American Eagle....Opinions from people who know

[Eagle-ista]

Take away the looming upgrade issue and eagle is a pretty good place to be imo... It all depends on what you want out of it, and what you make of it.... a 3 year upgrade at a company is a GREAT thing for the pilot who was hired 3 years AGO!!! It doesn't mean squat to the guy who is hired today...

The training at American Eagle is some of the best in the industry. Training in the AA training center is very inspiring, if not misleading.

We've got a decent contract, if you know how to work it.

sorry, you just lost credibity with that statement...

when, and I cautiously say when, AA recalls, you'll be sitting pretty, alot of movement will be happening....

Let's do the math...

There are over 3,000 pilots on furlough at AA. There are about 350 Eagle RJ Captains with numbers as well, and another 400+ AA "flow-backs" on the property at Eagle. Those numbers are pretty well substantiated.

IF American was to start hiring again tomorrow, and at a reasonable rate of say 50 pilots a month, just less than the 80/month at AA's peak in the late 90s, this is what happens...

1) It takes 150 months to recall the furlouged pilots, and...
2) It takes another lawsuit to make sure that the Eagle pilots with numbers are included in the recall, and when that suit is won, another 7 months are added to that time, and...
3) Eagle keeps the AA flowbacks on property long enough to replace them with new hires. This won't add any time to the schedule, just something that will go wrong with the mechanism that is the Eagle contract. And, believe me, things will go wrong.

The total: 157 months before AA hires one pilot off the street.

13 years...

Keep in mind the Flow-through agreement expires in 2007. Also keep in mind that AA, with it's reduced schedule may not need that many pilots unless there is a MAJOR turn-around in this business.

I was at Eagle 9 years. I resigned earlier this year when I realized that your headache goes away after you stop beating your head against a wall. I saw good pilots get fired and poor, and I do mean poor pilots upgraded. While that happens at every airline, Eagle seemed particularly vicious.

If you are planning on a stay at Eagle, develop an exit strategy and keep it. Use Eagle for what it is, a place to get experience on your way to a real job.

 

[amcnd]

left Eagle after 6 years for SKyWest!!

 

[Gofish]

Left eagle after 10 months.

 

[Atccfi]

IF American was to start hiring again tomorrow, and at a reasonable rate of say 50 pilots a month, just less than the 80/month at AA's peak in the late 90s, this is what happens...

1) It takes 150 months to recall the furlouged pilots, and...

The total: 157 months before AA hires one pilot off the street.

13 years...

Eagle-ista, glad you have found greener pastures, and I am sorry your time here was so horrible.... but tell me where I am missing something....
3000 pilots on furlough, 50 a month by your estimate.... how do you get 150 months to recall them???? My calculations show 60 months and that is with a 100% recall rate.... what is the typical recall rate? 50%, maybe less.... you're looking at 5 yrs with 100% recall, 2.5 with 50%..... and that is to get on at AA, which is not the point of this thread.... Yes, everyone hates eagle, and it is the worst place ever to be, blah blah blah. We have a decent working environment compared to most other regionals. Junor Manning, short staffing, crappy pay, bad QOL, is going on everywhere, not just here. Its called worker productivity.... You hear a lot worst things being said about other regionals other than eagle. I'm not drinking the kool-aid, just looking at the overall picture. I wasn't saying come to eagle, you'll be a captain as soon as AA recalls. I was simply stating that once AA recalls alot of the haters will be wishing they were here.....if not sooner.

 

[labbats]

When you start bumming out about Eagle, just jumpseat on Mesa. Cheers me up every time.

I stay because my family chews right through our flight benefits (one of the best around) and once you hold a line the contract is there for you. Latest is that a composite is running around 6 months for ORD jet, nowhere near the 2 years I floundered on reserve.

Will you upgrade quicker at Skywest? Yes. Are the flight attendants hotter? Unbelievably. But if Eagle calls first, I'd take the job. That goes for any regional other than Blowjets. No training contract like at Mesa, and Chautauqua, etc. so you can leave whenever you like.

Don't listen to any of the AA blather. Every captain on property has been wronged by either ALPA or APA and will gladly fill your flight with his/her rationale because of it. No one knows when recalls are and you'd be wise to ignore the rumors. This place will be a lot better when they happen, and that's the only sure thing around here.

With all that said, the variety of flying is good, the people are good, and the QOL for regionals is around average, if not a little better.

 

[crashmbern]

add in that 4000 AA pilots will recall in the next 9 years.

 

[Bobby Orr 4]

add in that 4000 AA pilots will recall in the next 9 years.

Obviously you have a great grasp on the industry there junior. Read the subject. Opinions from people who know American Eagle. Maybe you could give us your opinion on how to do a lazy-8 but stick with what you know.

I flew for Eagle for 7 years. Unfortunately for the regional side of the industry Eagle's contract is becoming better and better due to default. We all know about upgrade times and I would have to say that is their drawback. Training department is very good, flight crews are great. The most I miss about Eagle are the people I had the opportunity to fly with.

 

[FlameNSky]

Latest is that a composite is running around 6 months for ORD jet, nowhere near the 2 years I floundered on reserve.

That is because we just had so many guys get fed up and quite that everyone is getting a composite and we have about a third of our normal reserves. That means that all those composite line holders are going to be flying well over 90 hrs and have only 8 days off after all the junior manning that is going on. I have already lost 2 of my off days to JM and it's only the second day of the month!

If we lose any more pilots to greener pastures, we can say that all new hires will get a hard line immediately out of IOE. But since we won't have any composite/reserve line holders, is that really a good thing?

My advice, go elsewhere... you'll still be flying under some crappy regional contract but at least you will be doing it as a Captain. CHQ or SKW are way better options. (Having friends at both airlines, just my opinion)

 

[TheRaven]

64 hours per month in training and 16 hrs per diem a day, coupled with paid hotel room (double occupancy til simulator training) is also kind of nice....you arent starting out in a hole by paying your own hotel while not being paid.

Ultimately, you will either be happy or unhappy wherever you go...the specific company doesnt matter.....might as well try out AE if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[tommyknock83]

I just left eagle for skywest, i was there for about 9 months in SJU. It was an awesome experience and a great first airline. I had the most fun in San Juan i've ever had in my life, but it is what you make of it. Eagle treated me really well, and I personally had no complaints. Had to leave when skywest called though, only reason being upgrade. The pay for newhires is descent as far as regionals go, the bases are prime, and the flying benefits are among the best as previously stated. Think about whats important to you and go for whatever is best for the type of life you want to live. Just my opinion...peace