Air Wisconsin flushes pool

[AWACoff]

I flew at Lakes with one of the guys that was in the pool. He had 2 types and over 6000TT with over 3000 PIC turbine (part 23 and part 25). That seems to qualify him. I guess we can all sit and wait. I would like to see a list of regionals that the majority of people consider better than AWAC. I don't think anybody could claim realistically that their's is the best but I would think AWAC would be in the top 5. Best contract in the regional industry (trip rig, duty rig, pay rates, schedules) certainly is nice. Being privately owned is an oddball. Why is everything in Wisconsin a private deal, eh? Packers, AWAC, etc...hmmm...

 

[Capt. Over]

Best contract....seems every regional claims to have one of those. It seems that the regional with the best contract is always the one you happen to work for at the time. Yeah, I used to work there so my opinions, though they are just that, aren't totally unfounded.

 

[AWACoff]

From management:

Numerous background checks have expired for the people in the pool. Some were interviewed over a year ago. There is no forecast hiring for the year 2002. Only 20 of 39 furloughees are expected to be recalled prior to 2003. There is no reason to leave these people hanging with no forecast hiring in the near future.

This is paraphrased but is a reasonable representation to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Speedtree]

hiring

Just curious about awac growth. If they are still taking delivery of three rj's per month and picking up more flying it should only be a matter of time before the furloughees are back and they need more pilots. Are they still getting rid of the do328s at the same pace?

 

[CRJ Driver]

With 2 CRJ's a month delivered and 1-2 DO328's going away a month, net growth ZERO........

 

[cheezpilot]

low down

Things seem to be working this way. We are getting rid of 5 Bae146's, and 13 D328's. In the mean time we are taking delivery of two to three CRj's a month. The growth probably won't catch up to the declining fleet for a while. Management has said that it is unfair for them to keep a pool going for up to a year and a half and string along those guys in it. Also the background check deal has changed which has presented problems with keeping an old pool open. It was also mentioned that it is unfair to the customers of AWAC to not hire the best pilots around when they start hiring again. As far as hiring UAL's furloughees. I think that is pure speculation and has no foundation what so ever. Infact AWAC most certainly will refuse any major furlougee that will not give up his seniority. I just can't see that happening considering that AWAC will not hire back its former emplyees. However, resumes can be kept up to date and those previously hired will have no problem getting another interview in the future. Recommendations from a AWAC pilot have also been endorsed as being very helpful when the hiring does start up again. I am sure that mentioning you were a previously hired pilot will not hurt. AWAC changed the new hire minimums three times in the first few months I worked for them from 2500tt/1000multi/500 turbine to 2000tt/500multi, and then to 1500tt/500multi. They will demand what the market can give them. Sorry dudes.

 

[SuperD]

WHAT?

It was also mentioned that it is unfair to the customers of AWAC to not hire the best pilots around when they start hiring again.

You have GOT to be kidding!

 

[undcmsu]

Don't you think AWAC customers as well as their current pilots deserve the most qualified people up front?! I know it sucks, but deal with it, it's all part of the game.

 

[SuperD]

Of course I do. I think every airline deserves the best they can get. However, it just seems odd how a qualified group of pilots can suddenly become unqualified in the eyes of the company. AWAC boasts the highest hiring minimums of any regional and last summer (when the pool started), they were only hiring people with prior 121 experience. I don't see how all of these people suddenly are not good enough.

Anyway, I'm done griping about this now. I was mainly concerned about the poolies who are currently furloughed or otherwise unemployed. I currently have a job that I would not leave for AWAC anyway, so it's a moot point.

SuperD

 

[Marko Ramius]

Cheezpilot,

Good post, there are no plans for UAL furloughees to go to any UAX carrier at this time, and I would expect that to be the case in the future as well. I think people just like to start rumours because a few months ago, people were saying that it was a done deal that we were going to ACA. This idea hasn't even been mentioned by our union leadership, nor are there are resolutions to do so in the future. Basically it's urban legend.

 

[Beechnut]

What?

Anyway, I'm done griping about this now. I was mainly concerned about the poolies who are currently furloughed or otherwise unemployed. I currently have a job that I would not leave for AWAC anyway, so it's a moot point.

What? When a person has a job and is in a pool for a second employeer and the first employeer decides to furlough the pilot, the second employeer has no say in it. Does AWAC have a responcibility to see that TSA or Lakes doesn't furlough any AWAC poolies?

When a person has a job and is in a pool for a second employeer and the first employeer decides to fire the pilot, the second employeer has no say in it. If the pilot quits the job before receiving a class date at the second employeer, or quits well before an assigned clase date, it is the pilot's own risk that the world won't change and the offer will always be there.

It sure would be nice if Logic classes were again required for High School or College degrees.

S.

 

[AWACoff]

In my class alone June 4th, 2001, we had guys with no prior 121 time OR 135 time. Please have you facts straight before posting heresay and conjecture, SuperD.

 

[CRJ Driver]

Get over it guys, do you want some cheese with that whine.

 

[SuperD]

What? When a person has a job and is in a pool for a second employeer and the first employeer decides to furlough the pilot, the second employeer has no say in it. Does AWAC have a responcibility to see that TSA or Lakes doesn't furlough any AWAC poolies?

Of course not. I was not implying that it was AWAC's FAULT that those pilots were furloughed. I was merely being sympathetic to those who are furloughed and were looking forward to working at AWAC, that's all. I'm sure we've all experienced disappointment at one time or another in this business.

When a person has a job and is in a pool for a second employeer and the first employeer decides to fire the pilot, the second employeer has no say in it. If the pilot quits the job before receiving a class date at the second employeer, or quits well before an assigned clase date, it is the pilot's own risk that the world won't change and the offer will always be there.

Absolutely. We had a bunch of our pilots get burned by this exact circumstance after Sept 11th.

AWACoff,

I should have chosen my words more carefully. I didn't mean to say that they ONLY hired pilots with previous 121 or 135 experience. However, when our company furloughed last July we held a job fair for the pilots. AWAC was one of the first ones to come running since we all had prior 121 turbine experience.


SuperD

 

[AWACoff]

There is no doubt that AWAC prefers applicants with prior 121 time (hence their fetish involving Lakers, Skyway, Commutair...). I just didn't want guys thinking they didn't have a chance without 121 time. See Yooooooooo!
Steve

 

[cheezpilot]

the future

I know it will suck to hear this but maybe pay for training will show its ugly face again at some airlines. AWAC has never done that and probably wont ever. They get around it by posting higher minimums for applicants. I hope now that so many applicants are around that some airlines don't bring it back. If you have the money then knock yourself out but it keeps an airline from always getting the most qualified pilots if you know what I mean. Some of the most qualified pilots wont pay. I don't want to start a pay for training argument and I have no ill feelings of those that did pay for training. I am just trying to point out something. Enough of that. Why did I open my big mouth?

 

[treetopflyer]

rumour has it that air wiskey is leaving ord. ever notice how aca is ever so slowly creeping its way down the F gates and now the E gates. just one of those Hmmmm things.

another hot one is that soon there will be no air wiskey.

 

[Beechnut]

rumour has it that air wiskey is leaving ord. ever notice how aca is ever so slowly creeping its way down the F gates and now the E gates. just one of those Hmmmm things.

The leaving ORD thing could be true in that we won't base anything there. All those 146's you see going in and out of there, and not one of them is based in ORD. They come from ATW and DEN. We have our new maintenance base open in Milwaukee, so an educated guess would have no more official bases in ORD, but still do ORD flying, with the CRJ's coming from DEN and Milwaukee.

It is true that ACA is using UNITED's E and F gates in terminal 2. But have you noticed our 146's are over on the C gates now? You can bet we won't be there forever and eventually we'll need to start using UNITED's gates in the E and F areas. I'm sure we'll be sharing them with ACA.

All is not lost for AirWis in ORD. Last week we announced two flights a day from ORD to Atlanta, and six a day between Atlanta and Dulles. And for the rest of the rumor of us not existing, I couldn't tell you. I'm not an owner, I don't' know if we're for sale or if someone is offering. We're not public so no one is told ANYTHING until is happens. I'm an AirWis guy so I would be second to last to know what we're doing, how an ACA guy knows what we're doing is beyond me as he will be the last to know. Another consideration is that while we're loosing flying out of ORD, we're gaining routes in both Denver and Los Angeles. Again let me stress this: ALL OF THE FLYING IS UNITED'S. THOSE GATES IN ORD AREN'T OURS, THE ROUTES WE FLY AREN'T AIR WISCONSIN'S. The routes we "gain" today will hopefully be going back to the new and improved United and we can send the RJ's to the smaller markets as they were intended.

S.

 

[AWACoff]

Treetop,
Thanks for propagating completely asinine rumors when you have no facts or sources to back it up. It makes you look like an idiot. The next time you want to post some "juicy" tidbit, please make sure it has even a shred of credibility.
Pathetic.

 

[treetopflyer]

jerkoff, i mean AWACOFF

i will post juicy tidbits whenever i feel the need thanks. i am sorry you feel threatened by fun rumor sharing amongst different pilot groups, i am sure that air whiskey is fine, ACA is fine, and everyone is fine.

good day