Comair Upgrade

[PA44Jockey]

Does anyone see the upgrade times at Comair going below just under 5 years for JFK or just under 7 for CVG?

 

[Garritto]

I was hired in December of '06 and am hoping for a 3-4 year upgrade. Right now it's 5 years for JFK but there was major stagnation at Comair for a couple years. I have 1300 tt so it's going to take me 2.5 years to get 3000 tt for the upgrade anyway.

 

[PA44Jockey]

Unless there is major growth or attrition I don't see the time changing much. Comair has a very senior pilot group and I don't see much coming off the top but a few retirements a year. I was hired in '04 and I don't think I will see the light anytime soon.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

I've been here 4 years and am still about 100 numbers from junior JFK Captain. Live in GSO, so I have been pretty content the past two years but with the "country club" closing I'm seriously starting to evaluate other options.

KAK

 

[captainv]

We had 176 airplanes at our peak, now soon we'll be down to 129. Once we had close to 2,000 pilots, now we're just under 1,600. I've got less company-wide seniority now than I did before bankruptcy.

Still, after the last upgrade class canceled, a couple FOs went to Pinnacle to be street captains. Now I hear the process can take at least 6 months (and you're making $1,500/month), and of course there's no guarantee they won't move the bar again in 6 months. Skywest seemed to have low upgrade times on the Brasilia, but I hear they might slow down their hiring.

As I approach 5 years here, I certainly understand the desire to go somewhere else and try for an upgrade. When I came here, upgrade was below two years and we were growing like crazy. But it's too risky for me to start over at another regional.
But if you're still stuck on reserve here, perhaps it's be worth it...

 

[GOULET!]

Any place that is advertising close to a 5 year upgrade to anything you should stay far away from. There are plenty of other options out there. I know how hard it is however to invest years at a company and then start over again somewhere else.

 

[DX Rick]

Any place that is advertising close to a 5 year upgrade to anything you should stay far away from. There are plenty of other options out there. I know how hard it is however to invest years at a company and then start over again somewhere else.

With all the regionals hiring guys with less than 600TT....you'll want some of these guys in the right seat for 5yrs prior to upgrade.

 

[RiddleEagle18]

Some facts so you can guess for yourself.

07/2002(JFK CA) 12/2000(CVG CA) is the most junior CA on the last seniority list update. (June 07)

Another vacancy bid was published last week for 34 new Captain Positions and I'll let you know how junior the CA bid goes.

In a memo in the October bid packet it said we can expect 60 additional upgrades in the first quarter of 08'. (Info from company so TIFWIW)

For the folks hired in Dec 06 over 180 pilots senior to them have left the company. with around 1600 on the seniority list that's about a 10-12% increase in seniority in 8 months. (again only based on Dec06 hires)

The company has been averaging around 30 resignations a month. Last months attrition was 10 CA and 20 FO.

Its all about timing and a little luck and as everyone always says "past performance is not a guarantee of future success"

 

[boeing72]

I started at Comair 11/11/02. I left in Jan 07. I still would not be a Captain. I was told 18 month upgrade when I started.

The fleet has shrunk so much and no growth plan. If u want a fast upgrade, stay away from larger airlines like Comair.

 

[GOULET!]

Point well taken DX Rick...i sure as hell don't.

 

[RiddleEagle18]

As Promised vacancy bid awards.

CR7 CA - 4/2000 DOH
CVG CA - 12/2001 DOH
JFK CA - 11/2002 DOH

New hire FO could pretty much hold either base and within just a few months hold the 70/90.

 

[DX Rick]

As Promised vacancy bid awards.

CR7 CA - 4/2000 DOH
CVG CA - 12/2001 DOH
JFK CA - 11/2002 DOH

New hire FO could pretty much hold either base and within just a few months hold the 70/90.

Maybe the races tonight?

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

Unless you got hired in the early 80's, upgrade was NOT below two years. I got hired at Comair in late 99. I took the first upgrade available, and it took a little over three years.

We had 176 airplanes at our peak, now soon we'll be down to 129. Once we had close to 2,000 pilots, now we're just under 1,600. I've got less company-wide seniority now than I did before bankruptcy.

Still, after the last upgrade class canceled, a couple FOs went to Pinnacle to be street captains. Now I hear the process can take at least 6 months (and you're making $1,500/month), and of course there's no guarantee they won't move the bar again in 6 months. Skywest seemed to have low upgrade times on the Brasilia, but I hear they might slow down their hiring.

As I approach 5 years here, I certainly understand the desire to go somewhere else and try for an upgrade. When I came here, upgrade was below two years and we were growing like crazy. But it's too risky for me to start over at another regional.
But if you're still stuck on reserve here, perhaps it's be worth it...

 

[DrewBlows]

Unless you got hired in the early 80's, upgrade was NOT below two years. I got hired at Comair in late 99. I took the first upgrade available, and it took a little over three years.

I fly with a lot of guys in the -700 who were FOs for two or three months or never at all (and it shows:laugh. This is always morale boosting information considering I've been on reserve as an FO for over two yearsuke:.

 

[DX Rick]

I fly with a lot of guys in the -700 who were FOs for two or three months or never at all (and it shows:laugh. This is always morale boosting information considering I've been on reserve as an FO for over two yearsuke:.

Come back to the 50 or go to JFK

 

[DrewBlows]

Come back to the 50 or go to JFK

I'm sleeping in the bed that I made, anyway, this last bid put about another 30 people below me so things are looking up...it's just going to be a while.

Oh, and I originally went to the -700 for better pay and easier reserve. It's now horribly understaffed so I fly or sit ready every day, while my classmates are holding a line and making more money than me anyway. Sigh...so far in this industry I have seen two bankruptcies (one at ACA where I was hired but never went to class), three down-sizings, one furlough, over three years on reserve, nearly two years at first year pay, and zero months with a line. For you observers at home, do exactly the opposite of what I do. I'll get hired at UPS and someone will invent a way to teleport packages.:bawling:

 

[wmuflyguy]

Things hopefully will keep moving

 

[captainv]

latest bid packet says to expect 60 upgrades in the first quarter of 2008...

 

[V-1]

latest bid packet says to expect 60 upgrades in the first quarter of 2008...

60 upgrades to replace the 100 Captains who will have said "I'm Ready To Go" between now and then.

 

[DX Rick]

I'm sleeping in the bed that I made, anyway, this last bid put about another 30 people below me so things are looking up...it's just going to be a while.

Oh, and I originally went to the -700 for better pay and easier reserve. It's now horribly understaffed so I fly or sit ready every day, while my classmates are holding a line and making more money than me anyway. Sigh...so far in this industry I have seen two bankruptcies (one at ACA where I was hired but never went to class), three down-sizings, one furlough, over three years on reserve, nearly two years at first year pay, and zero months with a line. For you observers at home, do exactly the opposite of what I do. I'll get hired at UPS and someone will invent a way to teleport packages.:bawling:

I was just joking around. I know some guy who will commit suicide before going to JFK for upgrade, and other who refuse to come back to the 50 seater as an FO.