Hey Mesaba drivers!

[av8br]

Just wondering if there are any Mesaba people out there who have an inside scoop?? I was hired and placed in the pool in July 2001 and had a class date of Oct.1 2001 that is until 9/11. Tyson Brugger did a nice job of keeping us up to date until about 4 months ago. There was about 18 of us or so that remained in the pool until classes could be assigned. I know things right now are not great at Mesaba with NW giving more lines to Pinnacle and contract negotiations and such. I'm just curious if the pool still exists or if they canned it. I have not been able to get a reply from Tyson, she may not even work there for all I know. If anyone knows any thing at all drop me a line. Thanks in advance.

 

[Anaconda]

that would suck if tyson doesn't work there anymore...she was the best thing to happen to that place!

 

[cjscinta]

I'm on the same list as you with an Oct 1 start date. Can't get anyone to call me back either. I talked to one Mesaba pilot that said there were rumors of another furlough. Let me know if you hear anything.

 

[OakRBust]

All there is for right now is rumor rumor rumor. That is the good news. The bad news is that all the rumors really suck!!!


If I was just starting out...... I'd try like hell to get on with somebody else. You'd be crazy not to!!!


Good luck to you guys... I know that it really sucks to be in the dark. I hope that it works out for you.


Oak

 

[cjscinta]

Thanks all for the info.

 

[av8br]

Thanks for all your info guys...it is greatly appreciated. Yes I pretty much have given up on a call from Mesaba and have been applying elsewhere: aca, air willy, skywest, pinnacle. Good luck to all of you
av8br

 

[jocolo]

I got in the pool too #17. Talk to Scott two weeks ago Tyson is gon your new contact is terry Fierke Tel. 612-727-6728. He said thing aren't looking good right now, probably because of the contract so we are problably gonna be stuck in the pool for another year. On the other hand my body got hired 2 month before i did and got recalled he' been flying 90 a month so things cant be that bad. the rumor is that they are looking to furlough 200 pilots.

 

[av8br]

jocola,
thanks for the phone number and contact person..good luck to you

 

[jocolo]

anytime is you have any info e-me at [email protected]

 

[chadap]

I was in the first group to be furloughed. I am now one of eight furloughees. Let me tell you - the management at Mesaba have been a pain in the rear ever since.(I've kind of been uninformed most of the time and when I do get info from them, they always tell me something one time and something totally different another time) They just kind of left us hanging more or less. Try ACA. I just got on with them and start next month.

 

[av8br]

Chadap,
That kinda stinks when they give the run around like that, but they probably don't know what the heck is going to happen either. I think Northwest is a little miffed about the buyout incident last year that did not happen...It seems since that time, Pinnacle has been getting busier and Mesaba getting slower.

Glad to hear you got on with ACA I think you will be happy there. I faxed a resume about two weeks ago to them. Good Luck anf thanks for the info.

av8br

 

[Cattlepanel]

GO elsewhere folks. More furloughs are coming very quickly..Sorry and good luck.

 

[Brett Hull]

looking for someone

Sorry to change the subject, but i'm looking for Mike Baummer. Last I knew, he was a saab fo. Probably a capt by now. If anyone knows him, could you let him know that Frank from college is looking for him and let him know my name on here.

Thanks.

 

[PTinbound]

A few weeks ago it came to light that our CEO just got a 36% pay raise (one year, not spread out over 4) "in light of how he has handled things since Sept. 11th."
Last week they officially announced 50 furloughs, the same 50 or so that were furloughed last year. Now they will be furloughed twice by the same company. Management told our ALPA guys that this round would probably go up to 100 if they don't get 8 people a month quitting, which they won't. They closed CWA and RHI, and I know quite a few folks who had bought houses there and were raising their families there. I don't know how the CEO sleeps at night.
All in all guys, if you are looking for a job don't hold your breath for us. Even if we get an air willy contract, we still have management that's willing to take huge pay raises while they furlough FO's, many of which have wives and kids. I wish I had better news, but there just isn't any. Last night I rode the bus with one of my friends, just a year or so junior to me. He's been a ready reserve captain for 14 months, got 300 hours PIC, and now will get bumped back down to FO. A good line as an FO, I'd guess, but not much consolation.

 

[OakRBust]

Run for your Lives.....

 

[T-handle]

The latest buzz has it that there is going to be a mass exodus of junior FOs (not just the furloughed FOs) going to other companies (Comair, ACA, and Air Wisconsin)......... which will cause even more CA to FO displacements as we run out of FOs.

 

[PTinbound]

Pointless, 2425?
OK, I'm calm now. Let me clarify.
When times are good, and the company is doing well, sure, triple the dudes pay. He comes on in 1999 and says he wants to double the size of the company in two years, great. If we had 2000 pilots and the stock was at $30 pre 9/11, and we continued to grow post 9/11 like other regionals, I would be the first to say the dude needs a raise. Get it?
You asked, here's the answer. I would not take a raise when I am also putting at least 50-100 people out on the street at the same time. It crosses the line of morality. If we can't afford 18,000 for an FO than we sure as heck can't afford (base salary alone) of 640,000 for him. That's 36 FO's right there. Hmmm, .......
Am I alone here or does anyone else agree with me?

 

[OakRBust]

Don't blow a gasket PT!!!


You can lead a donkey to the Kool Aid... but you can't make them drink.

OAK

 

[Simon Says]

We here at Mesaba need to start thinking about other work options other than Mesaba. Our "Crown Jewell" of the company will become a worthless piece of rock here shortly. I can only think of one word. (it takes three of them in baseball to cause an out)

 

[sonic340]

First of all, for the record, I would proudly stand beside my fellow Mesaba pilots and strike in a second. That said, being near the bottom of the pole here and seeing my number come up after nearly 2 years, I feel it's time to move on before I get the ax and put my family in jeopardy. I just got the call today from Air Wis and will be starting class on Sept. 23. It's really a shame what things have come to since I joined Mesaba. What used to be such a great place to work has now done a 180 the only good thing about working there is the great pilot group that they have. By far the toughest part of my decision to leave are the friends and co-workers that I enjoyed working with so much. I wish everyone the best and would be happy to help any of my fellow pilots here at Mesaba in getting on with Air Wis if they are interested. Good luck everyone, and take care!

 

[OakRBust]

Congrats Sonic.......


The people here really are awesome.... BUT tear off that rear view mirror and never look back!!! Good luck at willie!!!

 

[av8br]

Pt,
I agree whole heartedly with you!! It just does not seem right for him (Foley) to take such a huge raise when things are that bad.

 

[Airbus300]

anybody know a mesaba pilot by the name of Lonnie Crabtree? The Cincinnati police are looking for him. According to the local news, he quit his job, left his family, and is on the run.

 

[rumpletumbler]

I hope that is an alias. I'd hate to have that name.

RT

 

[Passenger]

Gosh, I'm flying with Northwest Airlink Sept. 17 on a Saab 340. How does this affect passenger safety with all these furloughs? It's gotta be low moral within the Mesaba pilot family right now. What does it mean when a Captain gets "displaced" to First Officer? Does that cause problems in the cockpit?

I have to admit that I'm already afraid to fly.....this makes me nervous. Most passengers can really give a s---, but I care about the welfare and the happiness of the PILOT that's has to get my butt from point A to point B. Don't take this as put down on professionalism as far as doing your job. I have read on how regional pilots work their butt off for small pay (and are REALLY EQUAL to "major" pilots in my book), but this has to be distracting and discouraging.

 

[UALX727]

Airbus300...Your kidding...right????

I flew with Lonnie Crabtree on the Dash-8 while working at Mesaba. Seemed like a good guy, kind of quiet and very opinionated.......I got along with him, though.

 

[Airbus300]

According to the local news, he got caught up in an under-cover sting operation. He solicited sex from a 15 year old over the internet, which turned out to be an under-cover female police officer. They had his picture on television...kind of bigger guy with a mustache, if I remember correctly. They catch about 20 guys a month in this sting operatiion from all over the United States....they all travel to Ohio looking for this 15 year old girl....

 

[UALX727]

No kidding.......wow, it's definitely a strange world. That sounds like him, short stocky guy with a mustache. I haven't him since I left Mesaba in 2000.....I believe he was an RJ-85 captain.