Horizon Hiring

[Victor120]

Hello,

Does anybody know the status of hiring at QX? Any projections this year? Thanks in advance.

-VIC

 

[QXbuzzard]

From what I hear, we will be hiring all year. Right now we are hiring a lot more than we have in a while. I would imagine that hiring will really pick up late this year and early next year as we start getting the 12 Q400's on order. We just received 2 used 400's from China. Those will be on line this summer. If you want to work here, get your stuff in. Do a search on horizon. There has been a lot discussed on this board lately.

 

[mavdog]

From what I hear, we will be hiring all year. Right now we are hiring a lot more than we have in a while. I would imagine that hiring will really pick up late this year and early next year as we start getting the 12 Q400's on order. We just received 2 used 400's from China. Those will be on line this summer. If you want to work here, get your stuff in. Do a search on horizon. There has been a lot discussed on this board lately.

An honest question... do you really think that Horizon is going to be a good place to get hired this year?? Now being the highest paid 'regional' out there (can you say "target") with contract negotiations coming up in Sept... maybe all these new-hires will be management's message when they all get furloughed.

What's the pilot group thinking is going to happen with negotiations starting this year?

 

[sociald]

Quick question

Just wondering what the odds of getting Den for a new hire at horizon, and what seems to be a competitive resume...I'm 1300TT and about 800 multi turbine 121...thanks

 

[MALSR]

Hey MAVDOG, QX is, and will be, a lot better place than Mesaba has ever been no matter what happens during contract amendments.

 

[taloft]

Now being the highest paid 'regional' out there (can you say "target") with contract negotiations coming up in Sept... maybe all these new-hires will be management's message when they all get furloughed.

Shrug. Although I wouldn't put it past any management, I seriously doubt that ours is scheming to hire a bunch of people just to furlough them as some sort of bargaining tool. Horizon (and Alaska for that matter) is a very conservative company: slow growth, slow upgrade, slow hiring, but also very slow to furlough (almost nonexistent). For that reason, job security at QX has historically been higher than many others. Rest assured, if hiring is going on, it's to fill positions that we are already short on.

Keep in mind, QX doesn't operate like every other regional out there. It's very different in that we're not always competing to be the lowest bidder in the United/Delta/American connection contest. I admit it does require a bit of mindshift to realize that, and it can be argued which method is better. That said, I'm sure there's many opportunities QX has missed out on, but it does so only to go with fewer conservative, more lucrative opportunities. Just one perspective on it.

Realistic or not, I don't think Horizon considers itself a "target" at all. We're content finding markets to serve and aircraft to serve them with that will keep the company profitable. My feeling is that that pilots are more concerned with work rules than actual pay at this point. As for pay, mechanics got a (small) raise this year, as did dispatchers. I expect (or at least hope) that the same will happen for the pilots come contract time. Our existing contract, while not perfect, will sustain us until a new agreement is signed.

As for your original question: yes, I think Horizon is a good place to get hired this year. From alll accounts, the growth will start around June (with the 400's) and will ramp up through the end of 2007. It's always better to be at the beginning of that than the end. With growth being the exception rather than the norm at QX, now's the time if this is where you want to be.

 

[QXbuzzard]

deleted

 

[Victor120]

Thanks for the info fellas. All rhetoric aside, Horizon is a premier outfit and I would like to see my best friend get on there. I'm glad to hear they are hiring.

-VIC

 

[Lav Service]

With what we do, I do think we deserve to be the highest paid in the regional industry.

Don't swell up too much boys. If things ever get bad enough at Alaska (God forbid), you'll find yourself down in the mud pits with the rest of us trying to fight off MJ or GJ. But then, since you fly inverted CAT 3 SE approaches during a microburst, I guess maybe they'll just give you contracts on merit. The rest of us (who are apparently scum, since we fly airplanes with ONLY one FMS), will just drool with envy from a distance. Tool.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Another tidbit on being the highest paid pilots...

Glad you're proud of our pilot group and company, but you're laying it on a little thick. This kind of rhetoric probably has a place at the negotiating table, where no one pays much attention to it anyway. But in a forum like this, when you're trying to share information about QX, it comes across sounding extremely arrogant.

A little modesty and humility to temper your enthusiasm, perhaps? After all, we just fly folks around in "regional" aircraft like everyone else.

 

[Southbound]

Just wondering what the odds of getting Den for a new hire at horizon, and what seems to be a competitive resume...I'm 1300TT and about 800 multi turbine 121...thanks

To answer your question, the odds of getting DEN are pretty good with your time. Seems like the more experienced guys (like you with 121 turbine time) go to the RJ and DEN is fairly junior. They will offer you an aircraft when you are offered the job. If you say you would prefer the DEN gig it seems to me they are accommodating.

Another comment for QX buzzard. As for all the fancy schmancy approaches and aircraft they have led you to believe you fly, it has nothing to do with what you're "worth" as a pilot. The only reason we have our contract (which btw, should never be bragged about) is by several bizzare twists of timing, geography and 4+ years of negotiation.

 

[rightrudder]

Mavdog, I honestly do think Horizon is a good place to be hired this year. As for being the highest paid regional airline out there, someone has to be. Do you think Southwest pilots being among the top paid are shaking in their boots? No way, as long as a company is profitable, paycuts are harder to push on an employee group. As for our pilot group, were not fools. We know what managment is probably going to propose, and we know what our response will be. We will not be lured in to some proposal by managment like 50 jets for a paycut or something like it. Most are content with the pay, and even the lack of tremendous growth. I believe our pilots are going after a few work rule changes and such, and we know a pay raise is reaching out there. Another tidbit on being the highest paid pilots, we are among some of the best trained in the industry. What other regional can do Cat 3 approaches to 600 RVR, and can take off with 300. Our Q400 and pilots are certified for single-engine cat 3 approaches. They also do GPS approaches and I am not completely sure, but I think we are trying to get cerification for RNP approaches in the future. Every airplane we have (except for one on loan) has HGS installed, dual FMS. With what we do, I do think we deserve to be the highest paid in the regional industry.

Horizon will never be a place for a 2 year upgrade, and it will never lowball anyone for some crappy United Express contract. We shoot for better quality service than to get every contract known to man just so we can grow. We submit proposals for contracts, and usually are too expensive for the rest, but Frontier took us for the service we provide and it has proven to be a good choice.

All I can say is take this place as it is, just as you would any other company and come here if you want. Don't bother if you all you want is a fast track to the left seat, because you'll be waiting 4-6 years.

I used to fly for QX and have a lot of respect for all of you, but as a previous poster stated, you are coming across as very arrogant. I know it is just you as an individual, and my comments are not directed at the QX pilot group.

Yes, flying the Q200 has many challenges, flying the CAT 3 approach is one of them, but the HGS makes it really simple.

I've flown an turboprop in and out of the rockies for a year, and an RJ for 4 years in and out of some of the busiest airports across the US and Canada, and i've learned a lot more from those experiences than I did flying into to Eugene, Idaho Falls and Yakima. Thunderstorms, freezing rain, short runways in an aircraft with very fast approach speeds, busy airports, snow and other types of crappy weather.

You don't have a lock on skills and experience, and it's insulting to all of us out there to say you deserve to be paid more.

 

[Lav Service]

Another comment for QX buzzard. As for all the fancy schmancy approaches and aircraft they have led you to believe you fly, it has nothing to do with what you're "worth" as a pilot. The only reason we have our contract (which btw, should never be bragged about) is by several bizzare twists of timing, geography and 4+ years of negotiation.

Finally some quality comments from QX. I'm originally from the Northwest and I have great respect for your company. I only wish that the hiring environment at your company had been different several years ago when I came to the industry. Thank you for refuting the arrogant, idiotic, and insulting comments posted by QX buzzard. It is a shame that we have to defend our pilot group's reputation from the stupid pilots in our own respective companies.

 

[QXbuzzard]

Whatever. I certainly didn't mean for this to sound arrogant. What I meant to say was is that both Alaska and Horizon is so proud of their technology and the money they spend in having the best equipment out there and then telling their pilots, hey we need a little money out of you.

I am sorry for making this sound like I am so proud to work here and that anyone working somewhere else is below me or whatever. That is not the truth. Hey I look at having 2 FMS and an HGS that I can't use as a luxury item. Hey, if the company proposes pay cuts, then my FMS is inop and no I won't accept direct anywhere. I will fly the filed routes the way they from navaid to navaid. I certainly don't think anything we do is more fancy than the next guy.

Rightrudder. The type of flying I did before coming here was nothing like this. I flew single pilot freight all over the northwest here in crappy piston twins, and got lucky to fly a beech 99 for some time too. I too learned a lot about flying in weather. I am not someone who came from a cessna 152 to a dash 8 and thinks he is god's gift. I miss the type of flying I used to do. I have had more ice on a plane than I ever want to see again and I am not an idiot for it either. I feel that I used good judgement to get out of it as I am here today. I have good skills as a pilot and I use very good judgement and know that I am not the best out there. I did 3 winters of 135 freight and did some flying that would scare a few people away. I am perfectly comfortable doing old fashion flying, don't have a problem flying an arc the old turn 10, twist 10 way. I used to fly full procedure NDB approaches in to crappy little field in the hills. I believe that takes more skill than flying with an FMS. So for you to tell me I don't have a lock on skills and experience, that insults me. This isn't a who can insult the other the most, I am just explaining myself. I am not some 20 year old kid who came fresh out a flightschool with that "I'm an airline pilot" attitude.

To anyone I offended whether it be a fellow QX pilot, or a fellow pilot from somewhere out there, I appologize for the arrogance and attitude. That is not who I am and I don't want to be known on this board as one of those few people that we know of. I simply get on here for the entertainment value (which I have found myself in the middle of) and for information. I try to give out some as well, and this time it wasn't good. I don't want to be known like this in the real world and it is not me. I don't go to work with that attitude mostly because I don't like it myself. I am sorry.

The one thing I will continue to say about QX is take it for what it is. I guess that someone has to be the highest paid, and I guess for now, we are just lucky, thats all.

I'm deleting my previous post because I am not like that and I don't get on here to be arrogant. Take care

 

[ReverseSensing]

I certainly didn't mean for this to sound arrogant.

I am sorry.

Take care.

That's all you needed to say, bro.

Don't delete your post; it's already saved for posterity because it's been quoted.

I think we all realize it was your pride in your airline that motivated your comments, not trying to put anyone else down. Your basic point is well taken: well-trained professionals for profitable companies shouldn't be entertaining concessions.

See you on the line.

 

[QXbuzzard]

You're right. It's still there for everyone to read. Just makes me feel better that I got rid of it somehow. It will still be there for anyone to read and to think QXbuzzard is an A$$. Hopefully this thread can be put to rest and in the archives.