Comair new base City?!?!?!

[Flyingmike]

I have an upcoming Comair interview and was wondering if there are any SERIOUS thoughts as to opening an additional pilot base out west (SLC perhaps). Please no speculation in this reply...just wondering if any of the pilots on here have heard anything close to concrete from managment???

I live out west and would prefer to stay out here and not have the horrendous commute of travelling through 2 time zones going east bound and losing a day!!!


Thanks!

 

[172driver]

Haven't heard so much as a whisper about SLC or any other western cities. ATL seems more likely, assuming growth and the need for another domicile, a large assumption right now.

I'll root with you for some western expansion though.

 

[PositiveRate]

There's more than a few of us coming from PHX, SLC, LAX, SAN, etc. The commute is long, but not stressful. I usually go in EARLY on the day the trip starts and come home LATE the night it finishes.

There was a lot of speculation about SLC a few months ago, but it seems to have all but vanished. Keep in mind, when i was hired, they told us DFW was a definite in June '03.

There was a rumour about ATL recently too, but nothing since. Unfortunately I must not have the big picture because it sure seems like another base is in order.

 

[Flyingmike]

positiverate.....

how long have you been at Comair? How realistic is the upgrade time?

Do you ever exercise the commuter policy coming from the west coast?

I appreciate any info you can give me. I should do fine at the interview....just wish there was a base out west so I could see my family more often if I get the offer!!!


Thanks again!

 

[PositiveRate]

- about a year and a half
- not yet, but maybe i've just been lucky.
- best advise for the interview is aviationinterviews.com. Read every single profile and look for the common questions. Know what you'd say to each (and variants thereof) and practice in front of a mirror. You'd be amazed at the stupid sh^t we do when we talk. Don't forget the cog test reviews....knowing what to expect is half the battle.

Good luck.

 

[AirBoard]

- about a year and a half
-
Good luck.

A year and a half upgrade, really!

Judging from the stats other Comair pilots have posted you'd really have to grow to do that. 1800 pilots would mean you'd have to hire ~1800 more or some combination of retirements/resignations in that time frame. You guys are doing well but that number is ridiculous.

 

[T-Gates]

I think he was answering the question of how long he has been at CMR...

 

[PositiveRate]

A year and a half upgrade, really!

Reading before posting prevents smart-as$ posts as witnessed above...

moving on...I didn't answer the upgrade part because honestly I have no idea. If I had to conjure a guess it would be 3-5 yrs - based on a slower growth rate than the past few years, but as always, the real answer is "it depends" (on a lot of things). I think it's funny that there are threads dedicated to the subject...talking about it won't make it any quicker, but it will increase the manic pull of the regionals forum.

At comair, we'll get the planes or we won't, we'll upgrade quick or we won't, we'll get another base or we won't, we'll merge with ASA/Delta or we won't, but we won't give back a lousy penny of our measly salaries because we're already underpaid.

Comair really is a great place to work. Being a pilot, though, is a great job in a really sh^tty industry. I tend to worry more about quality of life than upgrade time because that's something I can control whereas the other will happen when it happens.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Very, very well said.

All you folks who are in a desperate race to get 1000 PIC turbine at any cost should listen carefully to PositiveRate.

I think he has a very clear understanding of the industry right now.

 

[AirBoard]

Reading before posting prevents smart-as$ posts as witnessed above...

.

Sorry, your cryptic response was so crystal clear I must have misread it. Enjoy.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

At comair, we'll get the planes or we won't, we'll upgrade quick or we won't, we'll get another base or we won't, we'll merge with ASA/Delta or we won't, but we won't give back a lousy penny of our measly salaries because we're already underpaid.

Comair really is a great place to work. Being a pilot, though, is a great job in a really sh^tty industry. I tend to worry more about quality of life than upgrade time because that's something I can control whereas the other will happen when it happens. [/B][/QUOTE]



Ditto!

If upgrade time is a strong consideration in your decision making process, Comair is probably not the airline for you. Growth will probably be slowing down dramatically given the cut throat competition from other lower cost products being offered in today's regional market.

Comair is a company which offers long term stability, better quality of life, and livable compensation over the long run as opposed to the short sighted (in my opinion) quick upgrade feeding frenzy that seems to be rampant at other carriers. I am able to sleep at night comforted by the knowledge that even if I should never sit in the window seat of a "Heavy" at a legacy carrier (and let's face it--most of us never will given the dramatic changes in our industry), I will still be able to have a prosperous career at a quality regional. It's all about setting priorities based on your specific situation and then creating a game plan which addresses these aspirations. Best of luck either way.