American Eagle ..HIRING....

[Slim]

First, to the several individuals questioning the synthetic fuel the Air Force plans on using...

The Air Force has developed a blend of JP8 and liquified coal fuel, or liquified natural gas. The blends were tested in a B-52, then certified for use in the B-52, B-1 and C-17 fleets.

So far as I know, the present administration, along with the airline industry, aren't too interested in pursuing this technology because it isn't "green" enough. Bio-mass fuels are more politically correct.

Second, as a former AMR employee who left in 1996, what are the current health insurance premiums like? What are the copays...a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the office visit? My present insurance, including higer costs to my family and me, are still better than what I had before leaving in 1996. I'm not considering a return, but that is something new applicants need to know about.

 

[yankee]

and how did this post help this person with the original question???? cmon!

 

[pipejockey]

Do tell. What insulting TA's has ALPA signed recently? I'm curious.

ASA's and Mesa's for starters. And I believe ASA's was signed back before all the cutbacks were announced industrywide due to oil prices back in spring of 08' when the regionals had to lower mins to less than 500/100. I believe some were hiring at about 300/50. I guess the lives in the back of an rj aren't as important as the lives in mainline equipment. After all, you need about 2000 Jet PIC plus over 5,000 total, not to mention references up the wazoo just to have even the slightest chance at mainline. So much for supply and demand dictating wages.

 

[jetjam619]

AHHhhhhhh?? Dont forget UAL hiring girls with 350 HOURS?????
REMEMBER THAT?????

 

[pipejockey]

AHHhhhhhh?? Dont forget UAL hiring girls with 350 HOURS?????
REMEMBER THAT?????

That doesn't count! That is "politically correct" garbage. And still today, all a minority or woman has to do is meet mins and they will at least be all but guaranteed an interview. And so continues the saga of the American white male paying for the sins of our fathers, grandfathers, great great etc etc fathers! Will it ever end?

 

[WayBack]

And leave it for all the spineless people like you that don't have a backbone to start voting NO on these insulting TA's that management and ALPO are having you sign?

Pipe, what one of the major problems is, a lot of these young pilots are first generation pilots who have not done any research on the airline industry and the union. So when they get to the airlines, they're just in awe that they're living out their dream.
They have no idea what a TA is, let alone what their last contract contained and they also don't know or care what the other regionals contract contains.
They're just happy to have the job of their dreams flying a jet, and willing to sign anything as long as they keep their job. Sadly enough, it's around this time that management and/or the union tell the pilots that flying might be given to another carrier if they don't get a certain TA passed. They fall for the fear tactics and sign the contract. That's how these crappy things get passed.

Did you just say start somewhere? Well for those of you "starting somewhere" at Eagle, then prepare to be doing that "starting somewhere" ....

One day the place where pilot started their careers was usually flying night cargo, cancelled checks or traffic reports. There they had to build up enough time to get hired on a mid-level cargo carrier like AmeriFlight.
Well, now these guys are starting at the regional level and they see it for a great stepping stone for their career. You know how many times I have heard kids say "The regionals are a great place to gain experience and to build time." That scares me, because once you get to the regionals, you shouldn't be playing airline pilot, hauling passengers around on the east coast, to build flight time.
The regional pilot have had this mindset that they will only be at the regionals for 3-5 years and then move on. That mindset has help screw over their fellow pilots, because now its an "every man for himself" industry. Who cares about long term? I still don't get why contracts at the unions are modeled for 10-15yrs at a time, especially pay scale, chances are they will never be there that long.
But now the industry has come to a screeching halt, and no one will be moving anywhere for a LONG time. I talked to my friend at Comair, he said they have guys in the right seat who have been there for 14-15yrs.....of course they were downgraded.

For all you gung-ho regional airline pilots who think it's so wonderful, and continue to encourage these kids to get into the business, can you actually say that you are proud to tell people that you are an airline pilot when the topic comes up, when ultimately you have to explain to them that you fly the RJ's? And when you tell them who you work for, no one has ever heard of the company or have the faintest idea who they are?

Are you kidding? These are the guys who update their facebook account with their schedules. Post their self portrait picture in the cockpit. They can't wait to go see old family and friends so they can brag that they're pilots. Hell, they love going to parties and find anyway that they can slip in that they're a pilot. Even when they get pulled over by the cops "Excuse me officer, this is my drivers license and this here is my pilots license. I just wanted you to know that I am an airline pilot, and I have experience operating at very high speeds. So I know I was wrong for speeding, but I am very safe and skilled. And Officer, I'm a Union man, just like yourself. But I'm in an airline pilot union...". So in the end, yes, they LOVE telling people they're pilots.
Heck, when you have free time, read some profiles on Facebook. You'd crack up with how many times these guys inflate their job, position and duties.

 

[WayBack]

ASA's and Mesa's for starters. And I believe ASA's was signed back before all the cutbacks were announced industrywide due to oil prices back in spring of 08' when the regionals had to lower mins to less than 500/100. I believe some were hiring at about 300/50. I guess the lives in the back of an rj aren't as important as the lives in mainline equipment. After all, you need about 2000 Jet PIC plus over 5,000 total, not to mention references up the wazoo just to have even the slightest chance at mainline. So much for supply and demand dictating wages.

To some of them, these aren't bad TA's.
You have to remember that a lot of these guys have been beatin and treated like crap for the last 5 years. The unions usually presents a TA or two for the pilots to view, and they scream and yell that it's crap.
Then the union comes back and hands them a slightly better TA than the previous options, and they say "Well, it's the best we could get at this time." or "We better take this one, otherwise the company is going to impose horrible work rules upon us." But before these guys vote on it, the ALPA reps make this TA sound a lot more impressive than it really is, like the old saying "You can polish a turd all day long, in the end it's still a turd".
Also, you beat these pilots long enough, then dangle a carrot in front of their face...eventually they will bite...and they did.

 

[WayBack]

AHHhhhhhh?? Dont forget UAL hiring girls with 350 HOURS?????
REMEMBER THAT?????

That's a completely different thread. They got hired because of gender.

 

[DGdaPilot]

ASA's and Mesa's for starters. And I believe ASA's was signed back before all the cutbacks were announced industrywide due to oil prices back in spring of 08' when the regionals had to lower mins to less than 500/100. I believe some were hiring at about 300/50. I guess the lives in the back of an rj aren't as important as the lives in mainline equipment. After all, you need about 2000 Jet PIC plus over 5,000 total, not to mention references up the wazoo just to have even the slightest chance at mainline. So much for supply and demand dictating wages.

That has nothing to do with Eagle. Stay focused pipey.

 

[WayBack]

That has nothing to do with Eagle. Stay focused pipey.

Then ask your questions a little bit more clearly next time, because I also thought you meant all of ALPA...Not just your local.
When you guys signed that gem of a contract for 16yrs, you didn't make a lot of guys happy.

 

[DGdaPilot]

Then ask your questions a little bit more clearly next time, because I also thought you meant all of ALPA...Not just your local.
When you guys signed that gem of a contract for 16yrs, you didn't make a lot of guys happy.

Last time I checked, we were in an Eagle thread.

And let's see........at least we've had pay and per diem raises every year since it was signed. Plus it stopped AMR's whipsaw of the 4 Eagles. One of the best 401ks in the regionals. ASAP. FOQA. FRB. Not too shabby. Sure some things in it could be better (reserve comes to mind). But I bet you'd bitch in heaven that you didn't have a slurpee machine and then try and blame it on ALPA.

 

[WayBack]

Last time I checked, we were in an Eagle thread.

And let's see........at least we've had pay and per diem raises every year since it was signed. Plus it stopped AMR's whipsaw of the 4 Eagles. One of the best 401ks in the regionals. ASAP. FOQA. FRB. Not too shabby. Sure some things in it could be better (reserve comes to mind).

But I bet you'd bitch in heaven that you didn't have a slurpee machine and then try and blame it on ALPA.

Do tell. What insulting TA's has ALPA signed recently? I'm curious.

Next time say "what insulting TA's has our ALPA signed.." because threads on around here never get off track and start complaining about other airlines.

Wow, a pay raise every year!? Amazing. Every airline offers a pay raise ever year.

But I bet you'd bitch in heaven that you didn't have a slurpee machine and then try and blame it on ALPA.

That's absolutely ridiculous, a slurpee machine has no place in a ALPA crew room. That's not very professional!
It belongs in the bathroom, where I can have one while working out my morning grump.

 

[rider850]

No, but as far as I know current flying in the last 12 months is.

I don't think the 12 month non-currency is correct.

 

[pipejockey]

That has nothing to do with Eagle. Stay focused pipey.

Lets see, post #140 states:

Do tell. What insulting TA's has ALPA signed recently? I'm curious.

I answer the question you posed (that means asked) of me in post 140, then you are ignorant enough to respond with this:

That has nothing to do with Eagle. Stay focused pipey.

You asked me what insulting TA's have been signed recently and I tell you, then you are dumb enough to tell me I'm off topic? As opposed to your question? You probably had no clue Mesa and ASA have new contracts. People like you come on this board with absolutely no knowledge of the airline industry, other than what a great job you think being a regional pilot is.
You're that moron that posted wildly inaccurate info on Eagle pilot numbers and the length of their 2001 through 2003 furlough aren't you? I guess the mistake I made was correcting you on it. Pilots that can't admit their mistakes are very dangerous people. With slow witted people like you flying RJ's around, I have to remember to keep my loved ones off of those death traps!

 

[pipejockey]

And let's see........at least we've had pay and per diem raises every year since it was signed. FOQA. FRB. Not too shabby.

You call that 1.5% extra you get every year a raise? Look kid, that doesn't even equal the rate of inflation, meaning your earning power is actually going down! And your 5 cent a year per-diem increase? PLEASE!!!
Oh and FOQA, how does that have any affect on your position as a pilot except now the CA's have to get a call from the FOQA monitor about every little BS thing, like back taxiing on a RUNWAY at 50 knots or so, in order to get the h*ll off the runway for the next guy coming in, just because there isn't some dam*ed procedure in some dam*ed book for back taxiing at high speed.

Yeah, those items make Eagle the greatest regional airline in world to work for. I expect to see everyone lined up down the street down there in Dallas to grab up those RJ FO jobs, all the while in the same building, AA is furloughing yet more of their pilots. What a source of pride!

 

[pipejockey]

Pipe, what one of the major problems is, a lot of these young pilots are first generation pilots who have not done any research on the airline industry and the union.

That would be me 10 years ago! Although at that time, I believe I did adequate research on the industry and lifestyle, plus UAL, and DAL, were getting great contracts, oil was reasonable, the RJ effect wasn't fully realized, and there appeared to be a decent future. Then 9-11, followed shortly thereafter by managements realization that they could actually use what happened that day to massacre the profession.

But your point is spot on! This is why I get so frustrated when I come on here and try to use this forum to help describe to youngsters considering this industry the horrible state of this profession, with nothing on the horizon to better it. I wish there were people like me back in 1999-2000 to steer me away from the direction I took, but who could have imagined the rapid deterioration of this career path after 9-11.

Well, now these guys are starting at the regional level and they see it for a great stepping stone for their career. You know how many times I have heard kids say "The regionals are a great place to gain experience and to build time." The regional pilot have had this mindset that they will only be at the regionals for 3-5 years and then move on.

Bingo! Bingo! And Bingo!!
Stepping stone?? Let me tell you something new guys, it is perhaps a stepping stone to the left seat at the regionals, in 10 years! But for 80% of you, it WILL NOT be a stepping stone to a major airline. That career path is gone. Don't let that hope that you will be one of the 20% that actually makes it to a major, keep you from pursuing a career that actually has a future, with far less heartbreak and pain, not to mention furlough.

So in summation, the regionals are NOT a stepping stone to anything. It is like saying to someone that just flunked 12th grade, that 12th grade was just a stepping stone to 12th grade! Almost graduated but not quite. That is how it will be like at the regionals. A lifetime of being just one step away from a major but never quite getting there.

I still don't get why contracts at the unions are modeled for 10-15yrs at a time

Exactly! Don't you just love all the RJ CA's who come on here and brag about their 80 to 100 grand salary, when they are on a 15+ year pay scale. I think most people, young or old, whether they admit to it or not, would tell you they would have NEVER expected to be at a regional for much over 5 years, 10 max....but 15? 20? 25? NO WAY IN HELL!! Yet I would say over half of Eagle CA's have been there over 20 years. And I would say about 80% of them are over 40 years old. Is that really the so called career path these new guys are looking for?

Are you kidding? These are the guys who update their facebook account with their schedules. Post their self portrait picture in the cockpit. They can't wait to go see old family and friends so they can brag that they're pilots. Hell, they love going to parties and find anyway that they can slip in that they're a pilot. So in the end, yes, they LOVE telling people they're pilots.

Thats just utterly and downright pathetic!! The first thing I do when I get to the employee parking lot is to take of the uniform jacket and uniform shirt before I hit the road!

 

[DGdaPilot]

Did you're uncle fondle you? I get that impression. Still waiting for my answer Sparky.

http://www.filmchair.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/internet-warrior.jpg

 

[WayBack]

Did you're uncle fondle you? I get that impression. Still waiting for my answer Sparky.

Actually yes, he did. He and my cousin held me down as they took turns.
My uncle is dead now, but I'm still hunting down my cousin. If you know who he is, you tell me. I heard he's a pilot as well. He's started at GIA and from there I heard he went to PCL and now he's at some LLC carrier on the east coast, acting as the Vice Chairman for their pilot union.
If you do know him. You tell him I'm looking for him, and I'm going to bring the same Barbie's and cattle prong he used on me when I was 5yrs old.

 

[TZtoSWA]

When I was an F/O at Eagle one of the things that made me realize I had to get out was flying with the company pay leader on a regular basis. He was literally killing himself to make what a normal major F/O makes. I mean he was always at work. A real tournament player O/T hound with crew scheduling and Sabre. He was in his late 50's but literally looked 75+. Hair was all ghost white, skin wrinkled, over weight, and bitter. I thought to myself this is as good as it gets here...

 

[WayBack]

You call that 1.5% extra you get every year a raise? Look kid, that doesn't even equal the rate of inflation, meaning your earning power is actually going down! And your 5 cent a year per-diem increase? PLEASE!!!

Pipe, not sure if you've seen the other threads where Rez has pointed out my flaws, and he has now guided me to the light. I answered his call and now I am doing my best to turn a new leaf and help others, because that is my role as a Semi Professional pilot.
I hear what you're saying. I see your frustrations, even the Wayback who hated himself, would have agreed with you. He would have said "If you're giving management multi million dollar bonuses, and taking pay from you're employees, it's time to shut doors."
But you have to understand. In these trying times, companies are struggling to turn a profit, even though their pilots swear they're just altering their numbers to reflect a loss of millions of dollars.
We have to work with the company and do what's right for the Big Picture. If we're good to each other, our short comings will be forgotten while we're having fun flying the jet.
Don't think of it as Jackson Mississippi. No, think of it as Jackson Hole Wyoming. While you're there, take pictures of you and your crew doing wild and crazy things. Update your status message saying "In Jackson being all buck wild, this is what I have to do to unwind from a long hard day in the office...41,000ft about the earth, listening to my iPod...Jefferson Airplane of course. Oh well, I need to stop drinking. 13 hours and 5 seconds till show time tomorrow, I'm CRAZY! Just Livin the Dream!". Your friends will see how much fun you are having, but yet how positive you are, and the pictures show them how healthy you are...since you're so happy now.
Oh, one more Facebook tip before I leave you to reflect on this, then enjoy your afternoon watching the Super Bowl. Next time on Facebook, add ALPA as your friend, get that neat little ALPA icon added in your "pages" section. It will show your unity and brotherhood to your ALPA brothers who have your back....I mean you back area above your belt line, not your buttocks silly!

I leave you with this. Make the best of everything you have. Even if money is tight, and your struggling to pay your mortgage, bills and food for yourself and your family. Just think how good it is going to feel when times get better, and as a Union Brotherhood, we will rise above and get those wages we deserve. But for now, understand that no one is making a profit, everyone is struggling to survive. You're not alone. Godspeed.


PS
Did you see that color of blue Prater got on his new Rolls Royce? Wow, that is really a sharp color! I think they call it "Azure".