ASA Classes

[ASABound]

I just talkd to a buddy of mine today 6-22-03 and he is in transition training going to the RJ from the Brasilia. He called to tell me that Friday the training department was telling the current transition class that possibly starting next month there would be ten new hires a month going to class out of the pool. Any Candler guys know anything about this ?? Thanks

 

[PROFLYER]

Not likely.

While I certainly hope that is true, I wouldn't expect to see any hiring at ASA this year. The last E120 scheduled E120 flight is 7/31, and there are still about 100 E120 pilots waiting for classes. The training dept. has been running classes of 20 every 2 weeks. I don't think they'll be done filling classes with E120 guys till late August/Early September. When all the E120 folks are done with training, we'll probably be significantly overstaffed since our fleet is actually declining this year.

That being said, there could be something going on that none of us know about. Just like everywhere else in this business, things change all the time here. What was true yesterday, will probably not be true tommorow.

I certainly haven't heard anything about hiring, but if any other Candler folks have....let's here it! Good luck to those waiting for classes!

 

[Beavis]

Yes....Doesnt seem likely. The jet FO's that have been here less that a year are getting burried under Emb transitions, and our lines are decreasing as Comair is taking more from ATL, and Chat keeps growing like crazy in DFW! I personally will drop 40-50 in DFW, putting me back on reserve, where we'll have like 50 reserves for 108 lines. So, I doubt well need any pilots for quite some time. My reccomendation for anyone looking for a job is to try Chautauqua. You will move in that company 100 times faster.

 

[sleepy]

We sure do seem to have a lot of pilots on reserve right now. The only explaination for any hiring would be some new expansion. I am not aware of any expansion plans at ASA. Maybe we are going to open a new hub to cover any potential Chit strike? Now there is a rumor for ya.

 

[DDpaysoff]

ATL

Keep in mind that CMR has lost all of the DFW flying except for ONE turn from CVG. 5DFWORD turns....gone, DFWSAT...gone, DFWIAH...gone, DFWCRP....gone, DFWIND...gone, DFWSDF...gone. CMR has lost as much if not more flying than it is picking up in ATL. CHQ and SKSLTS are picking up the extras. Don't blame your brothers and sisters at CMR. If you think CMR is growing at your expense. Well, you need to let me know and I will explain what is happening over here.

 

[bailout]

Yes but look at all the ATL routes COMair has picked up! I dont blame anyone, or am mad, whatever. Its simple though. ASA has been "transitioning" more flying to DFW from ATL, where there is going to be expanded routes added /announced in Sept. And Comair is picking up those routes in ATL we had to drop to cover the DFW flying. Whereas Chit is taking from Comair in DFW. Bottom line- Tthere are only so many airplanes to go around. We really cant grow anymore. All that is going to happen from now on, is flying being shifted from one hub to another and from one carrier to another.

 

[rjcap]

Just heard from a senior training guy that we still have a 150 or so EMB pilots to transition. This includes the DFW guys.

Thats going to take until October/Novemebr until it is completed. We are still taking delivery of new aircraft.

What to look for in coming months;

Expanded flying out of DFW - announced Sept ?

Hiring/interviewing near the end of calendar 2003.

A renewal of replacement of the ATR leases which expire in 2004. The a/c is a money maker but is a maintenance problem.


Contract, give it another year. If Skip negotiates a new pilot contract without a strike or work slow down he will look like a genius to Leo.
The memory of the Comair strike is still very fresh in Leo's mind.

 

[sleepy]

As I understand it, we are giving around 40 lines of ATL CRJ flying to our "brothers" at Conair in August. If true, I don't see how ASA can continue to pay all of these pilots to sit around doing nothing. I would expect to see a displacement to DFW or furlough, not any hiring anytime soon.

 

[rjcap]

As I understand it, we are giving around 40 lines of ATL CRJ flying to our "brothers" at Conair in August

That was the same rumor for July. However, we ended up adding lines to the 50 seat and 70 seat stayed about the same if not more.


Anymore doom and gloom Sleepy ?

 

[maxcackel]

Is there going to be a expansion in august and september or just in september?

 

[sleepy]

That was the same rumor for July. However, we ended up adding lines to the 50 seat and 70 seat stayed about the same if not more.


Anymore doom and gloom Sleepy ?

No, I'm pretty happy now. I just found out that Scott Young is gone, and more management changes are to follow. I was aware that Skip was not too pleased with V.P Young. I also know that he was causing problems in the contract talks (pretty much messing up the whole IBB thing). Now I hear that more management changes could soon follow. This could be good for our pilot group if Skip puts the right people in place. Perhaps his desire to quickly settle our contract (within one year) so that DAL will allow us to continue our record growth is going to be reality.

 

[wil]

I just read that Young is gone! Sleepy, I think your right. We need trip/duty rigs pronto! A little pay increase would be nice as well!

 

[bailout]

>>Is there going to be a expansion in august and september or just in september?<<

It won't be an "expansion", it will be a 'shift' from ATL to the DFW hub. Keep in mind the company as a whole is LOSING the total number of airplanes due to the EMB retirements.

 

[Tim47SIP]

Things will get better!

Just got off the phone with the RJ trng dept. We are due to get 6 50 seaters this year (which as stated earlier, are dircet replacements for the E-120's) and we will also get 15 70 seaters next year. When those 70 seaters start to move in, advancement will start to happen again. I to was told that there are approx 100 E-120 guys left, and R.L. in training stated that it would take them untill the end of Aug to complete. The one thing that surprised me is that he sated that they (training dept) were to get ready for new hires after the E-120 guys were done. What they will fly is anyones guess.
Additionally, I JS'd with the ATR fleet manager a couple of weeks ago. He stated that all of the ATR leases were extended to 2005. Delta did send a purchasing team to France about a month ago for more ATR's but the French treated our team so badly that they left just after 3 hours. He dosn't think we will be buying any more french products. He also stated that the ATR's were becoming a maint nightmare and costing quite a bit to keep up and may possibly be let go in 2005. He dosn't know if Q-400's are in order (common cockpit with the CRJ) or additionall CRJ's.
Only thing for sure is that if you don't like what is going on in the industry right now, wait a minute and it will change.

 

[jstyle13]

Sniff Sniff

I heard the ATR's were pretty good money makers for ASA. It brings tears to my eyes to think that the French don't like us....so sad. Keep that money in the states! I do hope you guys start hiring, would really love to fly for ASA.

 

[bailout]

>>We are due to get 6 50 seaters this year (which as stated earlier, are dircet replacements for the E-120's) and we will also get 15 70 seaters next year. <<

Correct. But keep in mind, thats 21 airplanes to replace 31. = a LOSS of 10. The prelims for August show displacements from ATL to DFW on the CRJ.

 

[PROFLYER]

Bailout,

There are no ATL displacements to DFW. The only displacements in ATL are a few guys being sent from ATL CRJ-700 to ATL CRJ-200. The DFW displacements are mostly from the EMB, with a few really junior guys getting kicked of the DFW CRj-700 by more senior folks. There are also some DFW CRJ-200 captains getting sent back to the right seat. Not a good mood in the DFW crew room these days (probably not much different than ATL has been for some time now). Not a good sign!

Bottom line-We will be overstaffed for quite some time. Let's just hope we don't have to furlough. I don't expect any hiring until well into 04. Not to worry though, Comair is growing like crazy while we shrink.