Mesaba Hiring Pilots with Less than 600 and 50 with Chief Pilots Approval

[BuckMurdock1]

No, and from a strictly management standpoint, it wouldn't make sense to. Any time the bottom line ($) is hurt, the airline will do what it takes to avoid it. So lowering the minimums is what they all end up choosing.

Anyone familiar with the insurures' viewpoints on this?? How low can they go before they jack up the rates to unaffordable/prohibitive levels (especially for cheap-a$$ regionals)??

 

[captainv]

Has any regional chosen the former path???????

i think ASA and CMR both wanted to increase first-year pay to second-year pay to attract pilots. the union said sure, if you increase everyone's pay equally...

i wouldn't be surprised if in a few years regionals were paying pilots wiith 0 hours to go to an ab initito program where they're taught the airline philosophy from day one. they'd have to give a few years to the airline in return for the investment.

still, a number of regionals have been offering bonuses to some pilots (say, with previous CRJ experience) upon completion of training.

 

[John Pennekamp]

regionals were paying pilots wiith 0 hours to go to an ab initito program where they're taught the airline philosophy from day one. they'd have to give a few years to the airline in return for the investment.

TWA and Pan Am both tried that in the '60s.

 

[PCL_128]

TWA and Pan Am both tried that in the '60s.

UAL also.

 

[John Pennekamp]

UAL also.

UAL tried that in the '90s too... well, nevermind...

 

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

i think ASA and CMR both wanted to increase first-year pay to second-year pay to attract pilots. the union said sure, if you increase everyone's pay equally...

i wouldn't be surprised if in a few years regionals were paying pilots wiith 0 hours to go to an ab initito program where they're taught the airline philosophy from day one. they'd have to give a few years to the airline in return for the investment.

still, a number of regionals have been offering bonuses to some pilots (say, with previous CRJ experience) upon completion of training.

Rumor has it that Pinnacle recently (last few months?) hired a new FO for the CRJ. The FO checkride was to also act as this person's MEL Commercial check ride. Dunno if it's true, but it was a pretty good source I heard it from.

 

[norskman2]

UAL also.

NWA too. They set it up at UND in the early 90s. I think they graduated like two people before they shut it down.

 

[ataopsdave]

Rumor has it that Pinnacle recently (last few months?) hired a new FO for the CRJ. The FO checkride was to also act as this person's MEL Commercial check ride. Dunno if it's true, but it was a pretty good source I heard it from.

This is not true...has not happened at Pinnacle YET

 

[ex j-41]

Last year Doug Parker said that he wants to attract the best pilots for the lowest wage.
I guess he lied...
Now they hire the least qualified for the lowest price.

I guess as long as airplanes aren't falling out of the sky, all is well!

 

[John Pennekamp]

I guess as long as airplanes aren't falling out of the sky, all is well!

But eventually one will. And after the lawsuits and loss of business, how will management justify the decision? How can they even justify the risk now?

I'm very experienced, and was 100% single pilot in bad weather with a 300 hour wonder the other day. A new captain would have been in over his head.

Another short sighted band aid approach to an industry problem by airline management. What do they care... they won't have to live with the decision as they'll have moved on to trash some other company by then. We'll be the ones who have to live with it.