Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Question for Mesaba guys

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
Register   Log in
Q

QXbuzzard

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Posts
50
I am considering applying for a captain position with Mesaba. First, I have read the previous posts and I have a lot of respect for all the pilots who waited an enternity to upgrade. I am facing that where I work. I just need to ask a few questions.

Is DTW going to be the junior base for Saab captains and how long would it realistically take to get MSP?


How long would a street captain expect to be on reserve? This I know is probably long, but a ballpark figure.


What are the average days off for reserves? Are they the min days off, or are there some lines with more?


Those are just a few that I had to ask, I am just not feeling like I am going to move forward any time soon where I work and I need to consider my options. I don't see an upgrade at my company for atleast 3 more years. I have been there over 3 now. I just need to assure myself that I'd be making the right choice.

Thanks in advance. Fly safe!
 
QXbuzzard said:
I am considering applying for a captain position with Mesaba. First, I have read the previous posts and I have a lot of respect for all the pilots who waited an enternity to upgrade. I am facing that where I work. I just need to ask a few questions.

Is DTW going to be the junior base for Saab captains and how long would it realistically take to get MSP?

Yes DTW is junior, MSP folks don't ever leave so your QOL is going to suck even longer



How long would a street captain expect to be on reserve? This I know is probably long, but a ballpark figure.

A long time, been here 7 yrs, I'm border line, line holder reserve, plus as all the fo's that are senior to you upgrade you will just be pushed down the list. Remember street captains will probably just be a quick fix, due to seniors fo's holding out for upgrade to avoid any seat locks.

What are the average days off for reserves? Are they the min days off, or are there some lines with more?

All reserve lines are 11 days off, min days off is 11.
Click to expand...
 
I am looking into the street captain as well. What kind of avionics they have on the Saab? I am looking at another year or so before anything will likely happen where I am at. Also what kind of pass benefits do they have for significant others? Do you have to be married to get them? How many hours a month would you expect to fly on reserve?
 
Last edited:
what about a colgan street pic position? that lady from hr calls me literally once every few weeks.
 
Hey i'm a Mesaba pilot i fully encourage anyone who thinks that they can make it through training as a stret hire captain to come over here, almost a thousand people on the list now and probably half are f.o's so if you got hired as captain and you were 1,001 it would be a while until you got reserve, proabably a while and then you might get a line and then the next month you would be pushed back down when the hundreds of F.o's above you in seniority start to upgrade. single FMS that is on the F.O side of the center ped. 5 tube efis
 
flyn96 said:
QXbuzzard said:
I am considering applying for a captain position with Mesaba. First, I have read the previous posts and I have a lot of respect for all the pilots who waited an enternity to upgrade. I am facing that where I work. I just need to ask a few questions.

Is DTW going to be the junior base for Saab captains and how long would it realistically take to get MSP?

Yes DTW is junior, MSP folks don't ever leave so your QOL is going to suck even longer



How long would a street captain expect to be on reserve? This I know is probably long, but a ballpark figure.

A long time, been here 7 yrs, I'm border line, line holder reserve, plus as all the fo's that are senior to you upgrade you will just be pushed down the list. Remember street captains will probably just be a quick fix, due to seniors fo's holding out for upgrade to avoid any seat locks.

What are the average days off for reserves? Are they the min days off, or are there some lines with more?

All reserve lines are 11 days off, min days off is 11.
Click to expand...

Now that a January class has closed MOST FO's that are going to take Saab have already done so.... maybe one more award and after that with no changes to the seat locks most remaining FO's that can and will upgrade now are waiting for a jet captain seat. 6 months from now that probably will change when some of these newhires get the experience/confidence to take the Saab upgrade.
Click to expand...
 
I figure it doesn't hurt to apply, interview if called and then make the final decision. I am nervous about if I got hired to go in to a company completely blind and make it through the training. I have confidence in myself. I have a good background, but someone who has been with the company and gone through indoc, "etc" has an advantage. He or she knows the way the company runs. Me on the other hand, have no clue. It may be worth a shot though.

I do have one other question. Knowing now that reserve would be a long time, do the reserve captains fly a lot? I, of course would want to fly as much as I could.
 
If you want to fly more on reserve, you can always call up scheduling and get more flights out of them. It can't hurt to try.
 
Latest street captain group started today, 4 went to DTW and the rest to MEM, so they are being spread out a bit. Doesn't sound like MSP will be available for some time though.

If you are interested, you should apply. After all, it never hurts to come in and talk, make a decision after that. One thing to keep in mind, always talk to people when there's an opportunity. You never know.

Numbers-wise, the company is looking to hire a large number of street captains over the coming months, so the opportunity still exists.
 
updraft said:
does mesaba have AQP?
Click to expand...


We have a lot of SOB's though........just kidding, want to talk about reserve? I have been here over 4 years and I am on reserve right now.....imagine how long you will be on reserve. But then again, I am in msp. I would be holding over 15 days off a month at any other base. its a good place to work, you should give it a shot. We have movement, more airplanes will be coming and most important, lots of people cannot wait to leave from the NWA flow (or elsewhere).
 

Share this page

Latest posts

Latest resources

Latest media

Carbon Cub FX-3 Shenandoah Valley
Carbon Cub at Kittyhawk
FX-3 in the backcountry
IFR Panel in a Carbon Cub FX-3
Cub-Provo-UT-c.jpg
Back
Top