AirTran QOL

[Afterprop]

Thumbs Up Here

FWIW . . . hired Feb 06. 15 total in class with 9 737 slots, and 6 717 slots. The 737 went senior (everyone in the class bid for the 737 first). Completed OE in May, sat Reserve in June, got a line in July. Last quarter AirTran announced they were exercising the rest of their 737 options. From a news release April 27:

"AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), today announced that the airline has converted purchase options to firm orders for fourteen new Boeing 737-700 series aircraft for delivery in 2008 and exercised purchase rights for ten more of the same aircraft type for delivery in 2010. This exercise completes the airline's original order of 100 aircraft placed with Boeing in 2003. The airline currently operates 26 Boeing 737-700 series aircraft and 85 Boeing 717-200 aircraft -- making it the world's largest operator of the Boeing 717 and the airline with youngest all-Boeing fleet in America."

I think we're up to 30 737s now.

Compared to my previous employer, its night~n~day. No pun intended. When I come to work, I have fun; and make a little money. Life is good.

 

[Whine Lover]

Mr. Burgundy,

I know you are something of a "big deal" and that you own many leather bound books.

Perhaps I can send you a signed copy ( leather bound of course ) of my latest childrens book:

"Pinchy Meets The Big Head Boy" ?

Or, would you prefer the classic:

"Gary the Gecko Hangs With Gephardt and Gertrude" ?

I defer to your ultimate wisdom in all matters aviation related.

AirTran Rules.

YKW

P.S. - Airlines are still for idiots. I know...I am an "Airline Pilot". Whoopdie-Friggin'-Doo.

 

[CAVOK69]

nice... Well I really want to get the ball rolling with airtran at this point. If some of the pilots who are familiar with average hiring experience can fill me in on what is typical i would appreciate it.

I currently have around 2500 TT 800 PIC jet 1200 jet 3 types. Is this way too low?

 

[Charlie Brown]

The 121 PIC is definately a hard req. You will not get a call without it.

 

[Lear70]

Was talking to our recruiters the other day about a buddy who I'd really like to see get hired here and was told he needs at LEAST 2000 PIC 121 Turbine to really get seriously looked at, especially since he's only flying turboprops.

I was also told that you MUST attend an AIR, Inc conference and meet and greet the hiring peeps. I saw a stack of resumes on her desk about a foot deep and that was JUST from recommendations in the last WEEK.

Bottom line, 99.9% of the applicants have to have internal recs and you have to come to one of Kit Darby's seminars.

I didn't ask about minimum total time... Most people with the 1000 hours of 121 PIC usually have about 3,500 - 4000 total time, coming from 500 or so hours of basic instruction through Comm Multiengine cert, then about 2,000 hours over 2-3 years as a regional F/O than another year or two as a CA for that additional 1,000, giving you half a decade or so in 121 ops. I "hear" most of the people in class have upwards of 5,000+ hours.

For what it's worth, 717 reserve sits are going to start going upwards of 8-12 months. I finished in May with 3 people below me on the 717, two 717 pilots in the class behind us, 4 more in the class behind that, and small classes just started. So now, two months later, there are 9 people below me with 46 Reserve lines last bid packet for the F/O's. 3-4 more 717 F/O's per month = 10-12 months unless there's a BIG hiring spree of 717 peeps.

737 Reserve is going fast, maybe a month or two; 737 guys in my class were within 1 or 2 people of holding a buildup line in July.

Good luck!

 

[FLB717]

Just know that as QOL gets better on the 737 you will see the 717 become the more junior plane, but that will take a few years unless we get the 737-800 (13% over ride), then senior guys will run off the 717 like rats out of a ship. I would have been in the bottom of the top third when the 737 was launched and now I would be right in the middle of the Cap. list so it is going more senior even now.

 

[ron burgundy]

"This place will never go out of business!!"

These words were spoken by pilots at:

Eastern
Braniff
Pan-Am (Pan-Am 2, Pan-Am 3)
Independance
Kiwi
Midway
Jets-Go
Southeast
Great Plains
National
Vanguard
Panagra...

Shall we go on?

yes...please go on.

 

[kjokmo]

Airtran won't go out of business. Some one will just buy them and .....poof....gone.

 

[ron burgundy]

Life is great at FL. I had a 1900 job in florida for a while and landed this job a few years back. I've been able to fly brand new 717's and now I'm a Captain on a brand new 737. Aircraft are well maintained, pay is good and we have superb managment. I never thought I would be in this position at age 27!
I was fortunate enough to buy a home in Florida back in 2002 for 110,000
and just sold it for 275,000. I have had enough of commuting and I want to live in base. I would say QOL is fantastic!!

 

[gt1900]

Common Ron.. Life is pretty good.. However, you can never say never.................. I would say that overall AAI pilots seem happier than most pilot groups Ive seen as of lately.. You do have your ten percent that will never be happy, but every ailrine does.. While you are on reserve you can make some really good money due to the way our reserve pay works.. Schedules aren't bad either, I would say about 16 days off a month with around 80 hours of credit is around average.. FLICA should help adding and dropping trips and CASS is going to help a ton as well for the commuters.. If you want to work your arse off then you can do that all you want as well...... The contract is in a stalemate.. Its kinda like listening to two kids bicker.. The union sends a letter saying the company wants recesions and is trying to screw us, and the Company sends a letter telling there side of the story.. Most of the guys I talk to seem to think the truth is somewhere in the middle.. Overall, with the state of the industry right now, I would say things are pretty good.. They could be better, but they could be way worse as well.. Overall, I think most guys are happy..

 

[Whine Lover]

Wow.

I should have met the likes of Mr. Burgundy years ago. Airline pilot, Real Estate investor, "Knower of All Things" and all of this by the scrotally tender age of 27. Better yet, his sack does not have the festering, gray, wirey hairs of experience and/or reality to chafe the thighs of his perfect world.

Ron, if I PM you would you tell me the secret of becoming an AirTran candidate/pilot?

Life sounds so good there that I may have to rethink my decision to blow wino's in full public view as a means of regaining self respect.

Or, perhaps I should just eat Joe Leonard's daughter?

I am so glad that AAI will never go out of business. That is so...what do you kids say? Oh yeah...AWESOME.


YKW

 

[Whine Lover]

"Common Ron.. Life is pretty good..."


Who is "Common Ron"?

Is he an AirTran pilot that has not yet reached the exalted, Monarch like, status of Mr. Burgundy?

Does "Common Ron" not yet have a "Captain's I.D."?

Oh, wait....I get it. Maybe you meant ''C'mon Ron" as in "Come On Ron". (?)

I'm sorry, my lack of reading comprehension has hindered me in life... as does my reputation for being a smarmy A-Hole.


YKW

 

[-9Capt]

The contract is in a stalemate.. Its kinda like listening to two kids bicker.. The union sends a letter saying the company wants recesions and is trying to screw us, and the Company sends a letter telling there side of the story.. Most of the guys I talk to seem to think the truth is somewhere in the middle.. ..

The above statement says it all.

Most of the pilots here don't believe what their elected union officials are telling them. What secret agenda would your union have? why would they lie to the membership?

This is exactly the reason we'll never get a decent contract, I guarantee.

Wake up and use some common sense here for Christs sake!! Support your union and do your job the safest way you know how!!

 

[-9Capt]

Or, perhaps I should just eat Joe Leonard's daughter?

Trust me, you don't want to do that.

 

[Phaedrus]

ron,
Holy schnikeys brother, stuff a sock in it.
Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure he's offering flame, but in the very minute chance that he's not....