A few XJT Qs....

[cybourg10]

1. Will the people based in ONT (and the other new bases) still have CAL benefits? Here at Trans States the RIC guys don't have AA bennies bc they don't do any AAC flying, just wondering if this would hold true over there.....

2. We all know about losing the 69 planes but is it true that XJT's block hours for CAL actually increased despite the A/C lost?

3. I keep hearing about the DAL deal out in SLC with 10 planes or so, hows that going?

Im from TX so XJT sounds great but SkyWest seems like a safer option. Either way trans states is not so much....

 

[asdzxc]

CAL benefits available to all pilots. Block hours increased but over the original reduced hours not the previous 274 block hours. that woudl be a little impossible. I branded flying works, you will never worry. Skywest may implode eventually with all those contracts. the other 10 aircraft is a secret until it is no secret but I have heard that it will be Atlanta or CVG. XJT did bid on the CRJ900 flying.

 

[dojetdriver]

CAL benefits available to all pilots. Block hours increased but over the original reduced hours not the previous 274 block hours. that woudl be a little impossible. I branded flying works, you will never worry. Skywest may implode eventually with all those contracts. the other 10 aircraft is a secret until it is no secret but I have heard that it will be Atlanta or CVG. XJT did bid on the CRJ900 flying.

And you know that ALL pilots will get CAL benefits how?

 

[Meiguy]

And you know that ALL pilots will get CAL benefits how?

As for the rest of this year the pass travel won't change. But I wouldn't think the guys doing the branded flying will keep travel past that unless an agreement is made. They were going to try and negotiate with Cal to keep pass travel for pass travel on our new service. However, I don't think they'll go for it. Who knows though. As for the unnamed carrier for 10 planes, I have only heard SLC. I think they said something about the end of next week to find out about it.

 

[rjacobs]

My question is this, how will CAL know who is flying for the branded side or the charter side unless we tell them and are we required to tell them. Also at TSA there really are no AA or UA benefits anyway accept on TSA airplanes. The USair side had flight benefits for everybody on any USair airline.

 

[ApocketA's_145]

1. Will the people based in ONT (and the other new bases) still have CAL benefits? Here at Trans States the RIC guys don't have AA bennies bc they don't do any AAC flying, just wondering if this would hold true over there.....

2. We all know about losing the 69 planes but is it true that XJT's block hours for CAL actually increased despite the A/C lost?

3. I keep hearing about the DAL deal out in SLC with 10 planes or so, hows that going?

Im from TX so XJT sounds great but SkyWest seems like a safer option. Either way trans states is not so much....

safer option???? go where a base is closest to where you live.... there is no safe place in aviation maybe except fedex... boxes will always need to be delivered.

 

[Booker]

My question is this, how will CAL know who is flying for the branded side or the charter side unless we tell them and are we required to tell them.

I think that's your answer. If the branded guys should not be entitled to CAL pass privileges, I'm guessing XJT will have their JA entries pulled.

 

[Superpilot92]

I was unofficially awarded ONT Capt. (official on the 15th) As far as i know CAL pass travel stays the same. We shall see how it works once i get out there. Good luck

 

[Baronman]

Yeah...who didn't get ONT CA?! Hopefully it will go a little more senior once the final bid comes out. Not that I have anything against the junior guys but I'd hope to see a little more time in between the "ALL ATPs Hired at 650TT 400ME" and going to the left seat.

 

[Master Shake]

So do I make your cut with 3200 hours? Because if that's not enough for you, please let me know so I can change my bid back to FO. I'd hate to be a Captain without your approval.

 

[dojetdriver]

Yeah...who didn't get ONT CA?! Hopefully it will go a little more senior once the final bid comes out. Not that I have anything against the junior guys but I'd hope to see a little more time in between the "ALL ATPs Hired at 650TT 400ME" and going to the left seat.

Do you go around to all the 8 number guys and tell them that the less than one yeat upgrades they enjoyed was scary? Personally, you would have liked to see them have a little more time before they made CA on the Beech/120?

I'm one of the "junior" guys you talk about. I have over 4000 121 jet and over 6 years in 121 ops counting XJET and my previous job. Is that OK with you if I get to hold on to my upgrade when all is said and done?

 

[Baronman]

Sure it's ok with me if you upgrade...Happy? I don't say anything to the 8 number guys who upgraded on the Beech because that was years ago, I don't see what bringing that up would do. But if you talk to many of them, they didn't feel ready at the time. Also I would say being Capt. on the Beech is different than being Capt. on the RJ, just as it is being a Capt. on a 767. Additionally this is a brand new operation, which will bring only added challenges and whose success/failure will have much more to do with those crews as compared to those in the Continental system.

So getting back to you Dojet...You don't really fall into the 750TT example I gave.

 

[dojetdriver]

Sure it's ok with me if you upgrade...Happy? I don't say anything to the 8 number guys who upgraded on the Beech because that was years ago, I don't see what bringing that up would do. But if you talk to many of them, they didn't feel ready at the time. Also I would say being Capt. on the Beech is different than being Capt. on the RJ, just as it is being a Capt. on a 767. Additionally this is a brand new operation, which will bring only added challenges and whose success/failure will have much more to do with those crews as compared to those in the Continental system.

So getting back to you Dojet...You don't really fall into the 750TT example I gave.

You are right, upgrading on the Beech was probably way easier. 8 legs a day, hand flying in all the weather below 250, flying with a new guy and trying to make sure he doesn't kill you, having to do paper w&b. I'm sure the Beach was way easier than the RJ to manage.

 

[Skyward]

Actually, I upgraded on the 120 and it was a lot easier. Not the flying part, but the operation part. No Mexico, no mountains, no DD or TC, no taxing in ORD. We went to the same 15 cities all the time, and by the time I upgraded I knew them all by heart.

 

[Baronman]

Wow...I never thought about that! 8 legs huh?! CLE-DAY-CLE-SBN-CLE etc.

Notice I never said one was easier than the other, but thanks for the Beech history lesson....I'll make sure to go and find an ex Beech guy and give him a big thank you.

So obviously we have a difference of opinion...Yes I'd be thrilled if I went to flight school for a couple months, instructed (or did whatever) for another 6 and then got hired here (at 600hrs) and upgraded in under 2 years. But from an outside perspective I see things differently. And I'll say again not every junior guy falls into that set of circumstances but I'm sure many do.

 

[dojetdriver]

Wow...I never thought about that! 8 legs huh?! CLE-DAY-CLE-SBN-CLE etc.

Notice I never said one was easier than the other, but thanks for the Beech history lesson....I'll make sure to go and find an ex Beech guy and give him a big thank you.

So obviously we have a difference of opinion...Yes I'd be thrilled if I went to flight school for a couple months, instructed (or did whatever) for another 6 and then got hired here (at 600hrs) and upgraded in under 2 years. But from an outside perspective I see things differently. And I'll say again not every junior guy falls into that set of circumstances but I'm sure many do.

I count 9 people junior to me that I know for a fact have prior 121 experience, can't comment on the others. I just know those 9 personally. 2 of them have prior 121 PIC.

I'm not falming you, but your original post was a little condescending. Do you think that this is the ONLY time in the history of the regionals that guys held 121 jet CA in 2 years?

 

[737Longhorn]

Do you go around to all the 8 number guys and tell them that the less than one yeat upgrades they enjoyed was scary? ?

And, many of those guys are upgrading on the 737 at CAL...

 

[ATRCA]

Yeah...who didn't get ONT CA?! Hopefully it will go a little more senior once the final bid comes out. Not that I have anything against the junior guys but I'd hope to see a little more time in between the "ALL ATPs Hired at 650TT 400ME" and going to the left seat.

No $hit!! Can't believe how junior that went.

A little discussion with ANY current check airman will shed some light on the current qucik upgrades. Upgrade type busts are at an all time high, hence the FO line checks. Good luck

 

[rjacobs]

hence the FO line checks

Thats news to me, as far as I know its still only CA's that get the line checks. The FO is evaluated at the same time, but there are not line checks specifically for FO's, there is no need(regulatory wise) and there are so few check airmen already that to have them doing FO line checks would stretch them even thinner. Is there anything in an FIL or other official document that states the FO's are going to be getting line checks?

 

[TNPILOT]

No $hit!! Can't believe how junior that went.

A little discussion with ANY current check airman will shed some light on the current qucik upgrades. Upgrade type busts are at an all time high, hence the FO line checks. Good luck

Hadn't heard about the FO line checks...although I think it's a good idea.

 

[ATRCA]

Just had a line check all the way to MSP and back and the LCA said they were unofficially "line checking" FO's now. LCA used to be in the seat for one leg to conduct a line check for the CA and observe the FO. Not so anymore. Dude in the seat both way to give check to both guys. It sucks. LCA said was because of training issues and lots of poor FO evals recieved...............

Can't make this $hit up...

 

[paid4training]

And you know that ALL pilots will get CAL benefits how?

Pretty bad question. The pilots will still be XJT and the company XJT and CAL have the agreement...next subject!!!!!

 

[Baronman]

I count 9 people junior to me that I know for a fact have prior 121 experience, can't comment on the others. I just know those 9 personally. 2 of them have prior 121 PIC.

I'm not falming you, but your original post was a little condescending. Do you think that this is the ONLY time in the history of the regionals that guys held 121 jet CA in 2 years?

No I don't think it's the first time that has happened. That's not the issue, and just because it has happened doesn't mean it was a good thing. You've mentioned a couple times guys coming here (yourself an ex-ACAer) from other 121 jobs. So yes, obviously for you guys ONT going very junior is good and that trumps every other argument. You've been waiting a long time for it. In fact I hope you guys who've come from other carriers get to upgrade here. I just want the operation to run as best as it can....

 

[Goose Egg]

Another XJT question: Likelyhood of getting EWR?

-Goose

 

[rjacobs]

Very good, although the lines have been reduced there. ONT is probably gonna go to new hires, but any base is possible in a month or so with all the hiring going on.

 

[Booker]

Dude in the seat both way to give check to both guys. It sucks.

I have heard the same through the grapevine. I guess it's all relative. At my last job it was the same deal: You were observed both ways. You could certainly "fail" the check as an FO, too. Frankly, it's a non-issue IMO.

 

[dojetdriver]

Pretty bad question. The pilots will still be XJT and the company XJT and CAL have the agreement...next subject!!!!!

Wow, 500 hrs and you know so much? I feel silly asking such a bastion of knowledge such as you the following questions;

I worked for a company that did both UEX and DelCon. The UEX was an agreement between Untied and ACA. The Delcon was an agreement between Delta and ACA. Can you answer this? Why did the pilots flying UEX airplanes get UAL bennies, but no DAL bennies? And why did the Delcon pilots get DAL bennnies, but none of UAL's?

All pilots were on the ACA senority list, there was no split. Could it have been that the Delcon pilots contributed nothing to UAL's bottom line, and UEX pilots contributed nothing to DAL's bottom line?

See where I'm going with this piston skygod?

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Threads like this are why I quit visiting this forum often. If everyone spent half as much time focusing on their own weaknesses and figuring out ways that they can improve the operation instead of worrying about how junior or low time someone else is then we would all be in great shape. Whether a person is junior, senior, has 2000 hours or 10000 it isn't for us to decide as line pilots if they are qualified to be in the left seat. If you're a Captain and you encounter an FO that will be upgrading soon and you don't think they are up to par....then work with them a bit. Let them make a few of the decisions that you would normally make as a Captain and then talk to them about it. Surely there are more productive things that you can do if you are really concerned about the operation.