Awa

[MW44]

Does anybody know if AWA plans to keep on interviewing for the remainder of the year and into next? Also do the 22 Airbus orders represent net growth that is going to require more pilots or is the airline already staffed for those deliveries? Thanks for any info...

 

[TWA Dude]

Yes and yes to net growth.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Yes to net growth only if the economy warrents.If not you will see some of the -300's on short term lease replaced.


PHXFLYR

 

[JetMonkey]

We were told last week in class 60 more just added for the rest of the year. For next year we've heard anywhere from 200 to 300.


Good luck to all.
-JetMonkey

 

[flynAAvy]

I just finished my checkride and heard the same thing from the Check Airman. We also just refinanced some loan that gives us more $$ to buy more bling bling. Who knows what that may mean... We're full court press on the ETOPS qual. though so that may be a good indicator. The other thing he said was that AWA is not extremely worried about fuel prices in the short term. We're hedged (not as much as SWA) and operate so cheaply (second lowest CASM other than JetBlue) that it doesn' hurt us nearly as much as others. As I've said before though, the best thing about Cactus is the people. Great school house, nice folks, laid back atmosphere. I love going to work every day and I haven't even started IOE yet. (I hope that doesn't change when I get on the line!) I loved my short time at American but this place is totally different and a way better fit for me. Getting a job here is still a tough nut to crack. I'm fully convinced that you need to know a pretty senior guy who is willing to beat the door down for you. Good luck to ya'll.

 

[HAL]

I was just stepping out of the sim - finished with my checkride - as flynAAvy was stepping in. It was a good day all around.

Various things heard around campus:

1) A roommate of mine from the crashpad flew with the Airbus fleet manager last week. He said we were going to be stepping interviews up to four (4) days per week soon.

2) My checkride was with a senior captain getting checked out as a sim check-airman by the FAA. During a short break (while the sim computer was getting rebooted) the FAA guy said AWA is just about done with the ETOPS paperwork on the 757's. We currently have three that will be qualifed - the rest won't because they lack certain equipment (like hydraulic motor generators) that are required for ETOPS certification. But he said AWA is busy looking for more to add to the list because with just three planes, if one had an inflight turnback it would be a problem percentage-wise on dispatch reliability, because that is what the FAA tracks to allow airlines to keep their ETOPS certificates. More planes equals better percentages.

3) Immediately after my checkride I ran into the former training director who left to get back on line flying - switching to the 757 after a long career in the Airbus. I asked him what the reason was, and he just smiled and shook his head. I think something big is going to happen soon there.

Finally, I'll second what flynAAvy said about the people here. It's a great place to work. Look out IOE, here we come!

HAL

 

[reepicheep]

Does AWA have the Rolls Royce engines on their 75's? Because the big rumor here at US Air is we're dumping ours.

 

[Cactus73]

Does AWA have the Rolls Royce engines on their 75's? Because the big rumor here at US Air is we're dumping ours.

Yup, all 13 of them are RR powered. From what I understand the RR's on our 757's are some of the highest time RR engines on any wing.

As long as we don't get the ex-Eastern birds, it would be a good fit. I heard the Eastern planes were in really bad shape when USAir picked them up. I guess they were parked in the desert on such short notice that their lavs weren't dumped. I guess the planes still have the smell?

 

[reepicheep]

I think USAir has around 12 of the original Eastern birds. You guys should take the newer ones, about 20 of 'em, I think they date back to the early 90's.

Unbelievably, and kind of pitifully, there are US Airways pilots going around saying jobs should go with the planes.

LOL!

 

[mt2]

Speculation

There is some speculation that the 757's may be from ATA and a deal concerning their Hawaiian routes. Purely rumor but perhaps not out of the question all things considered.

 

[xrated]

That very rumor made the Business section in todays Arizona Republic. Sounds like some management types from AWA have been spending time in Indy.