Colgan

[BRA]

I don't think the beeches are a whole lot older the 10 years? I think they are all around 1995 or so. I think IAH will get better with time, it is having a lot of growing pains. Overall, i think this company has only gotten better and better since i started here. IAH is probably causing the company to go backwords a little, but it will go forward again. It's nice not being completely under the usair umbrella, a few months ago I remember the big question around the company was "what if usair sinks, and when are we gonna get another code share?" I know in january a lot of people here were really watching the news for stuff on usair like hawks, i know i was.

 

[heywatchthis]

Well I'm over it. The only thing I really complain about is when the schedule gets bad. My schedule is my life. With a good schedule I think my QOL will be good. Thats all I am looking for right now, and I have hopes that when things get figured out in IAH, COLGAN will be a good deal for me.

All the people in IAH are great, so thats a bonus. If I could just get on schedulings good side. Hummmm. Not that its there fault, but I got to blame someone.

Keeping the fingers crossed.

 

[chperplt]

Originally Posted by Spitfire
About maintenance. Sure I've seen 6 stupid MELs, or even some stuff not get fixed coming out of a maintenance base. It's not that big a deal.

Dude,

You need to get your head out of Mikey Colgan's ass before you die. Do you realize the history of that MX department? Were you paying attention a few weeks ago when another SAAB lost an engine.

With that mentality, I feel bad for all your passengers as you'll obviously accept a sub par aircraft because it's not that big a deal....
.

 

[HughBeamont]

There is no doubt that Colgan is going through some major growing pains, and they like to share the pain with as many people as possible.

I can't speak about the Saab side of the operation, but currently they are short Beech FOs. So the Beech FOs get the shaft - less days off, changed schedules, etc. Not having work rules gives the company great flexibility at the expense of the pilots.

To a large extent, outstation basing causes the majority of misery at Colgan. If someone calls in sick in the afternoon, the morning crew keeps working (since it's extremely unlikely that anyone at the base is on reserve). If you have a check airman at your base, you'll be pulled off the schedule, put on reserve. And the aircraft maintenace suffers greatly, as they only see maintenance bases infrequently. This last point screws not only Colgan employees (who expect a certain level of screwing), but our flying customers.

 

[dh82dvr]

surely it depends what the mels are right?

i've seen long lists of every possible cabin and cockpit light...big deal.

at the end of the day you are the one who decides if the thing is good to go. If you are right you are right, but you need to know your stuff and back yourself up.

Just remember, its your ticket and you worked hard to get it. Don't subsidise any airline be it Colgan, southwest or whatever with it.

 

[tuna pimp]

Just curious...how difficult is it to get the base that you want? This outstation base system is pretty different to most carriers.

I live in ATL so a base somewhere up in Maine would obviously be problematic however Augusta is just a chip shot away for me.

 

[Spitfire]

Of course it matters what the MELs are. If it's cabin lighting or some basic cockpit lighting then big deal. If it's bigger and more important, then I'd deal with it and consider NOT Flying. Don't think for one second that my head is up a Colgan rear-end, nor think that I'm willing to fly just anything. But if I pick up an airplane at a maintenance base with 3 MELs still on it and they're all pretty benign, then it's just not that big a deal.
Basing planes at the outstations is definitely part of the equation.Maintenance isn't always on top of every little tiny thing, but this is no Southwest, and I've yet to be asked to fly anything even remotely unsafe.

 

[MECH]

If you look at Continental's current hiring practices you will see that they are hiring pilots from the right seat of a CL-65 or EMB -145. They are not hiring to many turbo prop captains.

This might change in the future!

There is no promise of going any where after you get the majic 1000 hours PIC. So I would only look at companies that I could retire at. Hopefully I will be able to move on. But if not, I do work for a company that will provide a good career.

 

[JATAGA]

I live in ATL so a base somewhere up in Maine would obviously be problematic however Augusta is just a chip shot away for me.[/QUOTE]

You do know thats Augusta ME?

The bottom line is you get based where they need you. I don't think its the norm to get the base you want until you can bid into it.

 

[tuna pimp]

Yikes! A bit more than a chip shot...I thought maybe Colgan was doing some 1900 flying for USAirways from CLT or something. Thanks for clearing that up.