Great Lakes Info

[Capt10Matt]

While I'm sure the whole pay, QOL, and everything else pretty much sucks. I had a buddy who stayed there for a couple years and is now working at Frontier...good opportunity if you can afford the pay.

Does it make anyone else sick to the stomach when you have to "afford" a job.

 

[CX880]

I managed 4 different job offers at various jet operators on the basis of my Lakes experience. At the moment only two airlines hold an institutional bias against 1900 drivers: UA (wants jet time) and CO (doesn't play well with Lakers). Beyond that the experience will launch you as far as your connections, abilities, and fortune will take you. And add to Trogdor's list FedEx (when the window was open) and Alaska. Most legacies, and most LCCs are happy to hire a Laker, I don't know what else one could ask for.

That aside, it's a single person's airline. If you have a wife and kids, you, they, and your coworkers will all be miserable, so just don't bother.

OK if you're GFs sister's best friend's husband is the son of a Fedex regional chief pilot then you might have a chance with just 1000 hours 1900 PIC time but too many times did I hear from CAs that were turned down by top tier airlines because of no Jet experience. Who knows as you say it might have to do with an airline's particular dislike with an operator, I wasn't at Lakes.

 

[BEfly]

OK if you're GFs sister's best friend's husband is the son of a Fedex regional chief pilot then you might have a chance with just 1000 hours 1900 PIC time but too many times did I hear from CAs that were turned down by top tier airlines because of no Jet experience. Who knows as you say it might have to do with an airline's particular dislike with an operator, I wasn't at Lakes.

Maybe. But in my experience, turbine is turbine. 135 or 121. I've never known anybody turned down with not enough "jet" time. Again. Just my experience. Either way, Great lakes sucks. I inteviewed there @ 5 years ago and they were proud to offer $12.50/ hour with no promises. I said no thanks. I like some of their routes though, good flying.

 

[BEfly]

Also.... I understand Great Lakes may suffer the same fate as Big Sky.

 

[T-prop]

Also.... I understand Great Lakes may suffer the same fate as Big Sky.

I don't think so, not yet. By default Lakes is quickly becoming the only 1900 operator living off of EAS.

Commutair, Air Midwest, Big Sky, Midwest Connect, Corporate Air, Boston-Maine etc. have or are in the process of shutting down their 1900/EAS business.

There are a lot of cities that qualify for and want EAS service, and Lakes now has much less competition and a much larger market.

(2002ish) when I was a lineguy I had to call Phillips 66 before I fueled them. They got a few months (6 months+) behind on their fuel bill with their vendors... they still flew and survived.

Lakes is the infamous "cockroach" in the airline industry.

Besides, they have to survive just 2 years for a new-hire to get the 1000 TPIC anyway.

 

[Cardinal]

OK if you're GFs sister's best friend's husband is the son of a Fedex regional chief pilot then you might have a chance

LOL. Accurate, but it seemed like anybody, jet driver or not, needed similar connections to land that job. The 3 recs + meet and greet system guaranteed an incestuous group.

Too many times did I hear from CAs that were turned down by top tier airlines because of no Jet experience.

I was one of those CAs. But I can't present evidence as to why I and my bretheren got turned down, only hunches.

Yet I think for the new 121 pilot, it's far better to be eligible to get hired most places (with PIC under your belt) than have the jet time but be scorned nearly everywhere because of an inability to ever upgrade.

 

[Future Furlough]

Lakes is the infamous "cockroach" in the airline industry.

Besides, they have to survive just 2 years for a new-hire to get the 1000 TPIC anyway.

If the hiring music stops (as it looks like it might, what with age 65 and oil at a gazzillion bucks) it could be a whole lot longer than 2 years. As I always say, you're better off going a company that treats you well. That way, if you get stuck there, you get stuck with a good quality of life, as opposed to just getting stuck.

 

[Crossky]

Maybe. But in my experience, turbine is turbine. 135 or 121. I've never known anybody turned down with not enough "jet" time. Again. Just my experience. Either way, Great lakes sucks. I inteviewed there @ 5 years ago and they were proud to offer $12.50/ hour with no promises. I said no thanks. I like some of their routes though, good flying.

It's actually a whopping $15.30/hr, been that way since approx. 2000.

Most pilots leave Lakes to go fly an RJ, frac or corp/charter. A few do get the big jet, but it's a fact a GLA CA is less attractive to a major/LCC than a Jet CA.

I know I had fun there.

 

[Guitar Guy]

It's actually a whopping $15.30/hr, been that way since approx. 2000.

Didn't the contract back in 2005 (or 2006?) change that, albeit just a little bit? Still poverty-level wages.

I think you are right, Crossky, as there is some debate that my employer may start getting a little more picky on jet and/or glass/FMS time.

But if one can survive Lakes and the 1900D, that person will be a better pilot for the experience.

 

[Cardinal]

Most impatient pilots leave Lakes to go fly an RJ, frac or corp/charter.

A few do get the big jet, but it's a fact a GLA CA is less attractive to a few major/LCCs than a Jet CA.

Fixed it for you.