Colgan Air, then what?

[johnsonrod]

Give me a break. All of the regionals suck. You will make no money and your QOL might be terrible. Understanding that, you will want to focus on quality of time (Q400 ain't that bad if you don't fly a jet) and potential upgrade time because PIC time is what matters. I say go with Colgan for now (request the Q400) and get some good experience for at least a year. If you want to move on from there you can - I would suggest Republic/CHQ on the E170 if that is an option.

In the meanwhile, ask for the Q400 and go get some good experience for at least one year - YOU CAN DO IT.... Quit being a ninny and just do it - flying a Q400 or a Saab around the NY area will be good experience regardless. Don't overthink it - just do it.

I agree. Tell them you want to fly the Q400 (or you will look elsewhere) and go do it. DO IT!

 

[McNasty]

In other words, skip the regionals altogether. Or are you implying that that there is one that doesn't suck?

You need glasses brother. SUCK AS MUCH. Imagine:

ALB 0430L -20 without the windchill, 10 MELs and one of them is cabin pressure. Your thinking to yourself didn't this plane just come out of the maintenance hanger. Do your first flight runup, get to the gate an hour late and now LGA is ground stopped. I could go on and on and i only worked there a year. I have worked at my current airline for almost a year, and i can honestly say it can be thousands of times better.

I don't know anything good about mesa so we'll just leave it at that.

 

[30West]

SUCK AS MUCH. Imagine:

That's just it. The definition of SUCK AS MUCH might be different for different folks depending on their situation.

Would you rather fly with a stack of MEL's while living in base or commute a thousand miles or multiple legs a couple times a week to fly one or two MELs?

The answer to that question is going to be different for everybody. I don't fly the line there anymore but I did it for 6 years. My QOL there wasn't bad. But then I was home every night.

Before Colgan I worked for the then "Airline Of The Year". But I spent $4000/year and two days a week of my life commuting to and from it.

 

[Alaska82]

Hell I've been at Colgan for less than 3 years and almost have my thousand, to bad all the majors are quiting hiring, well at least i've got weekends off.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

I don't agree with the "get your time and get out" theory.

Why would you waste six months of your career at a place you really don't want to work making low pay? You can make more money with almost any other flying job. It doesn't have to be as a CFI. There are other opportunities for low time guys.

Get 6 months of flight time and you will then have the option of where you would like to go. Make sure it is a place you wouldn't mind staying at for 4+ years. The 1000 PIC to a major is very limited right now since Delta, Northwest, United, FedEx, and Southwest are not hiring. If oil prices stay high there will be no get in and get out at the regionals (i.e. 2001-04).

Plus, when you do get your interview one day at a major they would prefer stability and a longer term employment history at your previous employer. What kind of employee are you going to be when you have worked at 2-3 different regionals, the shortest of which was for 6 months? If I were the interviewer I would think this person has either had problems or is going to jump ship at the first opportunity after being hired. (Does he really want to be here, or is he going to stay only until his first choice calls him back?)

My $.02. Look at the bigger picture.

 

[better up here]

Plus, when you do get your interview one day at a major they would prefer stability and a longer term employment history at your previous employer.

agree.

want to know what i'll do tomorrow? find out what i did yesterday.

 

[BrokeFOsho]

As for the whole "props" thing, I just got out of the Air Force after flying C-130's and got picked up by JetBlue. Also had several buds of mine from hercs go to SWA, Delta and NWA within the last 2-3 months. None of us had anything other than turboprop time.

I'm still going to fly hercs for the Air Force Reserves so I'll finally be able to decide if real men fly props or jets

My opinion...take the first job offered that makes sense and start flying bro!

 

[OnTheRocks]

I don't agree with the "get your time and get out" theory.

Why would you waste six months of your career at a place you really don't want to work making low pay? You can make more money with almost any other flying job. It doesn't have to be as a CFI. There are other opportunities for low time guys.

Get 6 months of flight time and you will then have the option of where you would like to go. Make sure it is a place you wouldn't mind staying at for 4+ years. The 1000 PIC to a major is very limited right now since Delta, Northwest, United, FedEx, and Southwest are not hiring. If oil prices stay high there will be no get in and get out at the regionals (i.e. 2001-04).

Plus, when you do get your interview one day at a major they would prefer stability and a longer term employment history at your previous employer. What kind of employee are you going to be when you have worked at 2-3 different regionals, the shortest of which was for 6 months? If I were the interviewer I would think this person has either had problems or is going to jump ship at the first opportunity after being hired. (Does he really want to be here, or is he going to stay only until his first choice calls him back?)

My $.02. Look at the bigger picture.

well said

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

This is like "Do I go for the girl that is 5'2" and weighs 175 or the girl that is 6'1" and weighs 205?"

No matter how much lipstick you put on it, it's still a pig. Get more flight time and try either a better regional or get your turbine experience elsewhere. If you have to go for one or the other, be based at home.

Mr. I.

 

[Chuck Steak]

why does colgan have guys hop in rental cars to drive from one base to another???? what kind of company does that? it happens all the time!!!!

 

[OnTheRocks]

because they will

 

[Chuck Steak]

is it true that Colgan is interviewing Private pilots at flight schools and guaranteeing them jobs when they finish their Comm multi IR?

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Goto Colgan, and fly the dash out of ewr for pennies.

 

[30West]

is it true that Colgan is interviewing Private pilots at flight schools and guaranteeing them jobs when they finish their Comm multi IR?

No...

 

[rhino3040]

I don't agree with the "get your time and get out" theory.

Why would you waste six months of your career at a place you really don't want to work making low pay? You can make more money with almost any other flying job. It doesn't have to be as a CFI. There are other opportunities for low time guys.

Get 6 months of flight time and you will then have the option of where you would like to go. Make sure it is a place you wouldn't mind staying at for 4+ years. The 1000 PIC to a major is very limited right now since Delta, Northwest, United, FedEx, and Southwest are not hiring. If oil prices stay high there will be no get in and get out at the regionals (i.e. 2001-04).

Plus, when you do get your interview one day at a major they would prefer stability and a longer term employment history at your previous employer. What kind of employee are you going to be when you have worked at 2-3 different regionals, the shortest of which was for 6 months? If I were the interviewer I would think this person has either had problems or is going to jump ship at the first opportunity after being hired. (Does he really want to be here, or is he going to stay only until his first choice calls him back?)

My $.02. Look at the bigger picture.

To give you the big picture, I was with Colgan for 3 years, got my 1000 pic puting up with what most guys in the barbie jets would call hell and went to a major. I too was home every night and enjoyed the guys I flew with a ton......It was a good carrier for a stepping stone, and would not have traded the experience for any other regional.

Good luck

 

[rhino3040]

This is like "Do I go for the girl that is 5'2" and weighs 175 or the girl that is 6'1" and weighs 205?"

No matter how much lipstick you put on it, it's still a pig. Get more flight time and try either a better regional or get your turbine experience elsewhere. If you have to go for one or the other, be based at home.

Mr. I.

Or be like most and get the beer goggles at 2 am during closing time and GO YEEEEEHAAAAA it pig huntin' time.

 

[Beech Balls]

Don't go with the Shiny Jet Syndrome kids. They're a bunch of retards.
Get some prop time, it doesn't really matter what it's in as long as the power levers aren't
overhead "a-la-Twin Otter".

I got hired at everyone's favourite Guppy-operator with only 1900 time. Turbine PIC is all that matters....punching line-select-keys is not the way to get experience. Instead, go hammer out full approach after full approach to mins in the northeast. Maybe throw in a circle at night to a snow covered runway....that puts hair on your left nut.

 

[Chuck Steak]

No...

Actually, it is! its OK if you're embarrassed! I guess you are going to say that the driving a rental car from one base to another is not true either?

Here is your proof!!!:smash:
http://www.westwindaviation.com/American Eagle.htm

 

[DoinTime]

To give you the big picture, I was with Colgan for 3 years, got my 1000 pic puting up with what most guys in the barbie jets would call hell and went to a major. I too was home every night and enjoyed the guys I flew with a ton......It was a good carrier for a stepping stone, and would not have traded the experience for any other regional.

Good luck

Meanwhile you encouraged executives to treat you like dirt and pay you crap while you "got in and got out." This type of sacrificial attitude is what has dragged the pay and standard of live for nearly half of the US domestic pilots down into the toilet. If you covet those mainline jobs stand up for the basic rights of the profession regardless of where your current seat is.

 

[suupah]

To give you the big picture, I was with Colgan for 3 years, got my 1000 pic puting up with what most guys in the barbie jets would call hell and went to a major. I too was home every night and enjoyed the guys I flew with a ton......It was a good carrier for a stepping stone, and would not have traded the experience for any other regional.

Good luck

This is how it goes for SOME pilots at Colgan. They usually (though not always) have some sort of connection at the major they end up at. MOST people at Colgan do not simply get their 1000 and get out.

I repeat this IS NOT the norm.