Latest on skywest/Coex

[s.o.sJTB]

Re: Big decision, looking for input

and hope to upgrade soon and start getting some Turbine PIC or should I go with Skywest and be an F/O (pt. 121 time) until I can be an F/O again for Coex.

What good is 1,000 turbine PIC hours going to do for you in this environement? Go to SkyWest you will upgrade in about a year, 2 at the most, work for a great company with great employees, make more money in your second year than you would flying 135 frieght, and have a better quality of life.

 

[Metro A-Team]

To Metro or not to Metro...

Dr. Hootie,

The Metro is truely a challenging and fun airplane to fly. If you're used to "wheels up...autopilot on" you will have fun in the Sanantone Sewer Tube.

If you bypass the SkyWest thing and keep your number @ Xjet AND get a paycheck with the possibility of the PIC Turb. I'd probably try it. You've got the 121 box checked but without the PIC you still will be unable to apply to some majors (like FedEX).

Now. s.o.sJTB does have some valid points and yes, 135 can be scary at times but all in all the Metro is a pretty decent airframe. I guess there are still about 600 flying in the US. I have about 2000 hrs in "The Tube" and only had one REAL emergency.

Send me a private message if you want more info about 135, freight, or Metros. Good luck.

 

[Dr. Hootie]

Fellow Pilots,

Thanks for all the great input. As many of you know, making decisions like these are best made well informed. Bluto, Embdrvr, SOSjtb, and Metro A team, you all gave great responses. Thank you.

sosjtb, to answer your question "what good is 1000 turbine PIC in this enviroment" is this: This enviroment will not be here forever and I'm looking for the best path to the majors. They will be hiring again someday in the distant future and Turbine PIC is the gold standard. I'll be more satisfied and better positioned 18 months from now when being recalled to Coex with 1,000 +- hours turbine PIC than with 1000+- hours turbine SIC. A couple years seating in the right seat, which realistically "in this enviroment" is a guarentee (no more 12 month upgrades as far as I can tell.)

 

[s.o.sJTB]

Upgrades in the Brazzilia at SkyWest were offered to new hire's who had the time back in Dec, most FO's are staying in the RJ's with an upgrade of about 3 years. There will most likely be no Majors hiring aside from SW/JB in the next five years. 1000 hrs of 135 Metro time is going to face you with some stiff competition with those furloughed and looking at the few hiring oppurtunities. I had a choice almost three years ago to take an upgrade into turbine equipment at a very well run 135 company or go to SkyWest, coming here was the best decision I made. At the time I left guys with the time flying for my former frieght company were going to Southwest, that was my Chief's attempt into persuading to stay thankfully I made the right decision since the ones that did stay are trying to get jobs at SkyWest, Comair, ASA etc.

Good luck to you Dr. Hootie whatever you decide I hope it works out for you.

 

[Bluto]

Keep in mind, Skywest is, in effect, a temp job for the Coex furloughees. It is not a career move. When recalled, furloughed Coex pilots at Skywest will have to go back to Coex. Many would prefer the option to stay, but this is just part of the deal.

 

[Vorleron]

Bluto, I understand it's "part of the deal" but I still don't understand how they can enforce it. Did the Commutair people have to sign something? Did Commutair and Skywest agree to terminate everyone upon recall? And why would they give up trained and functioning employees to benefit CAL? Especially if those employees wanted to stay?

I'm not against going back to Express and probably will, but I am "pro-choice" at least on this issue...otherwise the whole affair seems like a great big waste of time. (Not like I don't have a BUNCH of that either! )

 

[WmuBronco]

Ok here is some facts that I got from Neal:

1) Meet and greet interview
2) All positions and bases open, this includes the jets, they'll put us where they need us, jet or prop
3) We have to go back to Express when recalled, this is more of a protection for Skywest, remember they didn't get to do a full interview on us, this way they can get rid of us.


My opinon is that if we go there work hard, stay out of trouble, and they like you, they might give you the option to stay. This is just a theory of course.

 

[captjim]

Cal management isn't responsible for the flowbacks. If Coex pilots are mad about them, they should point the finger right where is belongs, at themselves. The Coex pilots wanted the FTA, they voted for it in their last contract. The flowback provision was a part it. Nobody else is to blame for it, not management, not other airlines.

You sir are incorrect. The flow-through is a side letter and is not in our contract. The company came to the Express pilots (with the concept of a flow-through at least) to help control attrition of the COEX pilot group. The majority of current COEX pilots didn't have anything to do with it's inception nor reeped any rewards of it.

 

[NEDude]

You sir are incorrect. The flow-through is a side letter and is not in our contract. The company came to the Express pilots (with the concept of a flow-through at least) to help control attrition of the COEX pilot group. The majority of current COEX pilots didn't have anything to do with it's inception nor reeped any rewards of it.

Side letter, part of the original contract, MOU. Whatever, it is basically an addendum to the contract; and the COEX pilot group agreed to it. Maybe the majority of current COEX pilots had nothing to do with it, but it was still agreed to by the COEX pilot group. You were hired under the contract (and all subsequent addendums, MOUs etc) that your pilot group agreed to and are thus bound by them. If you didn't like the contractual provisions, you should not have accepted the job. However if I had to make a guess you, like most other COEX pilots, loved the idea of the flowthrough back when things were going well. It is only now that the industry is in the tank that you do not like it. And my point still remains, this was not forced on COEX pilot group by management, other pilot groups. It was a deal that was offered and subsequently agreed to by the COEX pilot group. If you want to be mad at someone over it, blame the current and former COEX pilots who voted in favor of it.

 

[NEDude]

What good is 1,000 turbine PIC hours going to do for you in this environement? Go to SkyWest you will upgrade in about a year, 2 at the most, work for a great company with great employees, make more money in your second year than you would flying 135 frieght, and have a better quality of life.

America West, ATA, Alaska, Jet Blue, Frontier, Southwest, and Air Tran have all hired off and on in this downturn. Additionally some mainline Continental pilots have said that based on fleet plans and age 60 retirements that Continental will have to begin hiring again in 2005. I'd say get your 1000 hours PIC.

If history from the last two downturns holds true this time, a very large percentage of furloughed pilots will not come back when recalled - having left the industry or found other flying jobs. In the summer of 1992 three major airlines had gone under and everyone else had 500-1500 pilots on furlough. Everyone back then was saying that it would be seven or eight years before the majors would be hiring again. But by 1995 the doors were opening back up, and the floodgates were open by 1997. In reality even with all of the furloughes and airline failures, the door was only closed for about five years (or less on some cases - Delta went from 1-6-92 to 10-2-96 without hiring). I think you will see some of the majors begin to hire again within two to three years. With American, United and USAirways it will be longer. And as mentioned before, most of the ones mentioned at the beginning have hired off and on during the downturn, and will probably continue to do so.

I'd say get your 1000 PIC ASAP so you can put yourself in a postion to apply for some of the few openings that do pop up nowdays. And at worst, in a few years when the next boom begins you will be in a position to be at the front of the line.