. To fly 24 fewer seats.

 

[landlover]

who cares, props are for boats!

 

[Kaman]

Exactly my point, Sir. $52.00 is going to be what we get if we're lucky to honest. Union or no union. So careful what you guys at PCL ask for...You might just get it in your scope suit against PCL Holdings. You guys might just find yourself flying a 70-seater for the same or LESS than what you get flying the CRJ.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[LanceAir]

I heard the Q pay was going to be in the 70-75 dollar range...not sure if that was referrring to the first year, or top of the payscale...:erm:

As far as the Beech, I am pretty sure they are on the way out. As the leases expire the airframes will be returned to the bank. Some of our maintenance bases just got their leases renewed, however, there are clauses in those leases that allow Colgan to opt out with appropriate notice....

That being said, 220CJ just made its last revenue flight last night....

 

[Mr Wu]

That being said, 220CJ just made its last revenue flight last night....

Was it a smooth landing?

 

[LanceAir]

Was it a smooth landing?

I can only venture a guess.....but considering the pilots who were operating........it probably was pretty smOOOOOOOOOOth. (as per kainman)

 

[CoolSidePillow]

it isnt just the seats that determine pay scale. it is also cost per seat mile. Horizon which is a leader in regional pay and operates both props and jets pay 71/hr for CRJ700 and 65/hr for Q400 for first year captains. Both are 70 seat aircraft. Shupubliquipemyasswua starts at 57/hr for the EMB170 heavies they fly. Obviously CJC isnt going to match Horizon pay but if first year pay comes in at 52/hr or more that is about as good as it can realistically (not ideally) be. Is it good? No. Is it life changing? No. Is it more than SF340 or BE1900 Captains make? Yes. Will the aircraft make for a more comfortable day of work? YES. Is an APU and FMS plus a slight pay increase worth commuting? Probably not. Most senior captains are too comfortable living at base and being home for wife and kids to commute to the ghetto that is Newark and have to get a crash pad. A good amount wont commute to EWR from IAH. Many went there to be closer to west coast homes, moved for better cost of living, or for easier commute than going to northeast. Besides CO will want Q's in IAH by 2009. The EWR Q400 is good for those Captains that are in the upper 100 of seniority and live in and around that region at least a drivable commute to EWR. The schedules will be overnights so driving into sh*thole NJ will only be once a week. There are quite a few pilots from NJ, NYC area, CT, eastern PA that will take it. The Q400 is the future.... not only for CJC but as a money making enterprise for true regional flying in general. Low cost, high capacity, and good performance. Continental will no doubt look for expansion in IAH and probably CLE. 50 seat RJs just dont have the performance or cost for 300-500nm trips and under. Plus the ERJs are real turds and werent designed or built to last long and as they get older and the MX hours and cost increase with flight hours they will be less economical. The 70-90 seat RJ is the future of outsourced flying with medium range flights while the majors concentrate on the high density markets and international stuff for mainline planes and pilots. The other majors will see the benefit of a high capacity T-prop and the circle will come around. The new technology T-prop will bring the market back and other majors will want it. Especially on east coast with the high density populations. A 70 and eventually 90 seat T-prop can still make use of smaller airports.... fill the seats and still have the performance and lower fuel cost that 50 seat jets failed to do. People might not like props but they buy their tickets through online whore ticket brokers. They dont really care what regional airline is doing it or the kind of aircraft. They buy the cheapest ticket that works with their itinerary and keeps them from driving into big cities to fly. People just want convenience and cheap prices.