First PSA CRJ -- news story

[DorkProp]

From the Dayton Daily News (October 29):


New regional jets heading home
Bombardiers due in Dayton

By Jason Roberson
[email protected]

MONTREAL | PSA Airlines Inc., the Dayton-based wholly owned subsidiary of US Airways Group Inc., received its first new 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet during ceremonies Tuesday at Bombardier Inc. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Dayton this afternoon and will enter service Dec. 14.

PSA will take delivery of 60 CRJ-200s as part of US Airways' regional jet order announced in May. Each jet costs an estimated $25 million, or roughly $1.5 billion for all 60 jets. The new fleet is scheduled to be in service by March 2005.

The first two jets arrive this week in Dayton and will undergo test flights before entering service in December. The airline operates under the name US Airways Express.

PSA’s fleet of 30 32-seat Dornier 328 turboprop aircraft will be phased out.

"PSA today begins its transition to an all-regional jet airline," said Dick Pfennig, PSA’s president and chief executive. "I am delighted for our company, our employees and our customers, and we are especially grateful for the commitment and support we have received from the city of Dayton."

The completion of PSA’s CRJ-200 deliveries will double the size of the carrier’s fleet, and passenger capacity will increase three-fold. PSA said the expansion will create more than 500 jobs companywide, including those for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics.

PSA employs 1,550, including 300 in Dayton. Pfennig said he expects to hire an additional 200 workers in Dayton by the end of 2004.

At the ceremony in Montreal, Bruce Ashby, president of US Airways Express, called the jet purchase a "historic milestone for US Airways Group."

During the 90-minute flight from Dayton to Montreal, Pfennig was joined by senior executives, union representatives and selected flight attendants.

At the hangar in Montreal, flight attendants toured the new aircraft, sat in the leather seats and shared favorable comments about such luxuries as foot rests for them and a modern coffee maker. Flight attendants Jane Hutchison and Jennifer Ankrom, both from Akron, took digital pictures of the cockpit and the bathroom.

As he glanced at the CRJ-200 for the first time Tuesday, Pfennig said, "You know I’ve seen this before and I’ve studied the pictures, but it looks a lot better now that I own it."


Contact Jason Roberson at 225-2446.

[From the Dayton Daily News: 10.29.2003]

 

[ReportCanoa]

and a modern coffee maker.

Movin' on up aren't we?

 

[RUhiring?]

From the Dayton Daily News (October 29):
As he glanced at the CRJ-200 for the first time Tuesday, Pfennig said, "You know I’ve seen this before and I’ve studied the pictures, but it looks a lot better now that I own it."

Funny, I didn't think Pfennig bought this a/c?

 

[DorkProp]

He got 0% dealer financing with $1500 cash-back. How could he walk away from a deal like that? But you should see the payment coupon book!

 

[jegermeister]

Just wandering......What's the over all feeling at PSA about getting new equipment, at the expense of ALG and PDT? I know when your MEC signed the J4J agreement most of the line pilots were opposed to thier decision.

I'm also curious about how many mainline folks will displace your own FO's. The agreement presented to ALG promised to give half of the newly created jobs to mainline. Since PSA is changing fleet type, does that count as all new jobs. If so won't they have to furlough, or at least not hire anyone off the street?. It also said there would be a minimum pay of $50/hr for those guys. Maybe even your Capt's seat.

Am I bitter? Yes. With you? A little, but mostly with the pilot group at USAir and ALPA. The pilot's at USAir never knew who the WO's even were, until they needed a job. And even then they didn't care who we were, only that they could strong arm some one into an agreement to fly an RJ. The same RJ's they used as a bargaining chip with management to take care of contract issues like "crew meals". ALPA is not any better. They may never have publicly endorsed J4J, but they certainly did nothing to stop it.

 

[DorkProp]

What's the overall feeling at PSA? I think the overall feeling is mixed. Most are still bitter that our MEC approved J4J, concessions, et al, without a pilot vote. But most are also grateful that we will be growing and have a slightly more secure future than we did before J4J. I don't think anybody here thinks that we are getting the jets "at the expense of ALG and PDT." I seriously doubt that our MEC said, "Let's see if we can screw ALG and PDT and get all the jets for ourselves." I think they made their decisions based on what they thought was best for our pilot group.

Don't delude yourself into thinking that the pilots at a small airline have very much to do with what goes on behind the scenes. No line pilot at PSA had diddly to do with the decisions that were made by Pfennig, Ashby, and Seigal. If our MEC had anything to do with the decision, it was to a small extent, and it makes no sense to say that there was any malice or ill-will toward you involved. The cards could have landed in ALG's favor just as easily, and then it would have been us flipping you off as you taxi by instead of the other way around.

As for the J4J agreement, the participating J4J pilots get to bid for 50% of both the captain and FO seats on the jet. Since we are increasing from 28 aircraft to 60, no PSA pilots will be furloughed. There may be hiring off the street later on. The captains get captain pay, and the FOs get FO pay, though not first-year pay. They also come in at the bottom of the seniority list meaning that no current PSA pilot will ever sit a day of reserve on the jet.

I'm sorry you're bitter. I'm sure I would be too if it were the other way around. But I'd be crazy if I weren't looking forward to transitioning to a new aircraft, making more money, and enjoying higher seniority.

 

[the turtle]

Welcome to the J4J's genie...it will be interesting to see how it plays out for PSA

 

[slick1]

So how eager are the furloughed mainline boys (and girls) to move over the PSA and take their place at the bottom of the seniority list? I'm not trying to start any crap. I'm really interested to know how easily PSA is gonna be able to get mainline J4J'ers to fill their seats. Any word on the percentage of mainliners who have passed up recall (to PSA)?

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Well.. first of all I dont think anyone considers us "mainliners" anymore.

Now we're just those dirtbags who have no jobs and live in a van down by the river.

Seriously though I would think that any furloughees who have not found other employment by this time, and who wish to keep flying professionally, would be pleased to accept employment at a J4J carrier.

Remember for the vast majority of us its been over a year and a half since we last put on a mainline uniform.

 

[slick1]

Check!

 

[skybuda]

Flight attendants Jane Hutchison and Jennifer Ankrom, both from Akron, took digital pictures of the cockpit and the bathroom.


Did they also take pictures of the extra 18 seats that they will now have to serve when they are full of people. I dont know the FA contract and dont want to sound like I do, but now having to serve 150% as many people as before doesent sound like a deal. Yea it wont be as nosie, but what is their over all feeling of all the extra people

 

[avratdwc]

I have heard that PSA is going thru the list of furloghed US Airways pilots and after they have exhausted the list they will be going to the street. I do not know how many have been called already.

Avrat

 

[Long-Gonner]

I heard that they went down to number 600 to fill the FO seats so far. Once they have gone down the list, they have to go back up the list and then we can hire off the street. PDT and AGL pilots will have preferential hiring, when we do hire.

 

[RUhiring?]

Today they started calling pilots to fill the November classes (J4J), they have gone at least as far as #1087 on the furlough list to fill FO vacancies....possibly further.

Pilots can, however, preference "Captain only", and therefore be called only when a captain slot opens at their seniority. I have not heard how far down the list they have gone for those positions. I know that prior to today, they had gone to #352.

 

[N2264J]

Don't kid yourself

ALPA is not any better. They may never have publicly endorsed J4J, but they certainly did nothing to stop it.

ALPA engineered it.

 

[boeingdriver213]

I recently finished training at PSA as a J4J guy and enjoyed working with the original PSA guys very much. They are a sharp bunch of guys and I look forward to working with all of them. I can't blame anyone for being bitter about the J4J program, but I have been looking for a flying job for over a year and if you are not current and FlightSafety or Simuflite qualified on the potential employers equipment, you are out of luck. The reality of this mess we are all in is that I am fortunate to have this opportunity to keep flying and hopefully further a career I have been working at for over 24 years. Do what you gotta do to pay the bills.

 

[Heavy Set]

Hey Boeingdriver,

What do you think about the CRJ relative to your past equipment?

 

[ChinaClipper]

PSA Jets????

Did they take concessions? Pay cuts? Did they "Lower the bar?" Did they refuse to fly them if they did? Did they walk over the ALG/PDT guys? What the story? Come on guys, what the scoop! Did they threaten you with liqudation if ya didn't?

 

[ChinaClipper]

Maybe the company was in trouble!

Steve Wolf's house for sale 12 million! I get it, take cuts so Steve can cut his grass! http://www.thomas-talbert.com/rockhill

 

[ChinaClipper]

Whoops thats....

http://www.thomas-talbot.com/rockhill.htm And for the trivia question Which arrival into DC goes DIRECTLY over Wolfies house?

 

[boeingdriver213]

I haven't done my IOE yet so how the actual airplane flies I can only guess at. One thing it is NOT is an automated airplane. Nice cockppit layout, the overhead is REeeeaall close to ypur head, which makes it a little tough on us guys who wear bifocals. I hear it's a little sensitive on landings (squirrely). Sim was great, no real suprises, rolls nice. Most of my time has been on the 737-2/3/400, so it's quite a bit different from that.

 

[dasmith]

what does the j4j program mean?

is that "jump 4 jobs" ?

 

[cl-65link]

Watch the x-wind landings, you must "fly" it down to 70 knots. Also be prepared to reset some circuit breakers.

 

[B6Busdriver]

Just an FYI on the jets for jobs program. I have heard they are down to asking June 1999 hires. See guys nobody wanted it....well very few did.

 

[RUhiring?]

Just an FYI on the jets for jobs program. I have heard they are down to asking June 1999 hires. See guys nobody wanted it....well very few did.

That's because the FO positions are going that low. Now that they have gone that far, the guys know that it will be a while before they can upgrade. The Captain slots for CHQ and TSA are at about the same point, so why go to PSA to be an FO when you can wait a few weeks and be a CHQ or TSA captain?

 

[hankhill]

FurloughedAgain Knows Whereof He Speaks

My hat's off to you my brother, I believe that I feel your pain.

I laughed, inside of course, when I listened to my PSA captains, many of them, explain to me how US Air pilots wouldn't be interested in flying for a "commuter."

They explained to me that US Air would be forced to hire off the street because no one who had flown for US Air would stand for the crap that PSA management and Scheduling, dishes out on a daily basis.

These captains, many of them not knowing that they were hired long after I left PSA, condescendingly explained to me how the aviation world works, and gave me advice on how I should look for other endeavors.

Many of these individuals have never had to work in the real world and have no idea how lucky they are to be in the position they're in.

They do have a point when they say that things could be better, I have no argument with that. I've seen many good people and families suffer because of management greed and incompetence.

But when a guy has been on the street for awhile and a flying position comes up he takes it, and anyone who demeans him for it without taking time to understand his position loses all my respect. My advice to those people is to walk a mile in his moccasins before making a judgement against him.

I've watched low-time guys on this forum expound as if they were experts in the field. I've also listened to them in crewrooms, on the jumpseat, and in the left seat. Without exception I've held my piece and I've always responded to their opinions with respect and acceptance.

Many of the best people I've ever flown with are much younger and a little less experienced than me, but I look at the individual and I can honestly say I that I'm grateful to have a chance to fly at PSA right now.

That being said, you can bet your life that PSA, and everyone else, will find plenty of people interested in the Jet for Jobs Program. It's a jungle out there.

What the hell do I know. I'm just sick to death of watching pilots dig trenches and and try to piss each other off. We're not each other's collective enemy, believe it or not. Time for a beer.

hank

 

[boeingdriver213]

When you see that PSA is taking J4J guys with '99 hire dates, keep in mind that U did not hire any pilot between '90 and I believe late '98. There are over 1800 furloughed U pilots, most of them hired in '90 and '00. The thing that sucks for these guys is many of them left good jobs for this "airline career" only to have it taken away poor management and other factors, some beyond our control. The guys on furlough from '88 thru '90 spent their careers at U in the right seat, many of them on reserve for most of their time at U, so even though they have 12000 plus hours, most of it is SIC, not PIC. Even with all of that, we stayed because of the pension plan. Now that that is gone, there are a bunch of 40 year old plus guys looking at starting over. Ain't life wonderful?