Mesa?

[bugchaser]

OK, my situation is this: For whatever reason I have decided that I want to switch gears and be an airline pilot. I have quite a bit of PIC single and turbine time. The big problem is that I am light on the multi time. I am currently at just under 200 multi. While most of my flying is ag, I do stay active instructing and am current on instruments and in 400 series cessnas. Looking at the regionals currently hiring, it looks like Mesa is one of the few that I might have a chance with at my multi time. Are there others that I should apply with? I am in a position that I can stand the low pay for a few years but the one thing that I can't do is relocate. I know that it will be hard but is it possible to work for Mesa or another regional and live in the central Texas area. Maybe there is another avenue that I haven't thought of? Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Let's just not rehash the past sins of Mesa.

 

[wil]

I know ASA will hire at least 100 this year. The pool has been drained (or emptied as the case may be ) and I know we are looking for qualified candidates. I would urge you not to go to Mesa. I do have friends there and all are looking to punch out as soon as possible. Good luck- Wil

 

[Stinkbug]

ASA or COEX would be my choices if I was in your shoes. I'm not positive but I believe Skywest may have a Texas domicile. Eagle's hiring too but I think Dallas is a fairly senior base. Air Midwest (Mesa) has a domicile in Brownwood, TX. Good luck.

 

[WileE]

Don't count on TX.

It shouldn't be too hard to get Brownwood IF you get the 1900, but you don't have a choice about which aircraft you are going to get. Also if they do give you the 1900, Brownwood is a EAS airport (essential air service) and the future of that program as well as AirMidwest's contract is far from guaranteed.

If TX is where you need to be there must be other company's with a far larger footprint in that state. If you are going to be a commuter anyway, it really doesn't matter which company you are going to work for, they are all going to be pretty much the same as far as commuting goes. You might want to go with one that has a decent commuter policy, which Mesa does not.

 

[C150Heavy]

AMW

Air Mid West is gone at the end of 2006

 

[Dignan]

Skywest has a IAH Brasilia base that so far has gone very junior, and would probably be easy to get. There's also a very small Dallas jet reserve base, but I don't know where that stands as far as seniority. As far as hiring for the upcoming year, I don't know but someone on this board no doubt has their ear to the ground on that one. Hope that helps and good luck.

D

 

[embraerjetpilot]

Once again, wouldyou really sell your soul to the devil? Dont do it man, its not worth it.

 

[skydrvr]

OK, my situation is this: For whatever reason I have decided that I want to switch gears and be an airline pilot. I have quite a bit of PIC single and turbine time. The big problem is that I am light on the multi time. I am currently at just under 200 multi. While most of my flying is ag, I do stay active instructing and am current on instruments and in 400 series cessnas. Looking at the regionals currently hiring, it looks like Mesa is one of the few that I might have a chance with at my multi time. Are there others that I should apply with? I am in a position that I can stand the low pay for a few years but the one thing that I can't do is relocate. I know that it will be hard but is it possible to work for Mesa or another regional and live in the central Texas area. Maybe there is another avenue that I haven't thought of? Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Let's just not rehash the past sins of Mesa.

DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!! Thinking about Mesa?? Are you crazy?! Every person is responsible for their own actions. Be careful....you'll be sssooorrryyyyy......

So you're thinking about selling your soul?

 

[BoilerUP]

I'm not an airline pilot (yet), but.......

Apply to everybody who is hiring. CHQ, Eagle, Skywest, ASA, Comair, Mesa, XJET, and anybody else you meet minimums for. Once you start getting phone calls for interviews, then you can start thinking about where you want to go, and once you get job offers, then you can make your decision.

ASA may be hiring this year, but from an intern I know there right now they have literally hundreds of resumes and you aren't competitive without thousands of hours of multi time. Same goes for Comair, and the amount of hiring they are gonna do depends somewhat on the 45 jet RFP. These might be the hardest tickets in town to get right now.

CHQ is hiring a ton, too. Fly shiny new EMBs to points east of DEN. Toss an app in to them; I think their mins are 1200/300. They have been known to hire under minimums.

Eagle is hiring now, and I hear they are gonna need a bunch of pilots - because 50% declined furlough recall.

Pinnacle is another that is hiring. I hear their upgrade times are fairly low, and it looks like they might be poised to get a bunch new CRJs.

XJET has been discussed out the wazzo on this board.

Seems like everybody talks smack about Mesa on this board, but the fact of the matter is they are growing very fast and current upgrades are some of the fastest in the industry. I would be concerned what might happen if Airways goes Chapter 7. Either Mesa takes a huge hit....or JO buys the sloppy seconds and starts his own major. They also have the Midway certificate with narrowbodies on it, so that might be in the cards as well. At this point in time, nobody knows.

Mesa has pay and work rules that are below industry average, and that is widely known. That being said, they get paid (just a little) more than some of their competitors. You might have a quick upgrade, you might not. If Air Middy does close in 2006, my guess is it will transfer all those pilots to jets - and I seriously doubt closing down all 19 seat markets in three years.

Apply using the shotgun method, interview everywhere you get a call from, and only make a decision once you get a job offer. Who knows - you may only get called by Mesa...don't sell yourself short. Do what you feel is best for you, and don't worry about justifying anything to anybody on this board.

If you DO get hired by Mesa, help raise the bar when your contract comes back up so nobody has a reason to keep bitchin' about ya. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Lou3]

BoilerUp--great post!

 

[tubelo]

"ASA may be hiring this year, but from an intern I know there right now they have literally hundreds of resumes and you aren't competitive without thousands of hours of multi time. Same goes for Comair, and the amount of hiring they are gonna do depends somewhat on the 45 jet RFP. These might be the hardest tickets in town to get right now."

Don't let competitive mins dissuade you from applying. I had less than 200 MEL and 90% of my time was helicopter, and I was recently hired by Comair. Granted my resume was "walked in", but it took close to 3 years of trying to get hired. Use all available resources.

 

[Sniper@YourFeet]

Apply at Southwest! You have 1000 turbine PIC, right? Then it's done.

The app window should be opening again really soon.

 

[Catbird]

"What would happen if Mesa pilots next contract improved so payscale/workrules were in the upper tier? Would Mesa still be a bad place to work for more than 2 years?"


The Mesa A** Humpers signed a 10 year contract. The light at the end of the tunnel is a long,long,long ways away. If Johnny O. and the money man Murnanh (sp) are still leading the chain gang you will most likely see a pay reduction. Johnny and the rest of the industry know this group of Alpa pros will assume the position post haste.

 

[wscrj]

4.5 year contract

The actual length of the Mesa contract is 4.5 years, and date of signing was MAR03.

Feel free to PM if you'd like some answers.

 

[WmuBronco]

Boilermaker, another young CFI willing to sell himself and his profession short to fly a jet. Please respond with some childish insults.

 

[sgu]

screw mesa

I'd look elsewhere for employment!

 

[BoilerUP]

Boilermaker, another young CFI willing to sell himself and his profession short to fly a jet. Please respond with some childish insults.

I think its rather funny that you find it more important to attack me in this argument than challenge anything I said. Did you read the entire post, especially the part about other airlines hiring? Was anything I said wrong or misleading? Evidently not, cuz you decided to insult me even though you don't know a d@mn thing about me.

You must not have read any of the other posts I have put on this board, about Mesa, Mesaba, XJT, or anything else. I have pointed out on this board before that Mesa *currently* has slightly higher pay than XJT on the EMB-145. Thats not flamebait; thats a FACT. As soon as you guys get your new contract, it won't even be close. I'll be happy for all pilots at XJT when that happens, because you'll get paid closer to what you are really worth. Until then, please quit whining about Mesa's contract - its water under the bridge. Do your part to raise the bar, and in Aug 07 encourage your Mesa ALPA brothers to do the same.

Only thing I can imagine is you didn't get accepted into Purdue, and went to WMU instead. Or maybe you're tired of flying with CAs that went to Purdue. That has to be the cause for your bitterness.

How's that for childish insults?

 

[WmuBronco]

Hmm,, lets see. I called you a young CFI, well that sounds like a huge insult. I bet you are a young CFI. If you are looking to work for that A-hole J.O. then you are selling your profession short. That's all that was said. You on the other hand ripped on my university. The childish response I expected. No, I had no intention of ever attending Purdue. I'm sure it is a fine institution, and have no problem flying with Purdue graduate captians. Only graduates that I prepare for our Riddle. To bad a small group of em, make the rest of them look bad.

As for the rest of your post. I totally agree with everything you mentioned, accept for working for Mesa. Use that Purdue degree to get hired elsewhere.

Good luck

 

[Crizz]

Let me preface this post by saying: I am a "Young CFI" and have no intention of "selling this industry out." I would, however, take a job with Mesa or any other airline that would hire me.

So, here is some food for thought:

Why were the concessions that ACA took (making them the lowest paid in the industry) not seen with such discontent? Instead they are seen as the great beacon of light. It seems another Mesaba type management game is being played with the ACA pilots.

Speaking of Mesaba. Those guys are awesome for standing up for their just compensation. Just as any airline in contract negotiations is awesome for not laying over for management.

However, I dont see how you can speak with such disgust over the contract Mesa flies under when there are numerous examples (mesaba included) that pay their pilots WAY less than those that work for Mesa.

Black is black and white is white. There is so much misinformation circulating through so many people it is hard to know who to believe and who not to.


The plain truth of the matter is that weather it be Comair or Great Lakes, pay in the regionals sucks. One group might make 10% more than the other, pitting everyone aginst everyone else.

Cant Mesa's problems more justly be blamed on a failed ALPA leadership, a failed MEC, and a ferocious management. Pilots took the best they thought they could get.


BTW, BoilerUP. I hope to be in class with you someday. You seem like a good guy. Keep the greasy side down bro!

 

[BoilerUP]

truce?

WMU Bronco - didn't mean to slam Western. Its a great program, I looked into going there myself. Great group of students, and I consider the guys on the flight team friends (our flight teams had a ball at UND last May). I was trying to get under your skin cuz you got under mine by flamebaiting. The "my penis is bigger than yours" university wars are for another day, over beers, during an overnight. Truce?

I find that most people who slam the MAG pilots are grossly misinformed of the circumstances surrounding their contract, and instead focus on the $$$. I agree their contract sucks - so would everybody at Mesa. Its really easy to say that if you were in their shoes you would have gone on strike, but what if you went on strike and all your jobs got shifted to a NON-ALPA, alter-ego airline? Why do you think they hate the Freedumb A list pilots so much? I must give CHQ their props for holding strong against Republic, but it wasn't the same situation. I also agree with Crizz that the Mesa MEC and ALPA National didn't help much - they could have said NO to the contract, but didn't. The MAG pilots got a better contract than what they had and killed Freedom - and I honestly think that was their biggest concern.

I will NOT whore myself out and lower the bar of this profession, but I don't think working for Mesa constitutes either. That being said, I would like to fly for Airnet before getting hired on at Comair, but I'll use the Purdue hookups I have to try to get on at Chautauqua. I don't want to risk moving out west to work for Mesa, but I will NOT discount any airline at this point, in this current economy. To do so would be to sell myself short. I think PFT, nepotism and "golden kneepads" are bigger concerns. Also, it seems to me that Mesa pilots don't hate their jobs unlike their counterparts at Eagle. To some people, I suppose happiness means more than $$$, and the two aren't mutually exclusive.

One could make the argument that American Eagle lowered the bar by signing such a long-term contract, people constantly make the argument that Mesa lowered it with their contract, and the same could be said if Mid-Atlantic pilots fly those EMB-190s for as low wages as claimed on this board. I think people take out their anger at Jonathan Orienstein on the MAG pilots. Everybody who has any sort of stake in the future of commercial aviation should be hoping and praying JO gets taken down by the Feds over his aborted ACA takeover.

I wish everybody at XJET the very best on their upcoming contract. Just please, leave the Mesa guys alone. They know what you think of them. You can only beat a dying horse so long.....