Mesa Upgrade Time

[CFIse]

Ok, before you open your cocky pilot mouth and let JO stick it in there, I went to Mesa because I was told that they needed Dash pilots (PHX isnt senior for Dash8). They sent all of my class to the CRJ because of the increase in UAL Express. Remember, this is a small community so please do not talk $hit unless you know me personally. I would be happy to discuss your perfect decisions you have made throughout your pilot career so far....ok? If your ever in PHX, let me know..... we'll grab a beer, I want to make JO jealous

You bet on a long shot and lost - again, if you'd done any research you'd have known how Mesa assigns planes and known what your odds of getting the Dash were. It's no good being all bitter because you didn't get the equipment and domicile you wanted.

You made a an arguably poor decision to come to Mesa, and once you knew your equipment you made a poor decision to stay - but that's hardly Mesa's fault. If you didn't know what Mesa was like before you went there, you shouldn't have been surprised to find out what it was like when you got there.

 

[CFIse]

I wouldn't be worried about CFIse making perfect decisions he's an FO on the CRJ at Mesa!

I'm senior in domicile and seat. I don't commute. I understand the contract and the pilot groups relationship with the company so I don't do anything for the company and I can pretty much avoid the company doing anything to me.

I've got a better QOL than most regional pilots anywhere else - because most pilots commute.

Now - if I commuted, if I wanted a more senior base and was still on reserve or bottom of the seniority list, if I didn't take the time to understand the contract and understand what I have to do, and more specifically what I don't have to do under it, well I'd be just as unhappy as all the other Mesa whiners you hear.

People make poor career decisions - blaming Mesa for their poor decisions seems somewhat childish to me.

That's why I say get educated, make the right decision for you, but don't believe everything you hear the Mesa whiners and detractors post on these boards - if you want a mother Mesa ain't it, if you're mature enought to work in an adversarial environment, and even get a perverse pleasure from it, come on down, you'll love it.

 

[labbats]

I've got a better QOL than most regional pilots anywhere else - because most pilots commute.

That's why I say get educated, make the right decision for you, but don't believe everything you hear the Mesa whiners and detractors post on these boards - if you want a mother Mesa ain't it, if you're mature enought to work in an adversarial environment, and even get a perverse pleasure from it, come on down, you'll love it.

How can you say that with any honesty whatsoever?

Someone hired now at Skywest/Republic/Eagle/Xjet/etc holds a line with 15 days off after a couple months and a Mesa guy who doesn't commute is sitting with 8 days off and another 6-10 months of the same on CRJ reserve? I won't even get into work rules and pay.

 

[Spinplate]

You bet on a long shot and lost - again, if you'd done any research you'd have known how Mesa assigns planes and known what your odds of getting the Dash were. It's no good being all bitter because you didn't get the equipment and domicile you wanted.

You made a an arguably poor decision to come to Mesa, and once you knew your equipment you made a poor decision to stay - but that's hardly Mesa's fault. If you didn't know what Mesa was like before you went there, you shouldn't have been surprised to find out what it was like when you got there.

Ok, I passed my sim ride in November 05 and left in April 06..... I stayed long enough to see what kind of circus it is. 5 months is way too long to sit ready reserve and have only 8 days off in a month. Even holding a line in IAH it was only 10 days off minimum. 75% of IAH lines were only 10-11 days off per month. I dont know where you are based, but I would much rather commute to work as long as I am working for a respectable company such as ExpressJet or Skywest..... plus I would probably still have more time off than if I were at Mesa. There will always be a pilot willing to take the crappiest jobs out there and they may be happy with it........not me. I did make a mistake going to Mesa, but wow did it sure open my eyes fast. If you are happy there, than stay. Mesa stock is the only stable thing!

 

[CFIse]

How can you say that with any honesty whatsoever?

Someone hired now at Skywest/Republic/Eagle/Xjet/etc holds a line with 15 days off after a couple months and a Mesa guy who doesn't commute is sitting with 8 days off and another 6-10 months of the same on CRJ reserve? I won't even get into work rules and pay.

How can you post such a complete pack of lies? This is an example of the kind of garbage that gets posted abot Mesa that just isn't true. It's by no means the greatest place to work, but it's nowhere near as bad as people like you, who have no idea, like to think.

 

[labbats]

How can you post such a complete pack of lies? This is an example of the kind of garbage that gets posted abot Mesa that just isn't true. It's by no means the greatest place to work, but it's nowhere near as bad as people like you, who have no idea, like to think.

A good friend of mine sits reserve at Mesa. He's on the CRJ, was hired last fall, and will still be on reserve in May. 8 days off and I hear all the details of everything in between on a regular basis.

Next question.

 

[A-V-8]

Facts

Deleted

 

[A-V-8]

Facts

You want the scoop?

This was posted here by me on 3/22/07

The first post that I ever made on a board like this was in here in regards to the Mesa Airlines Pilot Development program. There are a lot of Mesa haters in here and you are likely to need to take what is in here with a grain of salt. I will say that I am approaching the 3 year mark myself. Head for www.mesahub.com for more specific information.
As of today the most junior F.O. in PHX was hired in June of 06. Some times the wait for a domicile is long and sometimes it short. A friend of mine who lives in PHX had to wait for over a year. The most junior captain in PHX was hired in Oct of 2002.

The upgrade is fast on the props. Like almost right now. Here is the problem. If you are on a jet the prop is never an option for you. Your equipment lock is permanent on the jet as an FO. As a CRJ or ERJ FO you can only bid CRJ/ERJ captain. Meanwhile guys who were hired before you who are on the props will be upgrading and you will just be stagnant. It appalls me when guys at Mesa refute me on this one but they are idiots for arguing because this is not my opinion it is a fact that is in black and white that any Mesa pilot can access and see for themselves. I usually get puzzled looks for saying it and then they tell me that they don’t really believe it. Well here goes. In Nov. of 05 we had a displacement in PHL when we lost that flying to CHQ and Air Wis. We had some Jet for Jobs captains (Folks from U.S. Airways that we had to hire in order to get that flying) who had artificial captain slots. They were for the most part not senior enough to hold captain on that equipment but Mesa had to promote them out of seniority order because our contract to fly the CRJs for Airways dictated that we had to hire their furloughed guys and do that. When the flying went away so did their artificial captain seniority and their regressed to their original date of hire. Some of them were senior enough to hold captain and some went to F.O. Some of the ones that went to F.O. just resigned and some stayed on. Anyway a Jets for Jobs (J4J) captain who was just barely senior enough to hold captain became the most junior captain in the whole company after the displacement on the CRJ. She was on the bottom of the roster in IAD for a long time. Today it has been 19 months since the PHL displacement. Only 15 captains in IAD separate her name from the bottom of the page and that represents only 77 seniority numbers globally and she is still not senior enough to hold captain in any other domicile. Sure Mesa has upgraded more that 15 captains in the last 19 months but they were for the most part very senior. Not junior. At that rate CRJ captain will soon soar to 5+ years. No expansion and loosing planes complicated by the threat of our planes moving to China is a recipe for not applying. O yea they treat us like crap too. O yea do some research on what a trip rig and duty rig means. We have neither at Mesa. You will make about 40% more at CHQ or SkyWest for less work.
Well here is the real deal. If you are looking for a fast upgrade and you come to Mesa you will be delighted if you are one of the few that gets the props but if you get the Jet expect a long wait. We are loosing planes in PHX at 5 per year and that contract is up in 2013.
Like I said earlier almost 3 and no upgrade in sight. Meanwhile back at the training center folks more that 2 years to my junior are upgrading on equipment that I can’t bid cause of this f---ed up contract.
Just my 2 cents worth.

This was posted here by me in regards to a 2 year upgrade on the ERJ at Mesa 4/3/2007

Well just to let you know I am senior to that guy by over 9 months. It says Holdback by my name. All they have to do is start paying me 50 seat Captain pay on June 16th (despite the fact that I will be flying an 86 seater) which is 45 days after the first person junior to me starts class. They can hold me on the CRJ as an F.O. forever. One of our union reps was held for 18 months. If they start moving our jets to China I will miss out on a free ATP and PIC turbine again. Just to let you know folks with more than 3 years are being held back. That 5/25 new hire you speak of. He will be the bottom guy for a very long time because we are not getting anymore ERJs. Up grade at Mesa is still 3 years on the jets and if you are a Jet F.O. you still cant bid the props. Mesa once again ignored seniority and did what was cheapest for them. The 5/25/05 guy was awarded that out of seniority order. 2 year upgrade for about 5 or 6 not everyone.
So in conclusion I would like to say "Stay away from Mesa. We don not have fast upgrades. They treat us like crap and that is what they think we are”.
Thank you for your time.

So here we are at the same topic. Welcome Back! 4/25/07
That 2 year upgrade that is mentioned. Well that was done out of seniority order. As a result folks senior to him who had ATL ERJ CA on their bid have to be paid 50 seat CA pay for everything they do. Well if you are interested in 50 seat CA pay you are in luck but if you are interested in PIC turbine time you are SOL. 11/28/2000 is nearly six years ago. What does that have to do with anything? Well let me tell you; and again if anyone at Mesa refutes this they are idiots because I just opened the pilots lounge and looked it up in black and white. 11/28/2000 is the hire date of the most senior hold back on the ATL ERJ. So it is just as accurate to say that the upgrade is running nearly 7 years on the ERJ because that is the seniority level of the most senior person that Mesa wont send to class in seniority order.
I am one of the over 40 held back on that equipment. Don’t come here for a fast upgrade. I am at nearly 3 years and it is nowhere in sight for me.
O yea just an update on that J4J captain who was the most junior captain in the whole company in Nov of 05. Today she is 15 names from the bottom in IAD. Still not senior enough to hold Captain in any other domicile and 75 seniority #s separate her # from the # on the bottom of the page.
Need more proof?

 

[RP170]

How can you post such a complete pack of lies? This is an example of the kind of garbage that gets posted abot Mesa that just isn't true. It's by no means the greatest place to work, but it's nowhere near as bad as people like you, who have no idea, like to think.

What companies are worse than Mesa then?

 

[A-V-8]

How can you post such a complete pack of lies?

How can you be so blind as to think that this is a lie? One needs look no further than our current bid packets and awards. We have been stagnant for a long time. Then look at the same seniority at CHQ and SkyWest. Faster upgrade and more pay. Throw in better work rules and their companies make mesa look like prison. However you can't reason with an unreasonable person and you are an unreasonable person. So just ignore my post. It is for everyone else.

It's by no means the greatest place to work,

This shall officially be recorded as the under statement of the century.

but it's nowhere near as bad as people like you, who have no idea, like to think.

I work there. I do understand. It is you who needs a reality check. Of course if you like it so much then stay there. I am looking for my ticket out as we speak.

 

[thepotato232]

What companies are worse than Mesa then?

PSA?

Mesa sounds survivable, but I do get a chuckle out of hearing discussions like this when people told me I was nuts for going to Lakes. Oh, quick question: What do you figure the upgrade time will for the F/Os who get sent out to China? Maybe that's where the quick upgrade went...