current upgrade times in the industry

[deceptibum]

I was wondering if everyone could post the lowest upgrade times at your respective airline from your last bid vacancies. Just to get an idea of whats going on at the other airlines. BTW Eagle stands at about 8 years right now for the RJ upgrade.

 

[ExAF]

At NWA, we are still doing downgrades. Have no idea when upgrades will start again.

 

[enigma]

Spirit has run a couple of upgrade classes since we brought back all of the furloughees. Most of those upgrades were about three year employees, but some were at about the 24 to 27 month range. We plan a couple of more newhire classes this year, so I espect at least one more upgrade class, and those upgrades will most likely be from the spring of 2000 newhire classes.
regards

 

[JBL]

Upgrade times

At NetJets, pretty much anyone can have Captain in indoc or shortly thereafter. I started in Feb and have passed up countless upgrade bids on my airplane (Hawker 1000) as well as others. There was one guy with previous fractional experience in my indoc class and he bid and got awarded Cap in indoc. The individual aircraft Program Managers and their Check Airmen do discourage probationary pilots from bidding the left seat until completing your first year...all for the common sense reasons. It always happens that someone junior to you will bid and pass upgrade training within your first 6 months and you'll get bumped up to Cap pay anyway....which leaves the question.....why do it??

Hope this helps.

 

[sstearns2]

.....

The last brasilia upgrade class at skywest was almost a year ago. The most junior pilot in that class was probably 2 years. I know someone pretty junior who just went to the jet as CP with about 3 years.

Scott

 

[Unchilled]

Re: Upgrade times

At NetJets, pretty much anyone can have Captain in indoc or shortly thereafter. I started in Feb and have passed up countless upgrade bids on my airplane (Hawker 1000) as well as others. There was one guy with previous fractional experience in my indoc class and he bid and got awarded Cap in indoc. The individual aircraft Program Managers and their Check Airmen do discourage probationary pilots from bidding the left seat until completing your first year...all for the common sense reasons. It always happens that someone junior to you will bid and pass upgrade training within your first 6 months and you'll get bumped up to Cap pay anyway....which leaves the question.....why do it??

Hope this helps.

Is the Payscale at NetJets comparable to a major airline? Do you enjoy working for NetJets?

Thanks.
- Unchilled

 

[profile]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results! However, it appears to me that the bottom pilot awarded B-727 captain on the last bid was hired about 5 yrs ago. I don't know for certain, but it's about that, perhaps someone here with better info can pin it down a bit closer.

 

[avrodriver]

Been at Mesaba for two years now.....looks like it's going to be at least another 2-3 more years before I touch the most jr reserve saab captain seat....this isn't taking into account that our saabs start leaving in the fall or whether big daddy blesses us with RJ's, or whether we strike because of the current pace of our contract nego. My bet is it's going to be more towards the the 3 more year mark making it 4-5 years to upgrade at mesaba. Yea!

 

[skydiverdriver]

It's about two and a half years at Comair. Of course, only a few airlines are hiring right now, so that should make the choice easier! Good luck.

 

[JBL]

Re: Re: Upgrade times

Is the Payscale at NetJets comparable to a major airline? Do you enjoy working for NetJets?

Thanks.
- Unchilled

The pay at NetJets doesn't come close to what I was making at USAirways, but it does beat what I was making as of 12/3/01...$0.
The pay will come up as contracts get negotiated. The main thing I was looking for was stability. I believe (could be wrong) that the fractional industry is just beginning to tap it's market. NetJets is in the forefront of this emerging market which will provide ample advancement opportunities, and the seniority generated by this growth will provide the schedule and stability I'm looking for.
So far I would say I am very pleased with NetJets. We do much more work on the road than pilots at the airlines do. We order fuel, pick up catering, stock the airplane, load the bags, brief the passengers, confirm ground transportation enroute, clean the cabin, etc... This is not good or bad, just different from what I came from. These things are just part of the job and rapidly become second nature.
Two thumbs up so far. Talk to me in January when I'm in Aspen at midnight trying to put the engine covers on in 40 knot wind...

 

[flydog]

JBL

I dont think youll have to worry about securing the airplane at Midnight at ASE in January unless you like to leave your hotel room in the middle of the night to practice putting the engine covers on

ASE closes at 2300, curfew for all but Stage III is 30 min after sunset and the approach isnt authorized at night (and I dont know many people that would fly in there VFR at night - the last one that did didnt work out so hot)

Just dont forget to take the sodas out of the airplane

 

[JBL]

JBL

I dont think youll have to worry about securing the airplane at Midnight at ASE in January unless you like to leave your hotel room in the middle of the night to practice putting the engine covers on

ASE closes at 2300, curfew for all but Stage III is 30 min after sunset and the approach isnt authorized at night (and I dont know many people that would fly in there VFR at night - the last one that did didnt work out so hot)

Just dont forget to take the sodas out of the airplane

All true. See what trying to write a witty closing gets you?! Truthfully, the closest I ever got to Aspen was flying over it on my way to CA...broad daylight at 39,000'...and it still scared me. Lots to learn this winter...touche flydog.

 

[Freight Dog]

Island Air has upgrade time to DHC-8 captain in less than a year if you come with decent flight time, otherwise, you are looking at 12-18 months.

The last upgrades went to guys who were here from 1 1/2 years and as junior as 10 months. The guys at 10 months had over 2500TT and 750ME. Although, if you have those times, there's a potential for street captain... although not many pass.

 

[Jeff G]

JetBlue is still upgrading in about 7 to 9 months.