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Champion Air
- Thread starter bafanguy
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Thedude
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
- Posts
- 1,277
Not much time to reply but I will try to give you the skinny.
Starting pay is about $35/hr dont quote me on that but it is close. We are an ALPA carrier with out first contract. The contract ends Mar '05 and the current one has huge holes in it. You start as an F/E and will probably be laid off in May of '05. Maintance is pretty good except for the DTW station. We have a unique realtionship with Northwest. At one point they pretty much owned us but now (at least on paper) they dont. I think it was primarly due to scope reasons. Most of the upper managers are from NWA and still have they mainline mentality and thus we have too many people that work in HQ. We have also moved from a FSDO to a CMO... I dont know of any other supplemental carriers that are under a CMO. Currently we have 11 173 seat 727 and 6 59 seat 727 and we may be getting 737 or A 320 in the next couple of years. (Belive it when I see it). Our crew bases are DEN, DFW, DTW, MSP, LAS, and STL. We now base re-bid about evry six months along with hiring and furloughing. This practice started in Sept '02 and it will hopefully go back to TDYing in the near future.
So unless you have a burning desire to be an 727 F/E for about six months I would NOT suggest coming to work here.
Hope this makes a little sense to you and the one big run on sentance doesnt confuse you.
Starting pay is about $35/hr dont quote me on that but it is close. We are an ALPA carrier with out first contract. The contract ends Mar '05 and the current one has huge holes in it. You start as an F/E and will probably be laid off in May of '05. Maintance is pretty good except for the DTW station. We have a unique realtionship with Northwest. At one point they pretty much owned us but now (at least on paper) they dont. I think it was primarly due to scope reasons. Most of the upper managers are from NWA and still have they mainline mentality and thus we have too many people that work in HQ. We have also moved from a FSDO to a CMO... I dont know of any other supplemental carriers that are under a CMO. Currently we have 11 173 seat 727 and 6 59 seat 727 and we may be getting 737 or A 320 in the next couple of years. (Belive it when I see it). Our crew bases are DEN, DFW, DTW, MSP, LAS, and STL. We now base re-bid about evry six months along with hiring and furloughing. This practice started in Sept '02 and it will hopefully go back to TDYing in the near future.
So unless you have a burning desire to be an 727 F/E for about six months I would NOT suggest coming to work here.
Hope this makes a little sense to you and the one big run on sentance doesnt confuse you.
Last edited:
Champion Air Status - What's going on?
Any movement at Champion lately? Any recent hiring? Also, what's the likelihood of a newhire getting a LAS base (if hiring resumes)?
I have conducted a search (hence this old post) and I'm looking for an update. If you start on the panel, how long before you could expect the right seat (a couple years)?
Any movement at Champion lately? Any recent hiring? Also, what's the likelihood of a newhire getting a LAS base (if hiring resumes)?
I have conducted a search (hence this old post) and I'm looking for an update. If you start on the panel, how long before you could expect the right seat (a couple years)?
Thedude
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
- Posts
- 1,277
Not much in the way of movement.
There is supposed to be a class in the fall. I am guessing Oct-Nov.
Don't plan on upgrading in the next 3-4 yrs.
New equipment (probably A-320) is at least two yrs away.
Vegas is fairly junior and they have banker's hrs for flying but not much flying in the typical day.
Managment was asked what their 5 yr plan was and the responed with the answer "We dont have a crystal ball"
The exodus from this company has already begun.
There is supposed to be a class in the fall. I am guessing Oct-Nov.
Don't plan on upgrading in the next 3-4 yrs.
New equipment (probably A-320) is at least two yrs away.
Vegas is fairly junior and they have banker's hrs for flying but not much flying in the typical day.
Managment was asked what their 5 yr plan was and the responed with the answer "We dont have a crystal ball"
The exodus from this company has already begun.
The truth aabout Champion Air
The pilots that you fly with are a great bunch of people. The pay is the lowest in the industry. You will be an FE for 3 to 4 years, upgrade time to Captain is 6 years. Management couldn't care less about the pilots. They believe pilots are a dime a dozen. History has shown that they hire in November and Furlough in May except for this year. They interviewed over 300 applicants last year for 30 positions and barely got those position filled. Out of those 30 people some have already quit others are being railroaded out of the company because as probationary pilots can be fired at will. This year instead of the usual furlough they are firing pilots. Management does not back up the pilots if crew scheduling tells you to do something and you don't do it you get written up. If you call in sick for a trip you get wriiten up. The pilots are getting ready for a mass exodus. The contract is up and a new one is nowhere in site. The pilots that are not looking for other jobs are preparing to go on strike as soon as an impass is declared. Rumors of new aircraft abound but don't hold you breath. Training is the worst. You go to class and look at porn. Company has many engine failures and turnbacks. Everytime something goes wrong the pilots are seconded guessed by management. Usually the pilots are guilty until the management can find someone else to blame. If you want something done it is always some on else's responsibility. Everyone is so scared of being fired that they won't make a decision. No backup from upper management always guilty until proven innocent. Do yourself a favor stay away and get a flying job not a back seat job. Very few flight engineer jobs out there anyway the B727 and the flight engineer is a deadend position and will do nothing for your career consider the fractionals pay is higher, equipment is better and you will be flying. Flight engineer time doesn't count for anything anymore.
The pilots that you fly with are a great bunch of people. The pay is the lowest in the industry. You will be an FE for 3 to 4 years, upgrade time to Captain is 6 years. Management couldn't care less about the pilots. They believe pilots are a dime a dozen. History has shown that they hire in November and Furlough in May except for this year. They interviewed over 300 applicants last year for 30 positions and barely got those position filled. Out of those 30 people some have already quit others are being railroaded out of the company because as probationary pilots can be fired at will. This year instead of the usual furlough they are firing pilots. Management does not back up the pilots if crew scheduling tells you to do something and you don't do it you get written up. If you call in sick for a trip you get wriiten up. The pilots are getting ready for a mass exodus. The contract is up and a new one is nowhere in site. The pilots that are not looking for other jobs are preparing to go on strike as soon as an impass is declared. Rumors of new aircraft abound but don't hold you breath. Training is the worst. You go to class and look at porn. Company has many engine failures and turnbacks. Everytime something goes wrong the pilots are seconded guessed by management. Usually the pilots are guilty until the management can find someone else to blame. If you want something done it is always some on else's responsibility. Everyone is so scared of being fired that they won't make a decision. No backup from upper management always guilty until proven innocent. Do yourself a favor stay away and get a flying job not a back seat job. Very few flight engineer jobs out there anyway the B727 and the flight engineer is a deadend position and will do nothing for your career consider the fractionals pay is higher, equipment is better and you will be flying. Flight engineer time doesn't count for anything anymore.
ShizeyMcPilot
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2005
- Posts
- 9
ShizeyMcPilot
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2005
- Posts
- 9
DenverDude2002
Ramp Rat
- Joined
- May 17, 2003
- Posts
- 590
FE/FO Jobs at Champion
PHP:
If you want to work for $26,000 per year and be an FE for 3 to 4 years you will be upgraded to FO. You will start as an FE no matter what your experience is. You will be layed off when things are slow. You will most likely be based in Detroit or St Louis. Management considers the pilot group as an unproductive neccesity to conduct their business. You will be treated with no concern for you or your family and when it is time for your upgrade and you are not current then that is your fault not theirs. The training is non existant. You wanted the truth you got it. Also be prepared to spend 3 months in training at $36 per day you don't get line pay until you pass IOE. Do yourself a favor and go fly an RJ being an FE on the B727 is a deadend job that does nothing for your pilot career other than show the world that you can take punishment, low pay, and disrespect. the company is undergoing contract negotiations with the pilots. The company wants to take things away and not give. Within 2 years there will be a strike on the property.
CaravanMan
Drop eet like eet's hot
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2005
- Posts
- 519
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