comair aircraft assignment

[wannab0133]

do the comair pilots fly both the 50 and 70 seat aircraft? Or, are they assigned and trained in one particular aircraft?

also, whats the upgrade and reserve times looking like?

i have an interview and im just trying to figger if i should give comair a shot or stay at my stable job right now flying 135. it seems the ch 11 stuff at delta could really hurt comair/asa.

 

[gordon24]

You are assigned one or the other. I do believe Comair is only getting 70's for the rest of the year, so, that's would you would probably end up flying.

 

[V-1]

The above poster is correct in that you'll get one or the other, not both. However, I disagree with the assumption you'll get into the 70-seater because that's all that they're scheduled to get. As the opportunity for upgrade grows dimmer for more senior 50-seat First Officers, more of them will choose to bid into the 70-seat jet, due to the roughly 10% increase in pay.

I haven't followed recent bid awards closely, but it seems to me that it's been a while since new-hires were junior-manned into the 70-seater.

If it's a pay issue for you, it doesn't matter which airplane you are awarded, since they both pay the same during the first year.

Upgrades to Captain for a new-hire today are anybody's guess, though if new airplanes don't show up, as has been announced by management, a new-hire today is probably looking at seven to twenty years, at current attrition levels.

Don't kill the messenger.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Upgrade?

The math is pretty simple. Obviously there are external variables that we can't account for (industry rebound, LCC hiring, F/O leaving etc.)

Basically there are only two things that create movement on a seniority list: attrition, and new airplanes.

As of right now there are a little over 1800 people on the list and the most junior captain is a little over 1000.

So just for the sake of picking a number lets say that you have around 900 people ahead of you before you upgrade.

That means:

• either 900 people leave (either by retirement or leaving for greener (?) pastures) or...
• The company needs to buy 180 airplanes (180 airplanes = 1800 pilots = 900 captains/900 FOs)

If 100 pilots a year leave/retire (and that number is high right now), it will still be 9 years to an upgrade.

Another variable is F/O attrition. There are a number of FOs who are refugees from other airlines and who may already have the elusive PIC turbine time. When the industry rebounds these FOs may leave which will generate very little movement on the seniority list. There are also FOs who, seeing the slow movement off of reserve and to the left seat are abandoning Comair to go someplace where they perceive the upgrade time to be faster (such as Chautauqua). FO attrition might move you up the FO list, but it does very little to create movement across the system seniority list. It is, in essence, artificial movement. (although, trust me -- the more people you have beneath you the more insulation you have from furlough. Thats a good thing!)

The previous poster's guess of 7-20 years is about as accurate as you can get since there are too many external variables that can have an impact. If we had a crystal ball i'm certain that many of us would have taken a different road.

But let me give you a little bit of advice from a guy who has collected far too many uniforms.

If you're GOING to be an FO for the better part of a decade, you want to be at an airline where you are compensated fairly for your experience. You want to be at an airline with a contract which will protect you and provide you with a good quality of life.

Comair is a good place to be an FO. And since we're all going to be FO's for a pretty long time, we might as well make the best of it.

The airline that has a rapid upgrade today could be out of business tomorrow -- that should not be the only factor effecting your decision. Choose the airlines that you apply to based on the unfortunate reality that you may, in fact, have to retire from that airline. If the industry comes to a dead-stop, where do YOU want to be?

Good luck with your decision.

 

[agonyairfo]

All good posts. I dont think any new hires are going into the 70. The lowest 70 fo is about 200 numbers from the bottom.
Whats with the upgrade frenzy? Some people will sell their soul for PIC time. A major isn't going to just hire some industry newbie just becasue he stumbled into somebodies left seat for a year.
I heard that there are DHL/Astar pilots (not retired ones either) that have been riding the panel for 5 years. Thank God I can be in a forward facing seat at a respectable place.

 

[Flash 7]

I agree.

It's better to plan on your QOL as an FO until things improve.

In my opinion Comair is one of the best places to be in the Industry right now even as an FO.

Things will change and you will eventually get your upgrade but believe it or not there are NO shortcuts in this crazy business.

I have friends that left Comair 5 years ago for what they thought were greener pastures. They are still furloughed when they could be on 10 year pay now making six figures with good schedules and good job security. YA NEVER KNOW.

 

[chperplt]

In my opinion Comair is one of the best places to be in the Industry right now even as an FO.

I can't begin to tell you how much happier I am in the one month I've been on line at Comair, then the previous years as a 1900 captain..

Comair is a great place to be.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

AgonyAir FO:

EXCELLENT post!

 

[Otto]

There are also FOs who, seeing the slow movement off of reserve and to the left seat are abandoning Comair to go someplace where they perceive the upgrade time to be faster (such as Chautauqua).

For the FO's at Comair right now...I know it can be tempting to go somewhere else but remember how quickly things can change. Right now the perception is that CHQ and Mesa have some relatively quick upgrade times but they also have approximately 25% of their business in US Air. If US air tanks you can bet their growth will come to a standstill. What if you jumped ship and this happened, only to hear that next year Comair announces major aircraft deliveries? I think something similar happened to some former Eagle guys that came to Comair looking for greener pastures. Two years ago that place looked stagnant forever, but now their growing again and you have to wonder if some of those folks are kicking themselves. Just some food for thought!