A Few Colgan Questions

[F9 Buff]

Didn't want to hijack someone else's thread...

I currently live near Washington DC, about a mile from DCA and am thinking of applying at Colgan and then updating the resume every few weeeks...

If hired as an FO, how long could I expect to be based somewhere else before I have enough seniority to get a bid for HEF in the Saab?

If I were to get placed in the Beech can I bid out of it and into the saab when I have enough seniority or are you stuck in the 1900 for good?

Would getting the Beech make it harder to live in DC and still work at Colgan?

I thought I heard that Colgan required a training contract? I couldn't find anything about it searching the forum, but if they do have a contract, how long is it for and what does it say?

How are the schedules? 4 on, 3 off sort of thing, or do they try and work you 5-6 days at a time with just one or two off?

I really want to be able to live in DC, and I know Colgan hires low timers as of late so I am thinking this may be a good fit for a few years.

Thanks

 

[Kingzrt]

You could sit at another base for 6 mos before getting Hef, It is very senior, people only leave when they upgrade depending on how long people have been there will determine how long it takes to get it. You would be better off as far away from the HQ as possible but thats your choice.
You won't be in the beech for good but probably will not get the saab until after you upgrade to Capt in beech, They will usually call you to send you for the SAAB. About 8mos or 1800tt Or 700 in type to upgrade in Beech 2200 or 1000 in type for the saab.
Your chances are probably better to get the beech and live in DC than the saab.
Contract is for 1 yr i think. Just says if you bail out within the year you have to pay them for training expenses it is pro-rated if you stay a month you owe a ton, stay 11 mos you do not owe as much, my suggestion for you is to get in sit right seat in either aircraft then build your 1000 pic and move on to a major. Or you can sit right seat of a rat jet for 5 yrs and hope to upgrade then, again your choice.
Schedules are about 3-4 on 3-4 off depending on the schedule your seniority etc. Not sure what mins are for hiring but shoot them a resume.

 

[F9 Buff]

Thanks for the info. What is so bad about being based near the HQ?

I do like the upgrade times at Colgan though, plus with all the talk about them picking up more flying, I figure if I can get in within the next half a year I may beat the big hiring push? Would be nice to get in right before they start hiring a ton of people instead of at the tail end of the hiring boom.

I take it Colgan is pretty much always hiring though? Have they ever furloughed in the past few years?

 

[Fred Rogers]

Thanks for the info. What is so bad about being based near the HQ?

I do like the upgrade times at Colgan though, plus with all the talk about them picking up more flying, I figure if I can get in within the next half a year I may beat the big hiring push? Would be nice to get in right before they start hiring a ton of people instead of at the tail end of the hiring boom.

I take it Colgan is pretty much always hiring though? Have they ever furloughed in the past few years?

They are one of the few places I have heard of that isn't on the brink of collapse.. is that true Colgan people?

 

[Snaab]

Hola,

I'm on the Saab at Colgan, and it took me about 2.5 months to be able to get HEF as a base. I was hired this past summer. As I'm sure you're aware, HEF is about 35-40 mins from DCA. Colgan only bases Saabs in HEF; the closest Beech base in SHD.

As far as being base at "headquarters," it's been fine. Outstation pilots have this paranoia and phobia about anything-HEF. My only complaint is the traffic in Northern Virginia. Good luck!

If being based right at DCA is what you want, check out Air Wisconsin. As far as growth/stability at Colgan, everything is up-and-up. I know upgrades are running on-time, etc.

Snaab

 

[F9 Buff]

Snaab, thanks for the post. What kind of schedules are you getting there at HEF? Would you say you enjoy your quality of life there at Colgan? I don't mind being near the main office, I can rub elbows without making a fool out of myself.

Wisconsin will be getting resumes from me soon too, they pay more and would be the ideal place but I am also trying to be realistic too since their mins are almost double what I currently have.

Thanks again

 

[CoolSidePillow]

Colgan furloughed for about a month after 9/11 then called everyone back. After the startup of the Saab operation in late 90's things were kind of shaky but they have only grown since. Almost doubled pilot roster in a year and yes things look like there will be more expansion. With so many companies trying to get jets they left a lot open to turboprops that just wouldnt make money with jets. As it is 50 seat jets turned out to be a giant economic problem with fares plunging and fuel prices soaring. The 70 and 90 seat jets arent going to go to all the places the 50 seaters went so that leaves even more places open for turboprops. Colgan is on pretty firm ground financially and well they are kind of cheap. It would be nice to see them open up the purse strings but at same time it keeps them financially stable. So you might trade compensation for a bit more security but this industry is so hard to figure out. One day at a time. I upgraded in a year, I make a livable wage and I am home every night and I NEVER have to commute. As far as HEF goes. Yeah that is senior base and it is a tough base to work at simply because it is a MX base and they dont originate revenue flights there. Which means lots of driving to start or end your day and lots of plane swaps. If you get the beech you are there for awhile. You will have to upgrade there and then wait to transition to Saab. However it is possible the Beech will be phased out with all the 30 seat Saabs on the market from Shuttle America. Colgan would much better have a one plane roster but who knows. I also heard rumor we will be flying 777's. Yeah baby

 

[Fred Rogers]

I also heard rumor we will be flying 777's. Yeah baby

Do you think they will paint them like the Colgan Clippers??

I wonder what the upgrade time would be in that thing?

 

[Snaab]

The quality of life is great so far for me. It's really what you make of it. I got on-line in early September, got HEF after 2+ months, have 15 days off this month (with 2 long weekends). Really, think I've got it pretty good this month and I'm not even in the top 1/2 of seniority at HEF. Does that help?

snaab

 

[F9 Buff]

That is just what I am looking for. I think I will send out a resume to them in a few weeks and just keep updating it. I am pretty low time right now at 500TT but I have about 140 of ME time so maybe that will get me in the door. Oh well, won't know till I try.

Thanks again

 

[ShyFlyGuy]

Upgrades are now running to 1.5 years, but with your TT, you'll be in the right seat AT LEAST 2 years. You'll need 2500 TT to upgrade. Just keep your head down, lest it be swatted. Nose ----> Grindstone=Good things. Drink as much Cool Aid as possible.

Shy

 

[F9 Buff]

Not worried too much about upgrade times, thinking more about QOL while I am there. It is impossible to predict upgrades anyway but if that trend continues and the QOL is good, I wouldn't be too upset at sitting right seat for 2 years before upgrading. Something to think about though.

 

[pipejockey]

Is there anyway Colgan could indicate to a prospective new-hire where you would be based before accepting a job with them?

What are the chances of an Allentown or LaGuardia base for a new hire?

Colgan would appear to offer a half way decent quality of life for people who may live near one of their bases but with the low pay it would be very hard for some people to relocate for the job. Also, could upgrade run less than a year for someone with pior 121 experience and well over 1000 hours of multi and about 1000 hours of turbine including 700 hrs 727 time?

 

[HughBeamont]

Is there anyway Colgan could indicate to a prospective new-hire where you would be based before accepting a job with them?

What are the chances of an Allentown or LaGuardia base for a new hire?

Also, could upgrade run less than a year for someone with pior 121 experience and well over 1000 hours of multi and about 1000 hours of turbine including 700 hrs 727 time?

No way to know where you're based before they hire you, and if you ask in the interview, you probably won't get hired. Just say, "I'll gladly be based wherever company need dictates", or some other such lie.

They routinely upgrade out of sequence if they need captains on a particular fleet.

Good luck, not a bad place to work. Get to a base where you fly a lot (for example, not SHD) and/or can live cheap. Get your time, get your ATP/type(s), get your PIC, move on. For the new hire with 1000TT/100ME hours, it's not uncommon to have 5000TT/2000 121 PIC in 4-5 years with Colgan.

 

[Drill Sgt. Dad]

I had an interview with Colgan. My Grandmother died and the funeral was on the date of my interview. I tried reschedule my interview, but the lady at Colgan refused to do so. What a corporate culture. I am not saying don't go there, just make sure that it's the place you want to be.

 

[HughBeamont]

I had an interview with Colgan. My Grandmother died and the funeral was on the date of my interview. I tried reschedule my interview, but the lady at Colgan refused to do so.

It's a great family-oriented business.

 

[chperplt]

It's a great family-oriented business.

I hope that was sarcasm!!

How's the winter been?

 

[iflyjets4food]

I applied on Airlineapps in September, and have been updating frequently since on airlineapps and via email and snail mail. Any ideas of anything else I can do to get called? 1270TT and 111ME

 

[CoolSidePillow]

There is NO LAGUARDIA base. That is something that they had two summers ago and it wasnt removed from the system. There wont be a base at Laguardia. As an FO you can get any base. There is no way to predict it or plan on it. No base is out of the question. Depends on your seniority in your hire class and on fate. Some FO's at the base you want might be trying to get out to a base closer to where they might live or they might be close to upgrade. All about luck. As far as the guy who couldnt get a new interview date. Call Francene Hayes or Chuck Colgan Jr direct and see if that helps. Some of the people they have as assistants are just in autopilot mode and if it requires thinking they shut down. There is a few schedulers that are like that. You ask them for something and they say no but you call back and talk to someone who has been there awhile and you get what you want. Sorry to hear about FLYI.

 

[Snaab]

Ditto what CoolSidePillow said. Call one of those two folks and see if you can get it straightened out. Also, try Kathy Angelo- she's very pleasant and helpful. Good luck with that.

Snaab

 

[iflyjets4food]

*****

 

[Godfather]

brrrrrrrrrrr

I hope that was sarcasm!!

How's the winter been?

to quote Jimmy Buffett "Yeah, they freezing up in Buffalo stuck in their cars and I'm lying here beneath the sun and the stars."

cold as a mother in law's love back east big daddy, how's Sin City? Hey I heard an Alliegent going in to ABE or PHL last Friday. Was dat u?

more Buffett quotes...

I'm just glad I don't live in a trailor...

 

[F9 Buff]

Another ? to you Colganites... What makes Manassas so senior? I would think you would get shorter flights out of HEF and probably more oddball hours since it is a mx base. Then you have the high cost of living in the area and I would think people would want to be farther away in some smaller place thus leaving the DC area flying to the newbies?

Am I missing something?

 

[BLing]

I applied on Airlineapps in September, and have been updating frequently since on airlineapps and via email and snail mail. Any ideas of anything else I can do to get called? 1270TT and 111ME

I haven’t applied to colgan yet, but I have a buddy who has. He said that on airline apps they want to know all about your criminal history and driving record. Well, a few speeding tickets, MIP's, public urination, indecent exposure, and a few bar fights all of which he listed. 850 TT 120 Multi and no call. Gee, I wonder why??? Anyways, do you have anything on your record that may be holding you back?

 

[RedSoxGirl]

Hi there. I have been hearing a lot of rumors about Colgan hiring "street captains." Just wondering if there is any truth to that. Thanks.

 

[ShyFlyGuy]

Hi there. I have been hearing a lot of rumors about Colgan hiring "street captains." Just wondering if there is any truth to that. Thanks.

Yes ma'am! That rumor is 100% true... er, was. This time last year they were sucking them up by the dozens! Right now? No dice. They've slowed the pace of upgrading from a fevered pace earlier in 2005 to a pokey 6 per month now. Looks like I'm the fool for having believed the promises in the interview of a quick upgrade.

Shy

 

[bender]

Colgan hired a few 1900 street captains from Commutair a couple months ago.

 

[chperplt]

to quote Jimmy Buffett "Yeah, they freezing up in Buffalo stuck in their cars and I'm lying here beneath the sun and the stars."

cold as a mother in law's love back east big daddy, how's Sin City? Hey I heard an Alliegent going in to ABE or PHL last Friday. Was dat u?

more Buffett quotes...

I'm just glad I don't live in a trailor...

It was 73 a couple days ago here... Down to the low 60s now... Brrrrrrr



Wasn't me... That was an Orlando flight. The furthest east I usually get to is SBN or GRB.

 

[iflyjets4food]

Anyways, do you have anything on your record that may be holding you back?

Nope, only had one speeding ticket 7 years ago. Other than that, I have nothing outstanding. Had a bunch of jobs when I was in high school so my job history looks long, but it is for 10 years. Can't think of anything else strange.