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Colgan PFT

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I heard that the class of 8 was from the regional airline academy or one of those places where you pay for "airline training" and then colgan hired them. They had an add on AEPS a week ago and it said class of 8 for Colgan. Not sure though.
 
TriDriver

Yes, they have spent an enormous amount of money on training folks that have left very soon after getting on line. 4 or 5 of them were Mainline furloughs that were not happy flying a 1900 around. I've spoken to a few of them while they were here and that is what they said. We hired 4 CC Air pilots that were recalled only a few months after getting hired.

They did get money from the initial bailout, although it wasn't very much. I don't think it completely covered the lost revenue from the forced grounding.

As I've said before, I do not like the idea of PFT. I feel the same way many of the other posters do. But, I can also understand from the companies point of view why they would do so. If it's purely a dollar and sense thing, maybe a better way would be to take the money and put it in a zero yield account which would be returned to the pilot once they complete the 12 month training agreement. Rather than having to go after the people who bail, the company could simply refund the prorated portion of the contract if/when they bail early.

Those that PFT will do so regardless of what other people think.. and they should. You need to do what is right for you. Just make sure you are aware of what you are getting yourself into, and make sure you are the best. You're going to need to be better than the rest and hold your own in that seat. As a Captain, I'll be more than happy to help you out with line specific items, and I'll give you all the help I can while you're learning the airplane, but I won't teach you how to fly. If you can't get yourself into a hold, or fly an approach to minimums, you're going to have a problem. Like I said, you're going to have to be the best.
 
PFT at COLGAN?!?!? I would have just about paid anything to get out of that dump when I worked there. What a joke....it didn't suprise me a bit when I heard it from one of my friends that's still there. The whole mgmt lot of them (with the exception of Mikee) are a bunch of dirtbags.

Here are a few of the latest jewels out of the chief pilots office that may amuse the rest of you:

1. They sent out an Ops Bulletin a couple of months ago stating that no one was todrink anything but bottled water in the cockpit. Not even coffee with a lid on it! Pilots who work 16 hour duty days, flying 7.8 to 7.9 not allowed to have a f*&^ing Coke or EVEN coffee.

2. They also sent out a memo (I'm sure this was courtesy of the Ice Queen) stating that flying hats were no longer to be worn in the cockpit even with the door closed....."it looks unprofessional." Hey, here's a news flash, Ed*n, look at the FO on the cover of last months ALPA magazine. Hat on! He might look unprofessional, but at least he drives a 757 instead of a stretch King Air ( no offense meant to 1900 drivers other than the Chief Pilot and his Assistant C.P.


That whole place is ass-backwards. The only qualification that one has to have to get a job there in senior management is to have, or have had, the last name Colgan.

Here's some advice to those of you who are still there: you are now over the 200 pilot mark. ALPA will now look at you. The guys name to speak with at ALPA is Ron Reinfelsch (sp). I spoke with him several years ago about getting something going before I got my ass out of there. He was receptive to the idea. There are several who are still there who are willing to help, but approach only those who you KNOW you can trust.

As for the old man, he says that if the union comes on the property that he'll shut the place down. He can't do that. If he does, he'll put too many in the family out of work; the place is a family jobs program for the inept. I can name AT LEAST seven of them who are drawing a paycheck out of that place. Not to mention his aircraft lease agreements and service agreements with US Airways.

As for the PFT, it's an unfortunate part of the biz, but it speaks volumes that that is the only way that they can assure that people feel like they have to stay -- pretty sad, really. If they treated people like humans over there, then maybe their morale and, therefore, employee retention would improve.

For all of you who are still there, keep the faith. Those on the outside know what you've been through and are thinking about you.
 
chperplt,

"It's not that bad here." You need to stay off the weed, my friend.
 
tittyjet said:
As for the PFT, it's an unfortunate part of the biz, but it speaks volumes that that is the only way that they can assure that people feel like they have to stay -- pretty sad, really. If they treated people like humans over there, then maybe their morale and, therefore, employee retention would improve.

It's one thing to lose pilots if they move on to a major but Colgan loses everybody to other Beech 1900 or Saab 340 jobs or other parallel equipment moves. They also lose a certain number that just quit to get out and line something up later. That's pathetic. These clowns that are paying to work there are making a mistake.
 
No, I did. just giving you some good-natured sheeot!!

Seriously, though someone in the pilot group there needs to grow some nads and get the ALPA train rolling. Me and a couple of other guys were about to drop the ALPA hammer a while back.:D
 
Ziggy1:

Amen about the folks going to other 1900 and Saab operators. That speaks volumes in itself. Although I don't quite know how I feel about PFT, I do know that I would advise anyone and everyone not to PFT with that bunch of dirtbag-scum clowns.

BTW, I'm referring to mgmt, not the pilot group.
 
"Seriously, though someone in the pilot group there needs to grow some nads and get the ALPA train rolling"

Yeah because ALPA does so much for cummuter airlines and their pilots. Go ahead DW and the mainline guys need your 2% so they can finance their MEC meetings/parties on a yatch in Miami.
 

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