47 Grads of Gulfstream hired by Pinnacle

[B52GUNNER]

I have seen your posts, and others posts. Some are informative, and some are just bitter. Each of you are entitled to your opinion.

I have no problem with the route you have chosen. I have been in aviation for over 15 years and have had my ratings for over 10. I could have taken the flight instructing job back in the early 90s and would have been a captain with the majors now. Hind sight is 20/20. but I have been working on the maintenance/operations side of the fence for the past 10 years. The money on the maint/parts/operations side was a lot more than I could have made flying.

As for the love of flying, I have worked at almost every job in the airline industry, from loading planes, to selling tickets, to fixing engines, selling parts..etc... Dont think that some of us that are out working on and loading your birds dont have aspirations as well. Some of us ramp rats can make good. I have saved for a long time and my family has done without to go the route I have chosen and done things for the airplanes that you or others might not have done.

I have spoken with some Captains that are on hiring boards. As a matter of fact, I have flown with some of them in the military. As you say, some look down on this route, but others have said that they would pefer someone that has had 121 experience over someone with only time flight instructing. In my class we had several (3) flight instructors with over 1000 hours total time going through the program to get the 121 experience and turbine time. They did no better in the academics/sim than those of us with less time. As a matter of fact, in my class, some of us with the lower times finished the class above the flight instructors. It comes down to the individual.


I hope this doesnt start the old flame thing , but like I said what is right for me at 35 with my career history, may not be right for you or someone else.

With that and $1.50 you might be able to get a cup of coffee.

 

[dondk]

Re: 47 Grads of Gulfstream hired by Pinn

Recently 47 conduates from the Gulfstream Academy have been hired by Pinnacle Airlines (NWairlink) to fly the CRJ. So for all you out there that complain about this place gulfstream must be doing something right. Also Pinnalces future plans of hiring are to hire 300 more pilots next year in 03'. 75% will be made of of NWA furloughs an the other 25% perfect will be Gulfstream grads. Once all the NWA guys are gone Pinnacle will exclusively hire only from Gulfstream.

Chad

I found this entertaining at best... I am happy someone from outside MY company knows EXACTLY what is going on.

Per the LOA the classes in Feb will have 75% with NWA personnel. The only thing is... we have only had about 50 NWA bite at the opportunity. Of the 50... several WERE NOT offered a position.

We are OVER 600 strong and should be at 900 by this time next year. We have hired other than GIA and NWA furloughee's and continue to interview from the general pilot population.

Yes in Feb or so we should be drawing again from the GIA pool. Exactly what deal mgmt has made with GIA is beyond our understanding. The rumor of 50 or so is accurate. Do not believe that EVERY GIA person makes it to the line at Pinnacle, they don't! Many do, but some have failed or dropped out. For the disbelievers, I personally (and unfortunately) saw one GIA wash out.

As for how we Pinnacle pilots like GIA people? Let me preface it by saying... several of us have friends who were either IN training at or around 9/11 or who had a class date around the same time. Management basically goes to GIA, gets some 40+ GIA pilots, hires them, trains them THEN gets back around to to our friends. How do you think we feel? How would you feel to be the person behind 40 something GIA dudes who "stepped" on you?

Personally, I don't care either way, I have flown with some GIA people at my previous airline, I have also flown with MAPD grads who have similar time and experience. My only issue... we have so many qualified people riding a desk or doing some non-flying job that should be given an EQUAL chance at the right seat of the Pinnacle CRJ. I feel, let the best pilot earn the position, not because thay came from a program or have "bridge program". Aviation is about paying your dues, whether it be instructing, frieght dog, 135, corporate or whatever. You will take more away from those jobs than you can ever buy at a "program"

 

[Timebuilder]

Bitter? I know you can't be referring to me.

In fact, I am very positive, and forever grateful to the truly senior aviators who guided me away from PFT, and that includes the one who created the air in which I fly.

In my class we had several (3) flight instructors with over 1000 hours total time going through the program to get the 121 experience and turbine time. They did no better in the academics/sim than those of us with less time. As a matter of fact, in my class, some of us with the lower times finished the class above the flight instructors. It comes down to the individual.

This is a good point, although it was made inadvertently.

Those three instructors are a part of what statisticians call a self-selected group, which means that these three instructors who demonstrated mediocre performance may have decided to go the PFT route because they had been mediocre instructors, too. At any rate, they wanted to buy experience instead of being hired, trained, and working in order to attain it.

That is the bone most of us have to pick with PFT.

Not bitterness.

Not envy.

Just anger at the exploitation of pilots, who lower the professionalism of our industry.

That from a pilot who first set foot in an aircraft forty years ago, and who has learned a little about the world in the process.

You can take that for what ever it is worth to you.

 

[B52GUNNER]

Your points are well taken.

I did not say that YOU were bitter, only that there were some posts from others that I have read over the past year or so that are.

I also have seen that you have recently got your Lear Job. Congratulations. I have several friends that fly lears and love it. I am sure you will to.

One last thing and I will shut up on the matter. As I said before that I have been on the other side of aviation for the last 15 years, do you not think that there are people there that so called "Cut in front of you" in the business world. At the 4 companies I have worked for (you would probably know them all) would bring in people from other companies....or off the street in front of people that are in line for jobs. It is not just the Pilot career that this is a problem.

He!! I wish all of us had jobs. I may not have one flying in the future... but in that event I can always fall back on the maintenance side. I would know that at least for a little while this 35 year old had a shot at my dream.

Good luck to all.

 

[Timebuilder]

I wish all of you new hires well. It is too late to change your course now, so I hope you all make the most of your opportunity.

52, you are fortunate indeed to have learned about the "other side" of aviation. It will serve you well if your pilot job falls through. I tell everyone I can to have a "Plan B".

Good luck, and once again, Happy New Year..

 

[blade230]

With regards to senior captains approving this route or not, some do, as I am related to four of them for four different airlines, who told me to come this route, They ARE on the interviewing boards for their respective airlines, all of them.

With regards to college. I did go. I got ripped off there too, but was well educated.(ERAU).

My parents did not pay a cent for GIA. I paid it on my own from my previous job. They did HELP (not all, or even close to it) with Riddle.

With regard to instructing, I respect it, and have many friends doing it, and they all know their sh*t very well. But I know some sh*t too. I am not better than them, and vice versa. We are learning in different ways, that's all.

GIA offers no gurantee on anything, don't let them tell you different. Luck plays a major role, as does hard work and timing. Many (MANY) at GIA will not be nearly as lucky as I have been. And that is a shame.

Good luck to everybody in this harsh environment

p.s. Those who wish to trash me now, please go ahead.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

 

[B52GUNNER]

CONGRATS BLADE.


I am pretty sure who you are and if so you know me. Glad you made it. EYW paid off.

See you soon.

 

[Timebuilder]

Blade 230, clearly you do not fit the outline I mentioned. Good for you. Do well.

N9, life is full of many choices. The fact that there are varying opinions, even among senior captains, does not necessarily mean that the choices have equivalent value.

The captains who first counciled me about PFT are long retired. Perhaps there is a "sea change" in opinion in the upper echelons of the shrinking "major" carriers. Perhaps you have found a pocket of captains who feel positively about PFT. I can't answer that.

Curiously, one of the current captains that counseled me to avoid PFT is a 747 captain for UPS. Go Brown!

While I would not say that any and all bridge program pilots are unsafe, I would say that experience is built over time. Less time, less expereince. It is a different argument if we discuss how much experience is a good idea under current operating rules.

Good luck. Frankly, I hope this doesn't catch on again among regionals like it did in the nineties. There are many furloughed pilots who should be at the head of the line at Pinnacle.

 

[KingAirer]

Senior Capts dont care b.c they are capts already. THey have nothing to lose. It would be like me saying i dont care if they raise the driving age to 21. Doesnt effect me either way.

As for pinnacle allowing this, i guess they are getting the perfect employee, someone willing to pay for the job that they are doing and are willing to step on pilot to have their job, just what they are looking for. A "yes" man. IM sure they are also getting money from GIA for this.

I am truly sorry for the Pinnacle pilots that are not GIA grads that get there name muddied up b/c of this.

 

[Timebuilder]

I know what you mean about flying from the tail!!!! It's a wake up call when rotation speed is faster than a 172 in a dive!

Good luck.