Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Colgan News Network for Dec 14

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

Godfather

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Posts
383
For all you hommies out there that keep PM'ing, emailing and phoning me about the latest on rumor control, here it is...and next time pay a little respect to your Dom when you see him...

(Manassas, VA-rumorcontrol.com)...Here are the headlines from today's Kremlin C-Call...

CASS-up and working, 99% of the glitches fixed. Still having problem with CAL Mainline. Some CAL Captains still aren't letting Colgan Hommies on board (even for a seat in the back) unless CASS approves them....funny that Colgan has a J/S agreement with CAL ,CASS or not...Big Daddy wants to know if any problems with CASS, let him know.

Upgrades/New Hires/Transitions...SOS? Not really still a slow trickle @ 2 Beech Transitions per month and they may have to kick up the Saab upgrades in Feb. 07 to maybe 8 at once to accomodate for the 3 new Saabs that are here. 10 newbies are in training pipeline now with 10 more starting Jan 4. Feb 07 class will have 8-10 newbies as well. Most newbies going to Saab. But things are fluid and subject to change so if you think your # is up to transition or upgrade, start getting ready. It happens fast.

Old Planes/New Planes/Fleet Changes...Big news of the day. The much anticipated aquistion of new Saabs is here! Those 3 new Saab B models are on property now. The 3 Planes from Pinnacle/Mesaba 361, 362, 363 (aka the future 220MJ, 249CJ, 258CJ) will be all on line shortly. 1 of the planes (361/249CJ) is now online and is Captain America Saab #5. The other 2 are finishing up heavy checks and fresh paint and should be on line in Feb if not sooner. These other 2 planes will be in United Colors. The heir apparant and future CEO of Colgan stated that Colgan is looking at those other Pinnacle/Mesaba 7 Saabs and are still being considered.

As for any B+ Saabs coming...there are currently none available as the 30 B+'s from Eagle were sold or leased to an Australian Air Carrier and no B+'s to be found for sale or lease right now. Eagle and Mesaba are keeping theirs for now.

The 2 A's will be still be used but can be returned to Saab at any time depending on new B arrivals and growth demand.

NEWSFLASH...Beeches...Say goodbye to 220CJ aka LVB and maybe 221CJ. 220CJ is being returned to Raytheon by Feb 07 and 221CJ is up for sale and it will sell quickly according to Uncle Jr. There maybe a third Beech returning to Raytheon in the Spring. Which leaves to more news and some big questions, so scroll on down.

New Fleet types...Don't expect anything to happen here. No new word on the Q400/Saab 2K/RJ front, but if you can dream, believe it. G dub will have his usual editorial page on this later.

X-MAS/Year End Bonus...Someone had the Stugots to ask the future CEO about it. NO word from the Kremlin, just wait and see. Probably not.

NEW CITIES/ROUTES/NEW CREW BASES...It was announced SYR will be basing a 2nd USAirways Saab to run SYR-BOS run 3-4 times daily starting in March 07, I think. Someone plz verify start date. Also, it will be announced soon for another city/route pair that CJC picks up for USAirways. All Bets are on either ALB-BUF, HPN-BOS or ITH-PIT. Future CEO hinted that is going to be additional service to a city that we already serve and it will be in a Saab.

Also announced that the DOT has issued Emergency EAS bids for CKB, PKB, MGW EAS service to be done ASAP that was dropped by Regions Air. CAL also dropped Regions Air. Colgan WILL BID for these EAS runs and it will be done in the Saab. So we can speculate where those other 2 new Saabs may be headed in UAL colors. CJC would prefer to do the new EAS runs under the United banner. CAL wants it under their banner, but Colgan will only do it under CAL colors if CAL opens up more routes from CLE for Colgan in addition to the above mention EAS WV runs.

Also with the retirement of up to 3 or 4 Beeches in the upcoming future, A decision will be made soon on which bases and cities Colgan will transition from Beech to Saab. This airline guru analyst Dom says HPN, SHD, AOO, LEB, HYA is on the hit list for this. Not to worry, Looks like Beech crews will get transitioned to the Saab quicker if and when this happens.

Paysheets...soon to be eliminated which is good. Be sure to get your add ons credited when calling off with Screw Sched. The IAH experiment has worked great and the Kremlin wants to go all automatic on pay with Crew Trac ASAP.

That's all, tune into to next week's C-Call they may have more to say.

Interesting stuff going on...:beer:
 
Last edited:
They put out more info today in one call than i've heard in a dang yr. Someone finally figured out that we aren't mushrooms by keeping us in the dark and feeding us a lot of Sh*t. Spinzels anyone??????
 
Last edited:
Godfather, what will happen with the Beech Crews as they are getting rid of them? Also SYR will be in March.
 
They will be transitioned to the Saab, it's all part of the master plan.

How though? What about the Beech FOs that are getting ready to upgrade on the Beech, as they are loosing Beeches will they be able to transition to left seat at the Saab? What about those hired as Street Captains on the Beech? Will they be transitioned as Saab Captains jumping guys 100 numbers senior to them?

A ton of info today, but a ton of questions as well!
 
Word on the street is Getting rid of Beeches slowly taking existing crews on those Beeches and training them on the q400's to fly for Contenential. Hey the cat is out of the bag I have inside info. There is a master plan and this is it. The godfather has not been in the inner circle as I have. Watch for a March Annoucement of our first Q400. You heard it hear first Remember I said this Dec 14th. I know the secret handshake. All you have to do is know some Exec types over at Contenential. Flight Safety West palm Beach here we come. Call them up and ask them they are stupid they told me Colgan has already booked time in there Q400 sim.
 
The Master Plan in detail....

How though? What about the Beech FOs that are getting ready to upgrade on the Beech, as they are loosing Beeches will they be able to transition to left seat at the Saab? What about those hired as Street Captains on the Beech? Will they be transitioned as Saab Captains jumping guys 100 numbers senior to them?

A ton of info today, but a ton of questions as well!

3 schools of thought on this...

1. There will be maybe 2-3 more Beech upgrade classes with 2-3 per class, maybe more maybe less, depending on attrition and Beech fleet retirement timetable. I see the Kremlin removing 1 Beech at a time in a slow process about 60 days max per plane. 2 Beeches (220 and 221) may go right away which will put the Beech Pilot roster in a glut. which is good in 2 ways. Extra Pilots and Training can start the transition process with no hiccups and put more Beech Pilots thru the X-tion sooner. So look for alot more Beech to Saab transitions occuring within the next 1-6 months. Once the Beech fleet dwindles down to 6 or 7, upgrades will only occur for attrition on the Beech.

2. Do it by crew base....For example, Kremlin decides to pull Beech from AOO or SHD for first Beech to Saab x-tion when 220 and/or 221 go. The Beech Peeps based in that city(s) would get transitioned automatically first to keep them at that domocile. While they are in training, The mighty minds of Manassas will just TDY Saab crews in that city until those Beech guys are done with x-tion. Thus the 8+ Saab upgrades in Feb and beyond. This would fit in well with first theory as you still have more Beech upgrades to fill slots for senior Beech guys that x-tion to Saab. This could happen in 4-5 Beech crew bases over a 6 month period...but anything can happen. Like I said the Beech bases on the hit list maybe AOO, SHD, HPN, HYA, LEB. So you Beech Peeps get ready....it could happn tomorrow. Also, there will be continued hiring for newbies. Don't look for any more Street Cappys hiring. The few current Beech Street Caps will probably stay in the Beech and get shuffled around a bit depending on seniority and location demand. I don't see those guys moving to the Saab until way later after everyone above them gets to move first. Seniority rules...

3. The last train of thought is NONE OF THE ABOVE...Follow what G Dub said about his all knowing fetch on the Q400s and that you are all going to the Palm Coast of FLA to transition to the Q400 and move to IAH. Works for me.

In all honesty, Who knows what is going to happen and how this will work. So put in you plug as this is the best we can come up with for now. I'm sure G Dub or Prop2Jet or Mr Wu can come up with something better. They are the real rumor control experts.

Turn on the Seat Belt sign, this could be a fun and bumpy ride for you Beech Drivers. What a crap shoot this is...
 
I believe he said 8 upgrades, not 8 saab upgrades, in February. The rumor about switching 2 Beech bases to Saab bases has been going around for months. Leaders in that rumor are LEB and SHD or AOO. BHB could be a seasonal SAAB base with the loads they have in the summer. Getting rid of two Beeches would not do anything to the amount of Beech flying that we have right now, what with 221 being a hangar queen and 155 offline in Rockford.
 
I believe he said 8 upgrades, not 8 saab upgrades, in February. The rumor about switching 2 Beech bases to Saab bases has been going around for months. Leaders in that rumor are LEB and SHD or AOO. BHB could be a seasonal SAAB base with the loads they have in the summer. Getting rid of two Beeches would not do anything to the amount of Beech flying that we have right now, what with 221 being a hangar queen and 155 offline in Rockford.

Expect big changes quickly...2007 will be a big year for Colgan.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top