hiring at AWAC

[Mongolikecandy]

PS-
When I leave Wisconsin, it won't be for another regional.

 

[Hobit]

If you go AWAC, Get ORF as a base! The best Manager in the system bar none. Show up on time, do your job, tell the truth and he'll back you up. I've seen it multiple times in the last 2+ years.

This company has a personality just like every other business.

If you live in base it's not a bad place.

Get used to everyone telling you how bad it is now compared to what it used to be.

I like it but I also am disappointed that I won't be retiring from here like I thought the day I was hired.

 

[Wacko]

If you get hired here just come in knowing that they don't care if you live or die! Just don't call in sick to die or you get put in the "reliability" program!
Good people (pilots) management sucks.

 

[IADBLRJ41]

PS-
When I leave Wisconsin, it won't be for another regional.

Same here. Cannot wait till that date is up. Life at AWAC has sucked since we closed DEN and ORD.

 

[CaptainChris77]

I would not work at AWAC. Management is awful. Schedules suck. We are a dying bird. Skywest, CHQ are much better places to work at!


Use to be a good place to be. There are better options now.

Then why don't you pack up your $hit and leave.

 

[BoilerUP]

Then why don't you pack up your $hit and leave.

That's a "Compete To Win!" statement if I've ever heard one...

 

[CaptainChris77]

That's a "Compete To Win!" statement if I've ever heard one...

Nobody competes to win... we all go to work, do our jobs, and collect our paychecks. If you have any pride in yourself, you do your job well. If mgmt. can win additional flying---great, but all I can do on a day to day basis is my job, and to the best of my ability.

If they were that concerned with economic efficiency, and saving fuel... we'd taxi with one engine like every other RJ operator. We'd have leather seats, etc. The other day I flew a plane with 6 MEL's on it (FMS, 3 PAX seats, APU, and some other misc. stuff). Four out of five legs we had 50+ people booked in the back. We had to boot 3 of them on every one of those flights. That's 12 people who didn't make it to their destination on-time and in some cases on the same day!

 

[Mongolikecandy]

Then why don't you pack up your $hit and leave.

Comments like this are so obnoxious.. for a couple reasons. First and foremost, it's not that simple. This isn't like some other industries where you can just up and quit and expect to get another job with similar pay right away. Going from being a captain to a first officer again takes some financial planning and of course you want to make darn sure you are going to a place that is going to be a good fit.
Secondly, comments like this suggest that while we are seeking new employment, we don't care about our jobs, pax or company. We (well most of us anyway) still show up everyday, try to get flights out on time while still providing a good experience for everyone.
So comments like that are annoying and nonsensical. Fly safe-
Mongo

PS- are your initials CP? Just curious.

 

[IADBLRJ41]

Agreed. I am trying to leave but with the job market slowing down I have to be somewhat careful with my next step. Easier said than done.

The AWAC pilot group has made this whole period of displacements, concessions, and UsAirways so much more tolerable. Most everyone I fly with is a great person with a goal of becoming a better pilot. It is a fun gig when the door is shut and we are off and flying. The pilots and FA's of AWAC make the trips as good as they can be.

My complaints are towards the future of this place. We have not done anything positive since 2004. Stepping stone or not we have some employee's that have been here for 30+ yrs and I would not feel too great about my future at AWAC.

No place is perfect that is for sure. AWAC used to be so much better. Greed is what has turned this place south! If you like the east coast, delays, and like a company with no future this is the place to be.

 

[IADBLRJ41]

Then why don't you pack up your $hit and leave.

I am trying!

 

[TxPilot0878]

Hey VOID!!!!!

Void,
You will always get your "ohhhhh my life is terrible and this airline sucks!", act....but this actually is a great place to work. Although the 9-15 guys you have heard from don't think so...things could be a billion times worse.
We have a great contract....one of the best in the industry. Block or better including DH's! Duty rigs 2:1 or Trip Rigs 4:1.
I flew 135 prior to this and these tears being shed...would be NIAGRA FALLS if they had to fly there one day!
The interview is all personality...if your cool...and they know you have some time...your hired. You can make alot of $$$$$ if your willing to fly.
If you commute just meet the commuter policy like anywhere else.

I have flown with alot of companies and this company has some really great guys/gals which make for great overnights...you will have a blast.

Don't let a few drive you off! If you have any questions you don't wanna post PM me and I will answer them the best I can...best of luck in your decision.

Regards,

Tex

 

[Kenny]

Block or better including DH's!

Unfortunately that was one of things we gave up to keep our UAL flying. We only get Sched Block for DH's but at least it's not 1/2 pay which is just insulting and if you end up going way over the duty rig may kick in.

 

[Crossky]

This guy's right, it COULD be worse here. If you live on the E. coast, give us a shot. You get insurance on day one (CAL after 6 months, and rates are much less than Airtran). The contract is pretty good in duty rig, cancellation pay, and still about the best going on the east coast. Although upgrades are only by attrition, it's about 2.5-3.5 yrs. lately. PHL lines give good credit due to WX delays, DC flying is fun, LGA is CYA time, frustrating with delays but scenic. LGA and RDU bases opening this spring. Good group of pilots but demographics are changing.

Negatives: Upper Management seems out of touch and inattentive. Flight decks are FILTHY.

 

[AWACoff]

CaptainChris, why don't you go threaten some more newhire classes and fire some newbies while on your power trip? Oh wait, you already did that... Air Wisconsin has the worst C.P. I've ever had. Thank the lord for grif in ORF. After Scott died, he's the only thing left worth hanging around Air Willy for. I had some great times there but the backstabbing has reached a new level in the last 2 years. If you want to be a F.O.G., you will go places in the company. Otherwise, get gay with the C.P. I'm just another ex-AWACer that cannot reccomend for anybody to go there.

P.S. May almost every AWACer move onto greener pastures and then may the amigos D.I.A.F. (management too, except grif).

 

[Mongolikecandy]

Void,
You will always get your "ohhhhh my life is terrible and this airline sucks!", act....but this actually is a great place to work. Although the 9-15 guys you have heard from don't think so...things could be a billion times worse.

Tx-
I have become one of the naysayers, however, I would never say my life is terrible or the airline sucks. You are right... as regionals go, we have a good contract, decent benefits and one hell of a pilot group.

The problem for me lies in the fact our own CEO doesn't think this should be a place you retire from. WTF is that? Rankin said so during the PHL roadshow last year. Why would he say that? If I had faith in Air Wisconsin being around for the next 15-20 years, I wouldn't leave. However, in the last 4 years, we have seen no signs of AWAC being able to grow while almost every other regional has done so.

Is this a great place to work? Sometimes... depends on your schedule. And just wait... they are going to get worse with LGA and RDU. Bob has already said RDU schedules will be very similar to ORF's. If you don't live in base, those schedules suck!! (RDU is not a bad place to live though) Talking to one of the guys on the scheduling committee, when they ran hypothetical bids with the two new bases, it made schedules in ALL bases much crappier. More 2 and 3 days back to back and less commutability. Rankin has also said that the number of 4 days in PHL were going to be reduced. That would be great if he meant three days followed by three off, but he didn't.

Things could be a million times worse. But they could and have been a lot better.

 

[MusicMan]

If you're going to join a regional airline there's a truth that you should accept before applying. These days airlines are trying to save money wherever they can. If it's cheaper for them to open new bases, they will. If it's cheaper for them to not let you drop trips, they won't let you drop. If it's cheaper to do 3 day trips backed up by 2 day trips, they will. As long as they stay within the rules of the FAR's and the contract, they can pretty much do anything they want even if, and imagine this, it is inconvenient for you as a pilot. Keep in mind that you are an employee and you have your contract and your FAR's, and you will be fine. Everybody dreams about the way things were in the late 90's, but it isn't that way any more. Things out of our control have changed and so has the business. As places go to work, this is pretty decent if you're willing to move to your domicile. I can't recommend commuting to anyone, but that's just me.

 

[Rekks Inbound]

Void,
You will always get your "ohhhhh my life is terrible and this airline sucks!", act....but this actually is a great place to work. Although the 9-15 guys you have heard from don't think so...things could be a billion times worse.
We have a great contract....one of the best in the industry. Block or better including DH's! Duty rigs 2:1 or Trip Rigs 4:1.
I flew 135 prior to this and these tears being shed...would be NIAGRA FALLS if they had to fly there one day!
The interview is all personality...if your cool...and they know you have some time...your hired. You can make alot of $$$$$ if your willing to fly.
If you commute just meet the commuter policy like anywhere else.

I have flown with alot of companies and this company has some really great guys/gals which make for great overnights...you will have a blast.

Don't let a few drive you off! If you have any questions you don't wanna post PM me and I will answer them the best I can...best of luck in your decision.

Regards,

Tex

Not sure how long you've been here, but this place has become just another regional, albeit with a better contract. Is it a terrible place? Not completely, but I personally wouldn't recommend it to anyone until the 3 amigos and Rankin get their act together (which is highly unlikely). QOL is eroding, and will get worse as LGA and RDU open. And sorry, But I'm not moving to ANY of these bases. AWAC doesn't pay us enough (to live in a decent, safe area, but maybe that's not important to you).

As far as the 135 remark is concerned, been their/done that. For a VERY long time. It's no worse than what AWAC has become. Different, but no worse.

Peace.

Rekks

 

[Rekks Inbound]

Agreed. I am trying to leave but with the job market slowing down I have to be somewhat careful with my next step. Easier said than done.

The AWAC pilot group has made this whole period of displacements, concessions, and UsAirways so much more tolerable. Most everyone I fly with is a great person with a goal of becoming a better pilot. It is a fun gig when the door is shut and we are off and flying. The pilots and FA's of AWAC make the trips as good as they can be.

My complaints are towards the future of this place. We have not done anything positive since 2004. Stepping stone or not we have some employee's that have been here for 30+ yrs and I would not feel too great about my future at AWAC.

No place is perfect that is for sure. AWAC used to be so much better. Greed is what has turned this place south! If you like the east coast, delays, and like a company with no future this is the place to be.

Exactly!!!!!

Peace.

Rekks

 

[CaptainChris77]

Comments like this are so obnoxious..

PS- are your initials CP? Just curious.

No those aren't my initails.

 

[CaptainChris77]

I am trying!

Well good luck to you in your job search.