Any Pinnacle Quick-Upgrade Capts Here?

[ratherbeflyen]

Would they really put somebody off the street in the left seat without any CRJ time after just 100 hours in the right seat? Seems like just a ploy to get you in the door and then keep you in the right seat for 6 months.

I can't speak for Pinnancle's hiring practice, it might be a recruiting ploy. As for the 100 hours ... big deal pilots at majors switch from FO to CA or CA to CA on aircraft they have NEVER flown before. IE. 737 CA to 777 CA.

 

[Rook]

Hi!

All of the USA Jet pilots, basically, are on reserve except for the -9 PAX pilots who are flying a 6 day line.

All of the days off are hard days off (you WILL be home, and you will only work those days if YOU want to, for lots more pay). They normally give you 2 blocks of days off or all in one block (5/5 or 10 or 6/6, 8/4 or 12 for -9 guys).

One of the best jobs for guys in DTW is a PAX reserve week. You will sit for 6 days on a 2 hour callout and never fly.

cliff
YIP

Dude,
Ditch the Knightley avatar and bring back Misty May:beer:

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Misty May is NOT that nice, and I don't think she's THAT hot either.

KK is WAY hotter, and she's probably nicer, also. Plus, she has a cool weapon!

cliff
YIP

PS-I breifly thought about applying to PCL for the Capt slot a while ago...but then I came to my senses!

 

[Windsor]

Hi!


PS-I breifly thought about applying to PCL for the Capt slot a while ago...but then I came to my senses!

Sitting reserve as a street CA here at PCL is a hell of a lot better than flying on demand charter in beat up old falcon 20's. Granted I'm coming from ameristar and not grand ole usajet, but the flying is easy (no more mexico) planes are nicely equipped and the schedule is still pretty o.k. (anything beats ameristar's sked).

 

[jmreii]

I can't speak for Pinnancle's hiring practice, it might be a recruiting ploy. As for the 100 hours ... big deal pilots at majors switch from FO to CA or CA to CA on aircraft they have NEVER flown before. IE. 737 CA to 777 CA.

training at the majors is generally better, for some reason they try and see that you get through it.

 

[FCPhotography]

I did 9 months of RSV as CA in MSP. Long story short, you will fly as much as you legally can with a bunch of deadheads. 13-15 hour days are very normal with reduced rests for 6 days in a row.

I live in domicile and look forward to 4 day trips (longer overnights) because it is the only way to get sleep and have the energy to excercise. The wife actually likes it better because when I home I am not so tired and beat down.

This past summer was much better because there were a few days they wouldn't use me. Now, I hear they use the RSV CA's everyday and 1-3 of your days off (10 days off down to 7, per month)

Our average lines are built around 89-92 hours of flying. On RSV I was flying 95-100 hours at times and the flying is inefficient.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I'm now a -9 FO, getting about 14 days off/month, and making $60K+. I should upgrade to -9 capt in about 5 months. All of our days off are hard (we are airlined/bizjetted home if need be to get our days off). I get time off when I need it. While our planes aren't great, they do have APUs, GPSs and moving color maps. We are in CASS and can jumpseat on most carriers. We have family travel benefits with Midwest.

It isn't as good as NWA/DAL/Atlas/Cathay/NJA, but it's better than Pinnacle. I know our CEO. He normally schedules a chat room session with us once a week, and he gave us his personal (in addition to company) email for any suggestions/problems.

cliff
YIP

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

sounds good for now..... is there where you want to be in 20 years?

 

[skyaddict]

I don't know about now, but when I tried to enter one of the periodic street CA waves at PCL a few years back, I (and everyone in my class who was eligible) got hosed when the tap shut off just as my class got rolling... got stuck as an FO until I finally jumped ship. In the end, had I stayed indefinitely it would have been two years in the right seat. That can happen anytime. But I gather attrition is now so high at PCL (attrition not growth) that the street CA tap is on full bore again. Mostly a great bunch of pilots but the most miserable management around. In hindsight it worked out for me because if I had actually got the street CA slot I'd have been so obsessed with building the PIC time (not that easy to build on reserve if you end up with tons of high speed trips) I wouldn't have jumped over to NJA where I make more as an FO than I'd ever have made as a street CA (and would never go back to the airlines, barring NJA tanking). Granted, if one actually lives in domicile, PCL reserve is no big deal (and true for any company). And don't ever answer crew scheduling on a day off.

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

Are the recent vacancy bids for captains currently going unfilled?

Anyone at PCL have a guess when the street captain deal will be coming to an end?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Just talked to an Ameristar guy now at PCL. He said PCL is TONS better!!!

cliff
GRB

 

[PCL_128]

Hi!

Just talked to an Ameristar guy now at PCL. He said PCL is TONS better!!!

cliff
GRB

In that case, I pity the poor Ameristar pilots.

 

[Flyer1015]

Reserve at Pinnacle isn't bad at all when you live in base. I'm spending so much time at home, maybe too much time at home.

But commuters? They have my sympathies....

 

[Freight Dog]

Can someone post PCL RSV captain schedule?

I have a few friends who might be interested.

 

[PCL_128]

Can someone post PCL RSV captain schedule?

I have a few friends who might be interested.

It's typically 5 on, 2-3 off. Only 10 days off per month. Pure hell.

 

[Freight Dog]

That does sound crappy... how much flight time do they get on reserve?

 

[Carl_Spackler]

as much as you want and then some. I'd say they are flying at least 80 hours a month.

 

[PCL_128]

That does sound crappy... how much flight time do they get on reserve?

They fly them quite a bit. It's not unheard of to break guarantee pretty regularly. Too bad that the pay isn't good enough to make it worth it.

 

[Flyer1015]

As a F/O on reserve, I'm only doing about 50-52 hrs per month.

Like I said, too much time at home. Reserves will only get 10 days off per month. But honestly, I think I will be home MORE often on reserve than I will once I get a line schedule. The reason is simple. On airport reserve, if I don't get a call, I simply go home. For home reserve, I'm home anyway (until I get called out).

Once I get a line schedule, I will actually be gone *for sure* away from home for 2,3,4 day trips.

So the way it looks, I'll be home a lot more on reserve than as a junior line holder.

Moral of story? It pays to live in base.

 

[Freight Dog]

Thanks for the replies... one last thing, is there a training note for off-the-street captains?

 

[Flyer1015]

None that I'm aware of.

If you come in with enough time, you'll still have to fly 100 hrs on the line as a F/O before you can go to upgrade class. At least, that's my understanding of how they're doing it now.

 

[PCL_128]

Thanks for the replies... one last thing, is there a training note for off-the-street captains?

No. The used to have one for everybody, but they got rid of it years ago when they realized that training contracts weren't enforceable in a "right to work" state.

 

[MACH-TUCK]

It's typically 5 on, 2-3 off. Only 10 days off per month. Pure hell.

Its gotten so bad in MSP that I only have 10 days off this month, and I've been a CA line holder since last summer. Its all 3 day trips back to back, with 2 days off in between. SO MANY FREAKIN DEAD HEADS i've managed to read 3 books in the last 2 weeks just while DH. Also, all and I mean ALL trip requests are DENIED DUE TO STAFFING. My wife is telling me I need to get a different job because I hate my life right now, I just come home crabby as Hell all the time. It really sucks.

 

[PCL_128]

Just create your own days off with sick calls and fatigue calls. I started my career at Pinnacle with an empty sick bank, and I left Pinnacle with an empty sick bank. Those 6-day weeks really start to affect your health, you know.

 

[MACH-TUCK]

Just create your own days off with sick calls and fatigue calls. I started my career at Pinnacle with an empty sick bank, and I left Pinnacle with an empty sick bank. Those 6-day weeks really start to affect your health, you know.

Oh, I plan my life around my once every 3 month sick call..

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I can't speak for Pinnancle's hiring practice, it might be a recruiting ploy. As for the 100 hours ... big deal, pilots at majors switch from FO to CA or CA to CA on aircraft they have NEVER flown before. IE. 737 CA to 777 CA.

Yup there is a LOT of that going on right now at Mesaba. Almost everyone going to the CRJ is new to that type... a few of us are new to the type but it's our first upgrade there too... But no there are not, and probably never will be street captains on it. Tends to happen when a new airplane type shows up.

 

[Flyer1015]

I dunno, call me crazy, but I'm lovin reserve at 9E. Crewsked don't call me/use me? I chill at home. Living in base helps for sure.

 

[Windsor]

In that case, I pity the poor Ameristar pilots.

If sucking $hit were cool, you could call Ameristar, Miles Davis.

 

[dingo222]

where r the street captains going? DTW or MEM?