Great Lakes

[starvingcfi]

i'm looking for opinions on gla. i saw today that their minimums are 500tt, 250 pic, 50 multi, and 10 actual. curious if they're a decent company to work for. anyone out there been on with them? also, they've got bases in denver, minneapolis, and chicago. how hard would it be to get chicago? what's the first year f/o pay? what are the upgrade times? just general info. thanks in advance.

starvingcfi

 

[KingAirer]

try doing a search, all your questions have been answered recently by people in the know.

 

[210FR8DOG]

GLA

I've read on other posts, no pay during two month training, first year FO 15 something an hour, training contract for 15 or 18 months, sounds like pay for training to me, no thanks. Good luck if you can afford it though.

Jeff

 

[Socalplt]

Did you say 10 hrs of actual!

 

[414Flyer]

Re: GLA

I've read on other posts, no pay during two month training, first year FO 15 something an hour, training contract for 15 or 18 months, sounds like pay for training to me, no thanks. Good luck if you can afford it though.

Jeff

How do you figure it is pay for training? I dont think they charge you a fee for your training. Not that they are the best operation.....

 

[Cornelius]

Obviously 210FR8DOG has been in the 121 environment and knows what pay for training is, not. I don't remember having to pay for training while I went through 1900 or Brassilia training. The only thing I had to pay for was food because they provide hotel, unlike some other regionals out there. Is it that hard staying at a company for 15 months, I don't think so even if it is at Lakes.

Why don't you give us your definition of pay for training 210FR8DOG.

 

[starvingcfi]

thanks for the replies. i don't think 15 months is that long. then again, it really depends on the company. could make for a long 15 months. but as far as building multi, turbine, actual, AND 121 time WHILE getting paid, it can't be all that bad. i'm sure it looks much better on a resume than tomahawks. just trying to get some opinions. should i keep instructing and wait for airnet to start hiring? thanks guys.

starvingcfi

 

[210FR8DOG]

GLA

Relax guys, I wasn't trying to start a fire. I just meant that when the other airlines like Comair and ASA and others are paying at least a little bit for training and paying a lot more for 1st yr FOs it makes me mad that the others cant follow suit. With a wife and daughter, I don't have a choice but to hold out for Comair or a company that pays something for training, and even then it will be REALLY hard to make it through training and first year. I know, maybe I'll be flying freight forever. I hope not. I didn't mean literally PFT, but with no paycheck for 2 months, it may as well be for me. I would seriously have to cook some tacos at night to get thruough that. Pinnacle does the same thing, but at least they pay better for 1st yr FO. ~19 an hour and flying really nice CRJs. I won't go there either, if I can help it. I know how hard all of us have worked and how much we've paid to get where we are. I would just like to see a little more respect for our abilities and efforts. I'll keep my opinions in check next time. Fly safe, Jeff

 

[Menace]

Foot in door

Great Lakes is a good place to get your foot in the door and thats aobut it. I suggest that if you can afford the lousy pay and not being paid for training, you come here for a year. At that point, put applications out at other regionals and go there. By the time you get an interview and a class date, your 15 month training contract will be over. ACA, ASA, Comair and Air Wisconsin are all places you could retire if need be. And yes, the pay is much better there. The only problem is that those companies can be much more selective because people really want to work there and the competition is fierce. So you need some kind of good experience. Most of those companies know about the tough training at Great Lakes and know what type of pilots we are. Most of our pilots have done well in training at other airlines. I was told from the start that if you can make it at Lakes, you can make it anywhere. I believe it too, because I've been through a lot of training here and it's all been pretty tough.

Also, don't let someone keep you from saying what you're thinking. This is the place to let it out.

-Menace

 

[AWACoff]

ASA and Comair also aren't hiring with only 700tt. Lakes is. I Spent my 1.5 years at Lakes and then walked over to Air Wisconsin. That's a small investment in time and a small sacrifice in wages to be flying at AWAC instead of a Cessna 210. Think about it. Lakes was the best thing to ever happen to me. Some companies may pay you in training but some of those don't pay for your hotel. Guess what....you end up in the same boat as you would have at Lakes during training.

 

[210FR8DOG]

more thoughts

AWACoff,

Your right about the 210, that hurt. But I should be in the Baron within the next few months. I'm hoping that higher total times like 3000/500 multi will get me where I want to go and make up for the lack of turbine/CRM experience. I'm flying 100 hrs a month part 135 and making 30k a year (not trying to brag but for checks thats not bad) so I can be a little bit selective if I choose to. I'm also trying to save up money so I can take the hit at any airline when the time comes. Also, note the last line in my first response, "good luck if you can afford it". I wasn't being sarcastic. I wish anyone on this challenging journey the best of luck and only Strvingcfi can make that choice, of course. I certainly don't have all the answers, although I'm getting more on this thread all the time, thanks guys, I'm just floating along this river like the rest of you, paddling with all I've got, making constant compromises between quality of life, turbine time, money, etc. and praying there's not a waterfall around the next bend!!

Good luck, fly safe, Jeff

 

[414Flyer]

Re: GLA

Relax guys, I wasn't trying to start a fire. I just meant that when the other airlines like Comair and ASA and others are paying at least a little bit for training and paying a lot more for 1st yr FOs it makes me mad that the others cant follow suit. With a wife and daughter, I don't have a choice but to hold out for Comair or a company that pays something for training, and even then it will be REALLY hard to make it through training and first year. I know, maybe I'll be flying freight forever. I hope not. I didn't mean literally PFT, but with no paycheck for 2 months, it may as well be for me. I would seriously have to cook some tacos at night to get thruough that. Pinnacle does the same thing, but at least they pay better for 1st yr FO. ~19 an hour and flying really nice CRJs. I won't go there either, if I can help it. I know how hard all of us have worked and how much we've paid to get where we are. I would just like to see a little more respect for our abilities and efforts. I'll keep my opinions in check next time. Fly safe, Jeff

Yeah but can anyone who dated my sister be trusted to fly an airliner?

 

[throttlejockey]

Everyone get real!

"Holding out" for your dream job doesn't work in this environment anymore.

starvingcfi, my advice to you is to run, not walk, to every single 121 recruiting office in existance and apply. When you are done, reapply. When your done reapplying, reapply again.

It doesn't matter who it is or what their reputation is. Most of these outfits treat you like dirt anyway. So don't pass it up just because a friend of somebody's cousin say's "don't go."

Why? Because you need 121 experience to get on with any of the decent 121 regionals or nationals in the current environment. In addition, if you are even more brave and have ever growing balls, you can stick it out for 1000 hours of command time in turbine equipment. Then you will be ahead of the game when this crappy hiring market turns around. (and other guys will still be in the right seat somewhere else.)

BTW - 15 or 18 months is nothing. By that time, you will just be coming off reserve and you could be holding a line.

Good luck - an trust me, take the first offer you can get - that will get your foot in the door and give you the option of advancing your career.

Don't get stuck somewhere with no career advancement. Keep moving up as quickly as you can. HR departments are looking for people with drive and determination to improve there standing. If you stay at a low paying freight job for too long, or do not advance into bigger, faster equipment, (or pass up the opportunity to upgrade) HR departments will wonder why you did not improve your situation. Very bad for your future.

My $.02

 

[210FR8DOG]

GLA

Thats pretty funny, Ron. It wasn't so bad. How's everything going?

Jeff

 

[414Flyer]

Re: GLA

Thats pretty funny, Ron. It wasn't so bad. How's everything going?

Jeff

Just getting my resume finished this weekend to send out to a few 121 operations. Fire Season is over in NM, so if I get any more fire assignments, it will be in the northwest somewhere.

 

[Freight Dog]

Re: more thoughts

I'm hoping that higher total times like 3000/500 multi will get me where I want to go and make up for the lack of turbine/CRM experience. I'm flying 100 hrs a month part 135 and making 30k a year (not trying to brag but for checks thats not bad) so I can be a little bit selective if I choose to.

You can only be selective if you have a job offer at hand.

Good luck!

 

[Riddle momma]

I applied to GL the 3rd of July, when they were advertising the 500TT mins. A lady that applied with 500 and 50 on the dot, got called in for an interview for the 9th, but I still don't know if she got in or not.
As for me, I still haven't heard anything. Pretty much gave up hope. Like some of the previous posts said, as long as it is 121 time, I'll live on food stamps... Heck I qualify now!!!

P/S: Don't know of many CFIng jobs in this area. There are lots of flying clubs around that you pay for a membership, but you gotta bring in your own students. You just can't be shy cause there are plenty of rich people who want to get licenses around the bay.

 

[Freight Dog]

Did you apply through the website or you faxed them something?
I thought they had a $28 application fee.

 

[NDPILOT]

Yes, GL does have a $28 app. fee. Not really a big deal, some of the other posts have indicated that Lakes has a hiring pool now and have filled up the September classes, they are unsure about October classes. I also applied in early July 700TT 150ME, I haven't heard anything either.

Good LUck

 

[ALSF 2]

Finally!!!.....Someone is making sense with this topic. I agree with everything throttlejockey said. You MUST get a job in 121 NOW in order to have a chance in the future! In this current situation that the airlines find themselves in, You cannot wait ONE SECOND unless you never want to fly any really heavy iron. IMHO!!

Cheers!