Great Lakes Airlines?

[Firefly]

Five weeks of training with no pay, A $7500 training contract, Low FO pay for at least 300 hours before becoming a CA (probably 4 - 5 months) How can anyone afford to do this? Not to mention you have to pay your own way to get to the interview. What's the appeal?

 

[kingairyahoo]

...121 PIC in 4-5 months, some folks will sell their souls for less

 

[ALIMBO]

Upgrades are not that fast anymore but I'm sure its still faster than others.

 

[Kingair1181]

What are current upgrade times at GL?

 

[ALIMBO]

Couldn't tell ya but there is at least a few Lakes guys here on the board maybe they can chime in.

 

[Vegaspilot99]

They're still advertising captains under job postings on their web site. ATP, 1500, and 300 121 time. Don't know that they'll actually hire any captains though.

 

[lookin4better]

Who knows how people afford it .....some may have no choice and ignore bills for a few months, maybe they dont have any bills, maybe they have enough saved up.. however its no secret that there are many a Mommy and Daddy subsidising the regional airline industry by paying rent, car payment and other bills while their child ' pays their dues ' .

 

[ALIMBO]

^^^ Too bad we couldn't be in the same circumstances. But there's a plus to doing it all on your own I call it pride and hard work and it feels better in the end when you see the results and you know you got there because of you and no one else.

 

[Aviation Geek]

Nobody gets there alone.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Nobody gets there alone.

said by a true PFT'er

 

[moonship]

Alimbo, just wondering where your getting your information from? There has been absolutely no change in our upgrade. ATP min's and 300 hours in type is all you need to bid upgrade. It comes as quick as you are ready for it legally. The process has not gotten any easier though and there is a high wash rate in upgrade. Only "street ca's" on property right now are returning lakers on furlough.

 

[ALIMBO]

Guess its hear say but a few Lakers said it was slowing down this was on the GLA forum though....

 

[ALIMBO]

Not to mention you have to pay your own way to get to the interview. What's the appeal?

I interviewed at Hawaii based airline and was told the same thing. There was no way I could afford those tickets.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

I interviewed at Hawaii based airline and was told the same thing. There was no way I could afford those tickets.

You should have whored yourself out for them...then you could go party it up with JM.

Would be fun I think...

 

[embpic1]

Five weeks of training with no pay, A $7500 training contract, Low FO pay for at least 300 hours before becoming a CA (probably 4 - 5 months) How can anyone afford to do this? Not to mention you have to pay your own way to get to the interview. What's the appeal?

Because there are people lining up at the door to get a job there.

I got hired by Lakes in 95. Back then you had to pay $10,000 to fly the EMB120. Starting FO pay was $10/hr. Upgrade was two years min. I got lucky and got into the BE1900 for $0 training cost. However they had people lining up at the door with $10,000. It is just the nature of the biz.