Mesa P-F-T
flying4food said:
If I'm not mistaken, isn't Mesa a PFT outfit also???
It depends on which aspect of Mesa you're discussing.
I worked at Mesa Airlines Pilot Development aka San Juan Pilot Training. It is
not P-F-T. Most certainly, students are indoctrinated thoroughly in Mesa line procedures and can interview at Mesa, but the Commercial-Instrument-Multi they earn is good anywhere. Not all MAPD students get "the interview." Not all MAPD interviewees make it through class. MAPD is 100% legit, but another way for Mesa to save money on crew training and make money at the same time. One thing at which Mesa has always excelled is making money.
Mesa also has an ATP program, in which you can get your ATP with a Mesa check airman who is a DE. Of course, you have to pay. Pass the first time, and you get "the interview." Bust, and be rechecked, and you get your ATP but no interview. Some people pass the first time. Some people don't. You pay your money, you takes your chances. Call it "pay for interview." I call it another Mesa money-making machine.
Then, you have the PACE program. I am not familiar with all the fine details, but I know that it involves taking Mesa line training. You pay for it and get an interview. Inasmuch as you don't receive a type rating or certificate out of the deal, that, to me, would definitely be P-F-T.
Of course, without a doubt, Gulfstream is P-F-T. P-F-T goes back at least ten years, when I was in the commuter airline job market. In 1992 and before, when times were bad, you about had to P-F-T or forget about commuter jobs. Of course, P-F-Ters get to cut in front of the line ahead of more legitimate job seekers. I already had interviewed at non P-F-T companies, so I reasonably believed that I was a legitimate job seeker. The notion of paying for
any job, in
any business, turned my stomach, no matter how badly I wanted the job, notwithstanding the harm it does to your colleagues. I refused to P-F-T.
I can't say that you can equate P-F-T directly to scabbing, but it is a distant cousin, in my .02 opinion. There is a correlation.
Of course, in PCL's case, you can't unring the bell. But, he is where he is, on the inside looking out, and it is easy for him to say now that he regrets his decision. Others are where they are. There are a lot of pilots and a lot of hiring boards, but aviation remains a close fraternity. Just do it the traditional way. Nothing wrong with an MAPD or Comair way, either, but just don't do anything that would make people believe that you cut in line. E.g., if you're an MAPD grad, think hard before succumbing to the Freedom Air lorelei.
I know this is highly charged. Frank O's Freedom alter-ego reviles me (but is typical Mesa), but don't screw around on the comm. Don't forget, you have your pax' lives in your hands.