Mesaba, Specific Info

[I fLy pLaNeS]

Could a new-hire or someone familiar with Mesaba first-year please provide a few answers for me?

1) Are you paid during training? How about per diem?
2) Is the hotel provided?
3) How long is training and where? Any time off?
4) Once complete with training, where is one based?
5) How much is the hourly rate and what is the monthly hour guarantee?
6) While on reserve, what is call-out time? How long are the reserve windows?
7) Is there ready reserve? How many RR per month?
8) Are you compensated for ready reserve? How many hours does a RR last?
9) When do benefits start?
10) How many immovable days off per month? (I'd commute) Is it consecutive days?
11) Do you get a uniform allowance or is it payroll deductible?


I'm real hesitant if I can financially venture into this since I currently have a good, stable job that common sense says remain at. Thanks for your answer!

 

[flynryan15]

Could a new-hire or someone familiar with Mesaba first-year please provide a few answers for me?

1) Are you paid during training? Min quarantee... How about per diem?
Min guarantee of 75 hrs

Only if your sim sessions are out of base

2) Is the hotel provided?

Yes if you live more then 50 miles away you get single occupancy hotel room

3) How long is training and where?

6-8 weeks starts in MSP an you could get sims in either DEN or Montreal Any time off? Depends a couple days here and there

4) Once complete with training, where is one based?

Probably MEM could be ATL if the open that.

5) How much is the hourly rate and what is the monthly hour guarantee?

24.20 per hr and 75 min

6) While on reserve, what is call-out time? How long are the reserve windows?

3 windows and 1 n half hr to show

7) Is there ready reserve? How many RR per month?

I don't know

8) Are you compensated for ready reserve? How many hours does a RR last?

I don't know
9) When do benefits start?

30 days from your first complete month.

10) How many immovable days off per month? (I'd commute) Is it consecutive days?

11 days not consecutive

11) Do you get a uniform allowance or is it payroll deductible?

25 bucks a pay period and yes to allowance


I'm real hesitant if I can financially venture into this since I currently have a good, stable job that common sense says remain at. Thanks for your answer!

Hope that helps

 

[WIPilot]

Some fixes/adds

1) You do get min guarantee in training

4) MEM or DTW most likely

5) 24.20 is our current first year wage

7) Yes there is RR, use varies highly

8) You are compincated with per diem ($1.55 for 8 hours)

9) Company pays half of first uniform

 

[I fLy pLaNeS]

Great, thanks for the good information. If anyone has more to add or sees discrepancies, I would appreciate the info.

BTW, if offered a position, how soon are folks getting a class date?

Thanks!

 

[flynryan15]

From what I have seen 4-6 weeks.

 

[XJohXJ]

As far as days off, there are no single days off unless it is the first or last of the month. usually 2, 3, or 4 in a row, sometimes more, but not on reserve. You can also maximize days off in a row by bidding schedules that start or end with days off.

11 days off for reserve.

 

[I fLy pLaNeS]

Thanks a lot! Hey, is there a commuter claus in the pilot contract? I was very privileged to have lived in-base with my former airline. I'm clueless with regard to the fun I must be missing.

 

[SEVEN]

Thanks a lot! Hey, is there a commuter claus in the pilot contract? I was very privileged to have lived in-base with my former airline. I'm clueless with regard to the fun I must be missing.

Yes there is. It's a call in honest policy. You must give yourself at least 2 flights on a red tail and you will be covered by the policy.

 

[Farfugnügen]

Yes there is. It's a call in honest policy. You must give yourself at least 2 flights on a red tail and you will be covered by the policy.

I take it that this also applies to pilots on reserve? Also, with regard to reserve days off and commuting, is there a way to group your days off in 2's, 3's, or 4's so you can commute?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

yes you can request to trade your reserve days around. There are a couple stipulations to that but they almost always approve the shuffling as long as it's a legal trade.

 

[SEVEN]

I take it that this also applies to pilots on reserve? Also, with regard to reserve days off and commuting, is there a way to group your days off in 2's, 3's, or 4's so you can commute?

There is no way to sugar coat it. Being on straight reserve and commuting is no picnic especially at a regional airline. With only 11 days off, you are bound to have some 5 day straight reserve weeks. Which means commuting to a city to sit in a sucky crashpad with people that annoy you and playing video games while the wife is home with 3 sick kids. 11 days off a month can easily turn into 6 or 7 depending on how bad the commute is.
But the good news is that you won't be on reserve forever. If you get into Mesaba now I would expect a 3-4 month sit.
Good luck.

 

[Freight Dog]

What is the realistic upgrade time for those hired at Mesaba right now? Is it better than Compass?

 

[SEVEN]

What is the realistic upgrade time for those hired at Mesaba right now? Is it better than Compass?

Current upgrade time for the Saab is approx. 1 year. Although it will likely start to reduce in the next year because quite a few kids are still years away from the minimum age of 23 to be Capt. There are also quite a few "Jet Princess" FO's who think they can wait it out for the 900 so they are skipping the Saab upgrades on purpose. I can definately forsee the hiring of street captains again on the Saab if it keeps going as junior as it has. Time will tell. But it is still a good time to come to Mesaba. Compass would be a risky move if NWA furloughs with the 10% reduction in domestic flying next year. But again in this industry, every move seems to be a gamble.

 

[Freight Dog]

Thanks for a prompt reply... can you also tell me the average line credit values? How often do you break guarantee? How long on reserve in a Saab vs. jet?

 

[SEVEN]

Thanks for a prompt reply... can you also tell me the average line credit values? How often do you break guarantee? How long on reserve in a Saab vs. jet?

Not sure about the jet. But reserve on the Saab is around 3 months for staight reserve and 3 months of Build up reserve (partial line and reserve). Average line credit is 85 hours on all aircraft. Some months are higher and others are lower.

 

[callowayhd]

make sure to bring your backpack to the interview, and wear your north face fleece instead of a suit coat

 

[BeeFCaKe]

Don't forget your ipod

 

[xjhawk]

All kidding aside. Being at Mesaba with Delta now running the show seems to be good for us right now. Then again it could all go back to what we are all used to over the last 6 years. But the writing on the wall says a lot more airplanes. Delta has a lot more 900's to give, our management seems to think their bid is pretty competetive. That number is 35. Delta has just spent millions on our training department. All 900 stuff.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Lets just hope that if they do order more they get them configured like the original 36, not the Freedom ones. AHRS SUCKS! Though the independent radar will be nicer.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

5 days of crashpad reserve doesn't sound so bad, after spending 6.5 years of 10/12/15/20/31 and my record 32 days of crashpad reserve in a row.

cliff
GRB
PS-Waiting to hear if I get an interview. Hope to get the Saab, IF I'm interviewed and IF I'm hired.