Any colgan guys out there?

[Prop2Jet]

Coolside, is it really that bad? I have not worked for another regional. I hear they too have issues like us.

 

[CoolSidePillow]

Coolside, is it really that bad? I have not worked for another regional. I hear they too have issues like us.

Hey all places have issues. There are guys at every regional, mainline, cargo, corporate, fractional etc... that complain about something. I think Colgan has some pros and cons like any other place. I like my job and I like a good portion of the people I know, known, work with and worked with. There are some facts though that have nothing to do with opinion. The planes are old, hot, and some smell real bad. Nobody likes flying on them. They break... a lot. We fly to a handful of places. We almost never have a crew room at any place we go even our bases and sometimes our stuff is out in the hallway. No APU's. The company does reactive maintenance and not preventive. They dont do enough to make the planes nicer. Simple fact.... if you are going to buy and fly old planes especially A-models you HAVE to do more to keep them running and to make them presentable to your customers. They have been saying since I was hired that "we sell service". Well not really. We sell something because we are cheap to operate and there are fewer and fewer T-prop operators to compete with. If your planes dont have APU's then you have to make sure the ECS filters are changed and cleaned and that the ducts have integrity and dont leak out the cool air before it enters cabin. When something is written up and MEL'd they should either fix it or get a part for it but not just sign off the MEL to get it back in service to be written up 7 times. The training should be a bit better. I have seen FO's who dont know how to do their paperwork or dont know what to check on a walkaround. So is Colgan the worst there is? Of course not but to think you can upgrade quick and get 1000 PIC and move on is fantasy. Most of the guys you did move on went to places that were low on anyone's list and they did it after 5 years on the line and many were check airman. So if someone asked me if they should come here I would say they might want to consider one of the top of the line jet operators like Republic, Air Whiskey, or even ExpressJet once they get back on track. Yeah you sit FO for longer but 1000 hours is a 1000 hours. Jetblue will look at you better with 1000 PIC turbine jet, glass than t-prop and first generation EFIS. Colgan is good if you LIVE at your base. Then you are home every night and 90% of pilots would love that unless they dont like who they married. Colgan is good because there really isnt reserver and you start flying right away. Colgan is good because they fly markets that most dont want or cant afford to do, so for now the biggest thing that can hurt Colgan is Colgan. If you have to spend many years at a regional and dont live at your base anyway you might as well fly nicer equipment and make more money is all I am saying.

 

[30West]

There are whiners at every airline. I know people who are like that everywhere they go. Guys will bitch and moan about how bad the company they work for is. Then they get hired flying a bigger jet. A few months after IOE what are they doing? Bitching and moaning.
Your airline experience is what you make of it.
You want to move? Get the PIC as fast as you can, and MAKE CONNECTIONS! That's what gets you in. There are ex Colganites at Gemini like myself as well as Jet Blue, Air Tran, Continental, Southwest, Kalitta, North American to name a few.
Don't think for a second when you finally get hired at one of these places you're not going to get bitch slapped a little.
Had a long day? If Jet Blue gets their way, you'll be doing JFK-LGB TURNS. Going to Gemini? Plan on a 16-18 hour day flying from Brussels to Lagos, then on to Entebbe. That's 12 hours on the Hobbes in some of the most primitive airspace on Earth. APU? What's that? Oh, right that's that thing that's MEL'd 90% of the time. Ask the Piedmont or Allegheny guys about that one.
Going to Southwest? You'll STILL be doing 6 legs a day with 20 minute turns. It ain't any easier in a bigger airplane. The time I spent hand flying raw data approaches to the nuts with 8 MEL stickers in my face for the Colgans prepared me more for flying the big rig than 1000 hours of shiny new RJ time.
Personally I enjoyed my 5 years there and would recommend it to anyone.

Fly safe

 

[30West]

Most of the guys you did move on went to places that were low on anyone's list

Like Jet Blue, Air Tran, Southwest, Continental? All have ex Colgan pilots flying for them at the moment.

Who's "list" are you reading from? Gemini was my first choice, actually. You should see the stack of resumes on our DO's desk right now.

 

[30West]

The planes are old, hot, and some smell real bad. Nobody likes flying on them. They break... a lot. No APU's. The company does reactive maintenance and not preventive. They dont do enough to make the planes nicer. When something is written up and MEL'd they should either fix it or get a part for it but not just sign off the MEL to get it back in service to be written up 7 times. The training should be a bit better. I've seen FO's who dont know how to do their paperwork or dont know what to check on a walkaround.

Is this by chance your first airline? Your entire post could have been written by anyone at any airline. Just the nature of the beast these days.

P.S. In 5 years of doing PC and line checks I've seen captains do much worse than dick up the paperwork. it happens everywhere, all the way up to heavy jet skippers, more than you think.

Fly safe

 

[BRA]

Is this by chance your first airline? Your entire post could have been written by anyone at any airline. Just the nature of the beast these days.

P.S. In 5 years of doing PC and line checks I've seen captains do much worse than dick up the paperwork. it happens everywhere, all the way up to heavy jet skippers, more than you think.

Fly safe

Taxi in reverse 2000 feet down a runway in BOS? Or navigate by sextant?

 

[BRA]

Is this by chance your first airline? Your entire post could have been written by anyone at any airline. Just the nature of the beast these days.

P.S. In 5 years of doing PC and line checks I've seen captains do much worse than dick up the paperwork. it happens everywhere, all the way up to heavy jet skippers, more than you think.

Fly safe

Accidentally spit a chew out on a passengers small child, while on a fed ride??

 

[30West]

Leave an aircraft completely unattended during a single engine turn?

 

[BRA]

Leave an aircraft completely unattended during a single engine turn?

Just the cockpit was unattended, unless you have something better?

 

[Prop2Jet]

Great points about the pros and cons. I think that the new guys should read this stuff while they determine which airline to apply to. I for one agree with both sides but understand that I am happy here, like cool said, being home every night is great. I for one am having a good time no matter how bad the day is or how many MELs are on the airplane. Nothing could be worse than flying single pilot night IFR cargo in the winter and summers in the Mid-West with a strike finder! I am always optimistic about the day and if (we) get the shaft then I make the best of it.

C yahs