for the XJ guys

[xjcaptain]

As far as I know the only Saabs we've parked due to corrosion were a couple of old A models that were former express (Pinnacle) aircraft. When they painted them they stripped the old paint using unapproved methods (shocking I know) and this caused corrosion under the new paint. These were aircraft made about 1985-1987. Our oldest B+ (AC 402) was made in 1996 and still has factory paint, so we shouldn't have the same problem as the old express aircraft.

 

[WIPilot]

Our oldest B+ (AC 402) was made in 1996 and still has factory paint....

And it shows

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Nothing like following the "Mary Kay" planes in to Kalamazoo. The old pink Conquest Kal Aero (now Duncan) used for charter followed by one of the faded to pink Saabs.

 

[flyn96]

Okay as for the trench coat, I have felt that cold winter breeze and the cold I felt on my back and for that matter my front was becuase of the trench coat. I used to have a leather coat i wore here in MN, I could wear that thing on the coldest days and even wear it on a barely chilly day in the spring.

To talk about hiring, well things have slowed. I am not in the know, but I have been told that they have cancelled any CRJ 200 ground schools they had planned until at least OCT. That sucks huh? As for other hiring, who knows, we are getting the remaining 900's (notice I did not call them "9's") and some have to go to the mighty Saab. I hear a few rumors, mostly from mechanic types. One is they think we will not get anymore 200's and possibly might lose them too. The other thing is that they are finding too much corrosion on the Saabs we have to think about keeping them. Did I also hear they had to park a couple because they were too badly corroded? Remember these are just rumors. But I will say, the first person to tell me the Avros were leaving "for sure" was a MEchanic. enough said.

The corroded saabs were A model's, they had multiple paint jobs for various operators and panel sealants were literally scraped from the seems with screw drivers chipping away the primer causing the corrosion, all the current saabs have original factory paint so its not an issue.

 

[SplitBar]

The corroded saabs were A model's, they had multiple paint jobs for various operators and panel sealants were literally scraped from the seems with screw drivers chipping away the primer causing the corrosion, all the current saabs have original factory paint so its not an issue.

Not all Saabs have the original factory paint. There are many Saabs that were repainted to match the new NWA paint scheme.

 

[xjcaptain]

Not all Saabs have the original factory paint. There are many Saabs that were repainted to match the new NWA paint scheme.

I assume the "all" he used was referring to "all" the Saabs that XJ currently has. All of these have original factory paint. 402-457 were all received new from the factory. The only exception is 407 which is "silver" like the current NWA paint scheme.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Don't forget 439 and 441 with the woefully outdated route maps painted on them

 

[SplitBar]

439 & 441 are the original paint jobs they came with when brand new. I stand corrected on 407 being the only one repainted in the new NWA scheme. I thought there were a 1/2 dozen or so flying around like that.

Cheers

 

[hey]

Any advice for a mesaba poolie waiting on a class? How are things looking?

 

[coonass]

What about 420 the company painting that thing one peice at a time. cargo door painted white

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

439 & 441 the "Silver City Flyers" aka "The Planes With the Maps of the Places We Don't Go Anymore" were the most gremlin-prone of the +Bs.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I think the CRJs are well on their way to taking over the gremlin title.

 

[xjhawk]

sorry guys, like I said ( I think) that it was a rumor, and we know how those go. But I do know that the ground instructors do not know what they will be doing over the summer since they have no 200 classes scheduled. Who knows, maybe they will spool down the 200 in favor of the 900. that only makes sense

 

[brokeflyer]

how much does it pay?

 

[flap operator]

The 200 is already staffed for 17 planes... why would we be hiring anymore except for FOs upgrading? I wouldn't read too far into the whole 200 issue.

Ground school instructors will probably be teaching RGS since it's been a year now that we started hiring again.

 

[submachXJ]

Yep 90 captains trained or in the pipeline right now and 84 FOs. Plenty for 17 aircraft. That puts staffing at better than 5 to 1 captain side and just shy of 5 to 1 on the FOs side.

 

[Hollywood82]

How do they select guys from the pool? In order of the interview date? Any Idea of how many people in the pool?

 

[WIPilot]

How do they select guys from the pool? In order of the interview date? Any Idea of how many people in the pool?

Honestly Hollywood I'd doubt anyone knows for sure other than HR themselves. I do know there was no real rhyme or reason why I was put in a class that was 2 weeks before the other folks I interviewed with. Also there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why people got the 900 or if they got the Saab. Maybe that insight can help...a little bit.

 

[flap operator]

There is actually a method to the HR madness. There is a rhyme and reason to who goes to what planes and for what class dates, despite what everyone thinks.

Before we had a pool the people were called and slotted into classes based on the needs at the time. HR would try to put folks from MSP in the 200, but if they were filling a 900 or saab class at the time, they got what was being filled. HR is willing to work with the applicant, but in the end the classes need to be filled.

At one point it seemed HR was putting all the lower time guys into the jets and higher time into the saab. That was when our upgrade time was really short, allowing those folks to at least get time on the plane they'll probably upgrade in. They weren't "handpicked" because they flew the sim the best, aced the interview etc...

As far as going to class before folks in your interview group... it probably had to do with the availability of the others, background checks, personal comitments, other jobs or a million other reasons.

Hollywood - if you're really conserned, why don't you just contact HR and go straight to the source? I think you'll be more satisfied asking the very guy (Steve) about the pool.

 

[Raskal]

...Hollywood - if you're really conserned, why don't you just contact HR and go straight to the source? I think you'll be more satisfied asking the very guy (Steve) about the pool.

I second that, Steve is a very nice and easy to talk to guy-give him a call and I'm sure he'll be straight with you.