Colgan

[climbhappy]

to continue the great summary

i didn't have a clue at 600 hrs and a piper turbo arrow was like an f-14 to me. can't imagine having 19 in back going down to 1800 rvr at 600 hrs. well, i guess i can imagine doing the callouts at 600 hrs.

 

[BRA]

Sorry i haven't been on top of my profile. But i am a captain, i have sat in the left seat, and i do have a clue. I have shot most of the approaches during the day....due to the high mins issues. Their skills very, some are good, some need work. Same goes for those with 1500 hours though as well. Transtates, chautauqua, and others just aren't taking the CFI's right now. Just as United and Delta aren't taking people like you. So you take what you can get. A stepping stone. Dangerous 600 hour pilots are a bad thing to have, i get all that. Colgan now has a simulator check in the beech for potential applicants. Whether that will help anything or not i am not sure. They take the check before they pay the cash.

 

[chperplt]

Congratulations on the upgrade.. Where are you based now?

 

[Beechluvr]

At nearly 4000 hours with over 1500 turbine PIC, I am qualified to fly for Comair, Southwest, or anyone else for that matter. I won't be a hindrance to the captain and crew.

They might have a different opinion, at least until you get a few hundred hours in the new airplane and new environment under your belt. There are some pretty obvious differences in the jet operating environment compared to the beech, especially in planning. the margin of error is much smaller since the airplane won't cover mistakes as well. You'll also probably be flying into lots of unfamiliar airports so you won't know all the procedures/frequencies by heart. These are the same things that make the transition difficult for the 600 hr new hires (PFT or not). Some pick it up quickly, others don't.

BTW, what if the 600 hr guys weren't PFT? Would that make a difference in the way they fly? How about a 2000 hr. PFTer? Would he not be as good a stick because he paid?

I'm not defending PFT, personally I don't agree with it, but it has nothing to do with their flying ability.

 

[Beechluvr]

I also think I have a responsibility to make sure everyone knows that Steve and Scott died because of something the company did, and still does to this day

That was a tragic accident and a profound loss at Colgan.

What exactly did the company do, and is still doing, to this day?

 

[chperplt]

These are the same things that make the transition difficult for the 600 hr new hires (PFT or not). Some pick it up quickly, others don't.

Someone with more experience will generally have an easier time picking up what's going on, and will be able to multitask in the cockpit. I didn't mean to imply that a 600 hour non pft pilot is better than a 600 hour pfter.

BUT

The fact is, many of the 600 hour pfters are not true 600 hour pilots. Many of them have built their time as "safety pilot" doing nothing more than burning holes in the sky in sunny Florida calling out traffic.

A 600 hour pilot who was a CFI is far more experienced than the above mentioned pilot. The 600 hour CFI has been the person in command of a flight who has had to make some serious decisions. The only decision a 600 hour pft safety pilot has made is to turn left or right and say "clear" when they are looking for traffic.

It really has nothing to do with memorizing freqs, or being familiar with airports. You are told most of your freqs by ATC and can look at an airport diagram. The 600 hour CFI is looking at the airport diagram and can actually read it. They are thinking ahead and able to plan ahead of the airplane. The 600 hour pfter is holding on to the tail mentally. I'm not saying he is unable to manipulate the controls of the airplane, but he doesn't have the experience in the air to think ahead of his current position.

Are there exceptions... absolutely.

What exactly did the company do, and is still doing, to this day?

Go through some of the older Colgan threads and you'll get an idea. Things like pressuring captains to fly with non MELable items.. Pressuring captains to take an airplane from another captain that has grounded it and refuses to take it with an "ops checked ok" sign off. Dispatching airplanes under very shady circumstances.

The list can go on and on...

 

[deadstick]

I had to add this here, too.

Free flight training at TabEx. Hmmmmm

 

[USMCAirWinger]

DeadStick...you instigator!

 

[chperplt]

What are FOs upgrading into at 1200 hours, and under what regulations will they be flying????

 

[deadstick]

Hey Marine,

Somebody wiped out the last thread with TabbieFO. I was enjoying that sooo much (and others...I know y'all liked to watch the drama unfold -- just like a car accident). I saw this and had to spread the word.

There was a comment about getting the boot a day shy of three years. Very good point. Better get a lawyer to go over the contract. I guarantee Tab hired one to write it. So training contracts are back. Airnet has one. I know some helo operators who had them.

Let's open this up for comments. Raving wackos are funny, but don't do anything for supporting a point of view.



PS I understand they are going to be 135. I thought the 1200 hrs was funny when they advertise 3500TT for line CA's and trainers.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Florida is an "at will" state or whatever it is called. They could chit can you for no reason when they feel fit.

 

[USMCAirWinger]

Yeah the TAB thread was the funniest thing that I have seen in a while. Honestly it is quite disappointing to see people getting used and abused because of their "love" for aviation. At my current workplace we are being asked to voluntarily take pay cuts in order for them do get the charter going. For those guys that do, they will get a chance to right-seat in a single pilot airplane without pay...WTF! The worst part is that I have co-workers that are willing... so sad.

 

[deadstick]

At my current workplace we are being asked to voluntarily take pay cuts in order for them do get the charter going. For those guys that do, they will get a chance to right-seat in a single pilot airplane without pay...WTF!

Hey!!! I think I used to work there, too!! Everybody has an angle.

WARNING: TANGENTIAL RANT FOLLOWS

I never want to work for a place where I ever have to see the owner on a regular basis or doesn't have enough cash to do mx or credit to get an engine in a day or so. Just because a place operates on a shoe-string budget, it doesn't mean the plane haveto e held together with them.

 

[FlyChicaga]

PS I understand they are going to be 135. I thought the 1200 hrs was funny when they advertise 3500TT for line CA's and trainers.

I believe when you reach 1200 hrs you are "upgraded" to "left seat FO." That's what I gathered from TabFO's posts.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Seafeye,

I thought I was reading a similar post around here a few days ago. That or I must have had a dream about it and thought it was true. Thanks.