How is Colgan?

[chperplt]

To say chperplt has an attitude problem kind of harsh considering that he is speaking the truth about what he seen @CJC.

Well, the fact is I do have an attitude problem when it comes to Colgan.

av8n4lifecan say all she wants that we weren't pushed to fly unairworthy aircraft. The fact is we were, and as a result people are dead.

av8n4life

You probably don't remember a conversation we had over the radio one night going into RKD. I was an FO at the time and it was a typical summer night in Maine. Thick fog covering the approach end of the runway with strong gusty wind shooting down the wrong end of the runway. We gave it the college try and after we missed, went into holding over knox. There was no way we were going to get in with the tail wind and low ceilings.

We called the station and through the station manager talked with you that night. I distinctly remember being asked, told, browbeaten (call it what you will) to give the approach another try. After a few minutes of nonsense, the captain got on the radio and was pissed. He said something about you dispatchers not having a clue about the weather in Maine and that if you got your asses out of your office and actually saw some of things we're asked to do, you'd have a better understanding of why we say no at times. Anyway, he didn't use very nice words and the previously mentioned station manager had the microphone up to the telephone and you heard the entire rant.. Ring a bell at all???

How about the countless times I got penalized for refusing to shoot the ILS into ACK at minimums with a 25 knot tailwind. Were the station personnel lying when they said dispatch wants you to try the approach. You won't try the approach... ok hold for an hour before going into HYA.

Let's not talk about being asked for fly broken airplanes all day. The fact is you weren't asked.. you were expected to do it and be happy about it. My favorite is when I had a flight control problem (aileron jam) going into LGA. After the mechanic determined that both control pulleys were bent and binding, I was expected to ferry the airplane to MNZ.. After I said no and got the wrath of DR and DN, they tried to goat rope another crew into doing it. It was only after I told the other crew what was really wrong with the airplane that they refused. Rather than fixing the airplane in LGA, DN and TB flew the airplane back to MNZ..

Or how about the time I was in ALB (before it was a maintenance base) during a blizzard. On the way back from ISP the FOs attitude indicator failed. After I wrote it up, I was told I was going to ferry it to MNZ. I said sure.. once it's VFR and the entire flight can be done in VFR.. I got a call from DN, DR, JB, and Jr. trying to get me to fly the thing as is..

My list goes on and on... I know I wasn't the only captain that got phone calls like this. How about the United guy who got so sick of the crap he left the airplane in MHT and quit on the spot, or how about the Saab FO that got fed up with the crap in LGA that he quit between a LGA-PWM turn.. Or how about Steve and Scott who didn't like to say no to flying broken airplanes so they didn't have to get those phone calls.. How about them?? It seemed that dispatch knew the airplane was going to get work done on it.. It seemed that maintenance knew the airplane was going to ALB to get work done on it.. It seems odd to me that the crew was told they were dropping the airplane off in ALB for another crew to pick up a revenue flight.. Seems odd.. So what about it.. What about Steve and Scott?

 

[CTS]

Putting Colgans working conditions aside, the origional questions was would you recommend going to work for Colgan. I would not start at any airline connected to US Airways at this time because of their financial situation. If you already are there then that’s a little different. Of course all majors are having problems at this time, but US Air is by far the most desperate.

I had problems with dispatch as mentioned above. We just handled it differently. We started the approach and broke it off just after the FAF. Then flew the missed followed by a call to ops saying we tried again but couldn't get in. Worked every time.

 

[halfmoon]

pro's-
lots of flying, fast upgrade (<2 years), home every night, 15+ days off month

con's-
you voice your opinion you'll bust you next PC, just say YES and management will love you till you screw up then you'll bust your next PC, remember to be professional even though the company doesn't treat you like a professional or your bust your next PC.......the list could go on

 

[English]

Chperplt,


Good for you for finally speaking up.

I do have to ask, though...did you ever make any reports of your experiences to the FAA? I think the confidential whistle blower number is 800-FLY-SAFE.

 

[Jetmech41]

Good for you Chper!!

Good for you dude! Jason fwd'd your email that you sent him in regards to the LGA Flt.Couldnt beleive it when I heard it. People will learn to keep their mouths shut when their friends die in a Colgan plane. Steve and Scott would be proud of you for speaking your mind. Hope the new company is treating you well. Take it easy.

 

[Rally]

Thanks chperplt

Thanks chperplt,

Good for you to speak your mind. I worked for a different company that claimed I kept making mx problems up, I quit too. I've flown some junk before but never until I got to that company did I ever feel REALLY REALLY uncomfortable. And never in my prior job did I ground airplanes for silly reasons. Out of five places I've worked I grounded airplanes in all five of them. Never got any flack except for two of them. One of them later had a maintenance related crash. One time I grounded a plane because it kept missing and such puffing black smoke etc. Next day a guy with 300 TT and 10 tailwheel went out same EXACT thing happen to him as me he landed (thinking he was on fire) and ran off the side of the runway and nosed over hitting the prop (luckily he shut it down on short final). On another one that kept making STRANGE noises up front, I landed and grounded it. Of course they kept flying it but I refused to fly the particular plane, two weeks later they found the crack firewall that was flexing and making all that racket. I know I will never send my resume into Colgan, I have no tolerance for mx problems at all. This job is hard enough and can be dangerous enough without dealing with MX BS.

 

[chperplt]

I do have to ask, though...did you ever make any reports of your experiences to the FAA?

Yes I have

 

[jetops]

It seemed that dispatch knew the airplane was going to get work done on it..

[font=&quot]As far dispatch knew it was good to fly revenue. It was going to ALB to run ALBBUF afternoon flights. The crew (Scott &Steve ) were suppose to fly a another broke aircraft back to HYA to have maintenance fix it.[/font]