Continental or stay Fractional?

[PHXFLYR]

.........................

 

[GuppyWN]

What are you making $$ now? How about CAL? Five years from now? How many days off per month do you have now? CAL? How old are you? CAL has, for the most part, snuck under the radar for the past several years and from what I've read are very well positioned. They are hiring and adding routes. You just can't say that about very many "major" airlines right now.

I was at a great "regional" that flew 737's. Loved it. I pursued my dream of a "major" job and got the offer from WN. The big reason I left is I forcasted, as best I could, 30 years out and put it on paper. Everything from pay, schedule, disability, benefits, travel perks, profit sharing, retirement and vacation were factored.

Bottom line, you gotta be happy. If you're at a stable company that has a rosey outlook then factor that. Personally, I think you'd look dang good in the left seat of a 777.

Best of all....... it's nice to have choices.

Gup

 

[coogebeachhotel]

Stay. Crystal Ball looking cloudy.

 

[AA717driver]

Are you really going to be happy knowing you passed up your chance to go to the majors and instead played AAA ball all your life?

Gotta do it.

So, how long you been laid off at AA?

In case you haven't looked outside in the past couple of years, NJA pays as much as "the majors" and you don't have to beg a ride to commute. Oh, yeah, they're making a buttload of money, too.

I rarely stoop to this but, here goes: doucheb@g! TC

 

[twad]

GuppyWN,

Thanks for your insight. To answer your questions, I am 38, I made 74k in 05(however, that was with a boatload of overtime, 63k was my base salary),I get 14 days off per month right now, I dont know what I will get at Cal.

Cal will be a huge pay cut to start, however, 5 years down the line I should be well above where I am now.

Does anyone know what the benefits at Cal are? Medical, dental, and how does this new B-plan work? Are the benefits effective from your date of hire? Flight benefits? Are they available from your hire date?

Thanks again for all the input and info. Much appreciated!

 

[Hutchman]

GuppyWN,

Thanks for your insight. To answer your questions, I am 38, I made 74k in 05(however, that was with a boatload of overtime, 63k was my base salary),I get 14 days off per month right now, I dont know what I will get at Cal.

Cal will be a huge pay cut to start, however, 5 years down the line I should be well above where I am now.

Does anyone know what the benefits at Cal are? Medical, dental, and how does this new B-plan work? Are the benefits effective from your date of hire? Flight benefits? Are they available from your hire date?

Thanks again for all the input and info. Much appreciated!

6 month wait for medical/ Dental (I looked into Cobra from my current employer, about $600 a month for coverage). Next year 10% B-fund. The year after that it goes up to 12%. You get flight ben. from the get go, buddys have to wait 6 months.

Pay is 20-30K less per year, every year, than Southwest. This is assuming things stay the same, which I think we can all agree they wont. Who knows what the future holds............

 

[AA717driver]

JMO, but these days, flight bennies are way overrated. If you're at NJA now and airlineing to work, think about being in the same spot but on standby for every flight for the rest of your life...

But maybe I'm a little cynical. TC

 

[COpilot]

twad, CAL Benifits, I'm 19 yrs, family of 4.

medical 244/mo
dental $97
vision $22
LTD CA. rate $148
personal accident 200k $5
basic life 1x/ free
supl. life 2x/ $31
spouse life 1.23x/ $19
child life $2

Credits$88.0

Total $481/mo

 

[a10hogplt]

fractional

I'm a new hire at Cal...left a fractional.....i would turn and run from fractional flying, but that is just my opinion. Yes, years down the road you will be making tons more money, know where and when you are going on trips, and have a much better QOL than any fractional out there. I love the people that say well no benefits for 6 months sucks, or first year pay sucks. That is so small when you consider you will have a 22 year career there. Just a small price to pay for a great career. I think it would be a huge mistake to stay at a fractional right now, just my opinion.

 

[Diesel]

What frac did you come from a10.

I think the fracs are not all equal. By a long shot.

 

[furlough-boy]

So, how long you been laid off at AA?

In case you haven't looked outside in the past couple of years, NJA pays as much as "the majors" and you don't have to beg a ride to commute. Oh, yeah, they're making a buttload of money, too.

I rarely stoop to this but, here goes: doucheb@g! TC

Very professional.

I'm back at the majors and spent 3 years at a fractional. Just my opinion.

 

[GuppyWN]

TWAD,

Go with your heart and don't look back........ whatever that may be.

For those touting the fracs just remember. When the economy hits the skids the first thing to go is the jet. Been there.

Good luck,
Gup

 

[AA717driver]

furloughboy--Yes, what I said to you was unprofessional. But your implication that the fracs were somehow a lesser breed than pilots at "major" airlines was equally insulting.

It is exactly the kind of remark that epitomizes why we are where we are as a profession--someone thinking they are in a lofty position, looking down their noses at the great unwashed.

Having tasted life at a "major" airline and now at a corporate operation I am qualified to state that the people I fly with would be on par with the top of the heap at any major out there.TC

 

[furlough-boy]

furloughboy--Yes, what I said to you was unprofessional. But your implication that the fracs were somehow a lesser breed than pilots at "major" airlines was equally insulting.

It is exactly the kind of remark that epitomizes why we are where we are as a profession--someone thinking they are in a lofty position, looking down their noses at the great unwashed.

Having tasted life at a "major" airline and now at a corporate operation I am qualified to state that the people I fly with would be on par with the top of the heap at any major out there.TC

You've taken this the wrong way. My comment was as to the quality of the job, not the quality of the pilot. My QOL at the airlines has been significantly better then it ever was during my three years of fractional flying, or two years of corporate flying. It's a lot harder being a fractional pilot, hands down. But why work harder if you don't have to? There's always risk with potential reward, I just think the risk of going for an airline job is worth it. You're mileage may vary.

From someone who JXCAP'd in a prior life too.

Good luck

 

[CAL EWR B737]

There's some question on the ATA -300s, there is some backup down in training, there's some rumors about stock price, Larry might be the Anti-Christ, it's all on CALforums or in the crew room. Man I don't know, I'm just passing on the little rumors I read and hear about.

Heck, in a few days, weeks the bid will be out, and we'll all know the truth for that little time period.

I'm a crack pipe (CAL Pilot Forums) member and poster too. You know as well as I do there is some really good info on the pipe and there is plenty of crap as well. You kind of have to sift through it to find the credible stuff from the total BS.

I called pilot recruitment today and spoke with KD Josts executive assistant and she told me as far as she knows there has been no changes with the pilot hiring numbers.

Personally I could see a slow down in hiring just to cut down on the training back log. The third pilot I sponsored just finished IOE. It took six weeks from the completion of his sims to complete IOE. First he waited three weeks before his first IOE trip and then had to wait at least a week until the next trip. That time frame is totally unacceptable

 

[Diesel]

guppywn-

Actually during 9/11 and the major recession that hit the economy.... you remember the time that the airlines were furloughing.... we were hiring. We only stopped hiring for about a year.

So they might sell the jet when the economy goes down but they'll never go back to the airlines.

 

[AA717driver]

furloughboy--Ok, now I get it. I expected a "Nordstrom v. Kmart pilot" comment next.

Congrats on landing a good job.TC

 

[twad]

Thanks for everybody's thoughts, opinions and info. This has been extremely helpful for myself and my family. It seems pretty clear that the place I am at is not where I see myself in the long term. Cal would be fantastic and I really feel that I will always regret it if I dont give it a try. It's not everyday a opportunity like this comes along.

Thanks again for all the input.

 

[SWA/FO]

Hey someone start a thread about what benefits cost at your operation, where ever that may be. I thought COpilot's post about his costs would be very helpful info. to people out there. I would do it, but people hate me on this website and would be mad at me, call me all sort of names. I also took a look at www.airlinepilotpay.com and noticed the matching CAL has for their B plan, not to bad my fellow aviators. Thats, if I understand it correctly, its appears better then our matching at SWA. Thanks

 

[Jetsi]

Twad,

That pay scale looks familiar.

I was at RTA, went through the merger with FLOPS. I left as a 5th year Captain and took a 20K paycut to go to Frontier. I honestly haven't looked back.

I spent 21 months on reserve, and that was better than being a Captain at FLOPS. If you really think about it, your entire schedule at FLOPS is a reserve schedule.

Now I have a line, more days off, more money, etc.

Run from FLOPS as fast as you can. Now that Raytheon is in control again, I feel they are just going to sell it again. Especially as they are hemorrhaging money right now. You may be furloughed in a few years, but the chance is worth taking, IMHO. You may also upgrade in a few years, and make at least double what you are making now.

Someone said it earlier, but be sure to get your family (if you have one) in on the decision process. My wife and kids are much happier now than they were at the frac. I live in DEN, so commuting is not a factor for me. That would be the ONLY concern I had about leaving FLOPS for CAL.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Jetsi