Colgan Asked to PFT

[DownEast]

Colgan

Be very careful if you're considering employment with Colgan. All they care about is how much money is coming in and keep their money as long as they can before paying their bills. Also be prepared for some major out-of-pocket expenses since they use out stations with no RON. So it's either a crash pad or finding a cheap hotel room. And zero per diem. And if you don't live in base, forget about trying to get home since the flights on U are almost always over sold.

The employees are treated like crap by management, dispatch and screw scheduling. It is extremely rare to have a day that everything runs the way it should. They fix problems by looking at the small picture and have complete disregard to the larger picture. And who is the one to suffer? You!

They have become so tight with money that hotel rooms are shared now during recurrent and you have to pay your own way to the training center from the airport if the van driver is unavailable. Not to mention the pay freeze they just initiated. Convenient since almost half of the company is due for a raise within weeks of the freeze.

If there are any other options besides Colgan I would definitely consider those first. Turbine time is nice but not at the price you would have to pay at Colgan.

 

[ArcticFlier]

Speaking of Colgan, does anyone know where Dan Yost is? He was there a few years ago, and I've lost touch with him.


Thanks,
AF

 

[chperplt]

I've never heard of him.. I've been there 2 1/2 years.

 

[Buddro]

My guess is you guys are talking about "Eric The Great." I dont know the guy other than ground school. I know he pissed off alot of people though (Classmates) from being a "know it all." I guess the teaching thing wasn't his thing. Anyone know specifically why he didn't get to finish his recurrent class?

As far as working at Colgan goes good company good people. They do give you the run around as far as maintenence/scheduling issues. I enjoyed the time I was there, great flying experience. However I am even more delighted to be out of there. I must say for a flight instructor or a 135 guy who wants to learn turbines, Colgan is perfect. Working at Colgan was a interim job, a stepping stone as you would call it, just like it is for most people. Overall I liked the people I encountered there and I am thankful I was able to work there in the interim.

I hope to god Colgan does not go PFT or aquire thier pilots from a place like EJI or TAB Express. They have a good safety record. If they use places like that, it wont last for long. Not to mention other airlines will see PFT back again and decide to bring it back.

Oh and another thing:
If Colgan does not get jets with US Airways they won't survive. I think with the EAS funding getting cut back, they have to move to something else. My experiences there were that Colgan was trying to run a 121 operation like it was a mom and pop 135 outfit. Just a monkeyf**k if I may call it that. If they can't runs 7 Saabs effectively and effieciently how can they run jets at all?

 

[chperplt]

If Colgan does not get jets with US Airways they won't survive. I think with the EAS funding getting cut back, they have to move to something else. My experiences there were that Colgan was trying to run a 121 operation like it was a mom and pop 135 outfit. Just a monkeyf**k if I may call it that. If they can't runs 7 Saabs effectively and effieciently how can they run jets at all?

We like to call it a 120 1/2 outfit.

You're completely right though. The contract with U is up in 1 1/2 years. They had better think long and hard about the future of the company. If they don't, they won't have a company to worry about.

I've got 2 1/2 years invested here and have just about have my 1000 turbine pic. I got what I came here for.

 

[ArcticFlier]

I've never heard of him.. I've been there 2 1/2 years.

If I remember right, he left there about three years ago.

AF

 

[350DRIVER]

It's AMAZING how this person has created such a shaky reputation for himself,

What is even more amazing is that after two "failed" attempts in the 121 world he "slipped" through the cracks once again... I cannot believe that the slip ups at COEX & GLA never surfaced during the interview...

I guess some must have nine lives in this "game" of aviation...



3 5 0

 

[350DRIVER]

Anyone know specifically why he didn't get to finish his recurrent class?

I dunno about why at Colgan but I would only assume it was because enough within the training department figured out that he was a mover and shaker... They had to re-teach the entire 1900 class that he taught (or I should say "tried to teach" ) at COEX.... Many thought that Dresser was going to have a massive heart attack after this comic show, fortunately damage control kicked in and he was booted..


go figure-

 

[chperplt]

He didn't finish the recurrent class because the director of training sat in on part of the class and very quickly saw enough.

 

[DownEast]

Hey chperplt

If Colgan is not as dysfunctional as you say then why are pilots walking away from the job in the middle of a trip? Pilots that have experience at real airlines and understand the way an airline should be operated.

As far as the pay freeze, It's the principle behind it more than the money. Why would they all of a sudden freeze everything right before so many eval were coming up? Did they all of a sudden look at their books and realize something was wrong?

I'm sure you're commute is probably the furthest. But if I had deals like you are getting in PQI I wouldn't complain either. I guess drinking the cool aid works sometimes. And I'm sure when they close that base next month you'll end up with some other bubba deal that allows you 3 on and 4 or 5 off.

And being 100% on time for 3 months in a row. Come on, you're not fooling anyone here. How many items are you carrying that are broke just so you can get to BOS before you write them up? Either that or your stars must be aligned very nicely. Time to buy a lottery ticket quick before the ligtning strikes.

I'll give you the statement that payroll has never bounced. But explain to me why they can't pay their vendors on time? It's a little embarrassing to walk out to your plane in the morning and find it literaly frozen to the ramp because they haven't paid the hangar bill in MONTHS. Oh, and add a delay on that because of deicing the 6-8 inches of snow as well. Or constantly changing hotels while TDY because they haven't paid.

The grass isn't as green as what you're painting.

 

[BRA]

I agree with pretty much everything being said. The commuting though will vary base to base. If you are in a base where you have to depend only on colgan's equipment to get you there......watch out. I did that for 3 months and it was not fun at all. Or was it just my bad luck? We have like near 20 bases. If you live at or near one of them...this could be a nice deal for you. You are home everynight, which really works so that you can live with your parents. Only so many 121 jobs where this exists. If your base closes then you are shafted though. And now you can't live with your parents. I happen to discover all future MEL items in the air. Just works out. For me coming from a CFI background straight to colgan....colgan planes are cadillacs. I dealt with worse equipment as a CFI, and students cancelling on me...and having to schedule my day around people. Colgan is so much better. But for someone from another airline to come here, or a furloughed street captain....they just can't stand it period. And rightly so. No one wants to be here, that is for sure....but if a furlough rumor came up.....i'd be the first to admit i hoped it was false...and i know everyone else would be shaking too. Whether they admit it or not. This is a shame, but true. No matter how bad it is here....i have logged about 500 121 turbine here...and no one can take that from me. And it will lead to bigger and better things. And former employees bashing us...colgan probably gave you the chance to leave to move onto bigger and better things. One day i will be one of you...and my posts on colgan will get less positve.....haha!!!!!! We do have some nice people here though...no doubt about that.

 

[XGmaninGA]

It has been a couple of years since I left Colgan. I still try to keep my finger on the pulse. Colgan is a very good stepping stone. They gave me the experience that led to my present job. You must have a positive attitude and view the situation in that light. Yes, the pay is not the best. The work rules are not the best. But the people are a pleasure to fly with. The experience is golden.

 

[Diesel]

Hey downeast you getting ready for the bhb runs yet? Thank god they finally put in that parallel taxiway. Ah thank god the snow is gone though.

It's allways funny to hear about TAB. them and kit darby are the only ones training for the hiring boom that's hapening right now. They are allways realllllllly close to getting this certificate, that airplane or this flow through.

The fact that people are out there soliciting for money for a "interview" with an airline is sad. What's even sadder is that there are people willing to pay it.

 

[sf340bcapt]

PFT

I am surprised by the negative posts of some supposed Colgan employees. Colgan is a fun place to work with a lot of good people both mgmt. and line pilots. If Colgan mgmt. needs to use PFT in order to expand or keep what we have, then I applaud them. This is a very difficult time for both pilots and airlines.
At least Colgan is hiring and not going backwards. The Colgans are doing what is necessary to survive and grow. Other airlines are furloughing to survive. Be happy you have a flying job, act like a pro and wait for the storm to end.
Any PROFESSIONAL captain cares not who paid for the training, just that the F/O does his job and learns enough to take his seat when he moves on to the majors.

GO BOSOX