Colgan

[Bryan D]

SIM ride is free!

I interviewed with Colgan last Monday. The sim ride is free. Beech 1900D level D (full motion) at FlightSafety, LaGuardia.

 

[TheBigH]

My understanding that the new hires have to pay for their sim evaluation... Colgan did stop PFT about 6 months ago, but most of the people who are there in the right seat did in fact, PFT.

Pay for evals ? whoa never heard of that one ... definetly not true nowadays anyway. Most of the PFT guys are gone from what I have seen on the line.

Only thing we still have that I know of is the 1 year contract, and that's pretty fair, more so than CHQ and XJT's 2 years ...

 

[TheBigH]

I interviewed with Colgan last Monday. The sim ride is free. Beech 1900D level D (full motion) at FlightSafety, LaGuardia.

Hey dude, how many guys were there ?

 

[I.P. Freley]

Only thing we still have that I know of is the 1 year contract, and that's pretty fair, more so than CHQ and XJT's 2 years ...

CHQ and Xjet have two year contracts??

 

[dh82dvr]

QOL is good if you live at your base as has been said. Some commutes are hard because of the out station bases. Usually you can get your choice of base within 3-6 months. Not much flying out ALB though. LGA is not a base anymore. Saab upgrade is 2000total 1000 on type, but both numbers can vary, like higher total less on type. They like you to have been through winter before upgrade. There are not really any reserve lines, but some do have a few reserve days in them. I understand they plan on hiring 20+ per month for now.

 

[rattler]

CHQ and Xjet have two year contracts??

X-Jet, NO.
CHQ, I have no idea.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I have heard the same thing...Hiring will be 20/month until fully manned. If you account for some attrition and the 80-100 pilots to man the C0EX system up to 120-150 pilots in the next 12 months is a very realistic number. Also heard they are hosting an open-house for the Chicago Express guys.
Quality of life is good for me personally and so is the flying. Upgrade times are what someone else mentioned, and it looks like more to come in the next few months. SAAB transitions will also continue, and some possibility of a 50-seater in a couple of years. Number of Beech 1900s will stabilize at 10 "D" models flying EAS routes primarily in W.V. and New England.
Overall, I am happy here and I think it's a good place to work. I know alot of other people have some negative things to say and I would be the first to agree that things aren't perfect. However, in my lifetime I have seldom worked anywhere thats perfect, including the military.
Lastly, if you are hired on with Colgan the training I had was excellent and this comparison is based on my previous military flying experience also. Lots to learn in a short period of time, but I am a Beech driver. SAAB is more systems intensive from what I hear. Flying-wise...The Beech 1900 is a Cadillac to fly. Stable, light control forces and handles the weather, icing, turbulence well.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[Bryan D]

Hey dude, how many guys were there ?

There were ten of us.

 

[FO 4 Life]

Since you guys are out station based and can possibly move base-to-base every month, how do you get to the airport? Seems a far distance to drive a car every month if you get bumped. Mr. Colgan was in Chicago interviewing express pilots last week so I was told.

What does a typical trip look like on the Saab? Do you get per diem while you fly a day trip?

 

[great cornholio]

When I was there they liked you to stay in a base for a few months at atime. But I don't really remember if there was anything that said youcouldn't change each month. As long as there is an opening somewhereyou can bid for it. Nope no per diem on day trips and since thats allyou ever do you rarely get per diem. If you break a plane good enoughthat you have to ferry to a MX base and end up overnite there then youget per diem...so you will usually end up with less than 40 bucks amonth per diem and there might be months where you see no per diem atall.