As airlines rush to add regional jets.

[ualdriver]

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/1328757.html


Vance Hopkins used to fly jets out of the Twin Cities for Pinnacle Airlines. He walked away from that job earlier this year to become a truck driver.
By Liz Fedor, Star Tribune

Sort of interesting read if it hasn't been posted already.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Well considering all the DC-9's and 757's sitting in the ice pad and B gates in DTW today (not normal DC-9 gates) with nobody to fly them I'm going to guess nobody. At least not any with a red tail, or what could be a rap group's name on them.

 

[spacecadet1]

It's an IQ test. Above 100 and you're too smart to become an airline pilot now. Well for the rest of you....

 

[amcnd]

he flew for SkyWest also!! Left SkyWest for trucking????

 

[twighead]

"Meanwhile, the number of pilots holding airline transport certificates -- the license needed at major airlines -- is expected to remain virtually flat. . . . The number of pilots with commercial licenses -- required at regional airlines-- is expected to decline by about 7,000."


Lol. I guess We no longer need an ATP certificate to be a CA at a regional.

 

[SplitBar]

Mr Hopkins commuted from Northern California. No wonder he quit. He prob had a double leg commute. How about they interview some guys who aren't getting their balls busted by a killer commute. Typical media distorting the facts. Liz usually gets things straight but she dropped the ball on this one and reported a fairly baised story.

 

[urflyingme?!]

Seems spot on to me

 

[rtmcfi]

Mr Hopkins commuted from Northern California. No wonder he quit. He prob had a double leg commute. How about they interview some guys who aren't getting their balls busted by a killer commute. Typical media distorting the facts. Liz usually gets things straight but she dropped the ball on this one and reported a fairly baised story.

Which facts were distorted? Which part was biased? You do realize that Hopkins went to another,much closer (single-leg commute) regional before bailing out altogether don't you?

 

[pilotyip]

AA too

Well considering all the DC-9's and 757's sitting in the ice pad and B gates in DTW today (not normal DC-9 gates) with nobody to fly them I'm going to guess nobody. At least not any with a red tail, or what could be a rap group's name on them.

According to today's Detroit Free Press, American Airlines is canceling a greater percent of flights than NWA.

 

[CFI2766]

It seemed like for every 'example' of an airline that was hiring in the article, there were more applicants than positions open.

 

[pilotyip]

But they were all the same applicants, most pilots apply everywhere.

 

[DoinTime]

Mr Hopkins commuted from Northern California. No wonder he quit. He prob had a double leg commute. How about they interview some guys who aren't getting their balls busted by a killer commute. Typical media distorting the facts. Liz usually gets things straight but she dropped the ball on this one and reported a fairly baised story.

The story is the same for anyone who has left the airlines to be something else. Commuting factors applied or not better lifstyles can be had in other professions and pilots are voteing with their feet.

 

[CrownandCoke]

if you guys knew Vance Hopkins, you would understand. He was one of the best captains at Pinnacle that I ever flew with. I saw firsthand how much the commute hurt him, and he did go to Skywest, but realized that there is more to life than flying airplanes. Maybe the people that complain all the time about this job need to realize the same thing.

 

[MALSR]

Mesaba=Soaring Eagle.......yawn

 

[Fred Rogers]

Mr Hopkins commuted from Northern California. No wonder he quit. He prob had a double leg commute. How about they interview some guys who aren't getting their balls busted by a killer commute. Typical media distorting the facts. Liz usually gets things straight but she dropped the ball on this one and reported a fairly baised story.

HA! Wrong again. This was a great article.