MidAtlantic Captain Positions At 01/99 DOH

[LearLove]

The website is up for WO guys to put their pref/bid at MDA. It looks like 3 classes of 12 each or 36 FO's for July. I would assume the same rate after that per month. I hope that this opens some room at ALG/PDT so that I can get back to the left seat on the Dash. I'm not sure though as we have attrition over to MDA we also have the magic dissapearing Dash fleet so we'll have to see.

Looking at the CEL I'm just about in the center of the 1074 ALG, PDT and PSA guys listed. Therefore I'm looking at 500 calls before they get to me. There are 115 or so PSA, 190 ALG and 200ish PDT senior to me. I don't think many of the PSA guys will be takers as the 115 PSA guys are all capts at PSA. I suspect that half of the ALG and Half of the PDT guys senior to me will take a MDA position. With this assumption I can say that their are about 100 alg and 100 PDT guys wanting MDA positions ahead of me. Toss in 30 PSA for good measure and we have 230 guys on the CEL that go to MDA before me. At 36 guys per month (230/36=6.6) thats 6-7 months to get to me. If all 500 or so take it it will be 500/36=13.6 or about 14 months.

As of now I bid for Capt MDA as getting back to the left seat on the dash is the most important thing for me. Down the road in a few months if it looks like we wont be able to reupgrade at PDT (all dash 8 at PDT by then) then I may as well head over to MDA.

 

[LearLove]

WOW I just logged on to the site and over night they added more classes plus 12 Capt positions. Thats 12 WO guys getting the shot at Capt positions at MDA if I'm looking at this correctly.

the chart didn't work out so:

between 7/5 and 8/6 there will be 6 classes. 60 FO's and 12 capts.

 

[Airpiraterob]

furloughed.

I'm absolutely happy for you man. Good luck with the future. I'm sure it will smile on you. It's good to hear someone thinking about the whole picture instead of the next and bigger plane. Theres several people iv'e met in the last year of my new job (thanks for all your help...i mean it.) and really there is a point to where the chase has to stop in favor of a stable life at a stable place. Youve found that. I raise my drink to you. It's something all of us are trying to find, not many realize it could be right in front of them.

good luck man.
-rob

 

[LittleDeuce]

Mda

It will be a LONG time to upgrade for WO pilots at MDA, they are all junior to a 1879 mainline pilots. Also we are not type rating pilots with seniority numbers higher than 4500 due to the "Jet Blue" factor.

 

[AFELLOWAVIATOR]

Furloughed,


I know what you mean. 3 years ago I would have jumped at one of the J4J offers, but after being out of the airline biz for a while I am seeing the regionals for what they are.

Flying Corporate I am actually (gasp!!) seeing my kid grow up!! And I have been home for the past 3 Christmas, and Thanksgiving holidays.....something that I had missed every year for the previous 7 years. And to top it off the pay is much better than any of the regionals. So like you, instead of jumping at one of the so called "good deals" I find myself wondering how they are actually getting anyone to fly those things for the wages offered! Although it appears that there are darn few takers for the job from anybody that has anykind of experience. Mostly just the older guys that were furloughed later down the line with 10 or 12 years in at U and have not found anything better yet.

Yet everyday I see the kids coming through that think 60 grand is a fortune to fly left seat in an RJ and be gone away from your home and family for 200 + days a year. And they are willing to pay 100k to learn how to do a job that has a starting wage of 18 k.

Strange how it came to this, considering that your average motivated high school student makes better money than that working part time after school.

So like you, barring any unforseen events I will not be accepting any of their generous offers, I prefer working somewhere that actually appreciates the experience I have and is not just looking for a warm body.

Who do you fly for? It sounds great? The way you describe your job is opposite of the impression I get from talking to some of my friends who went to a corporate out fit during our strike.

Being home is a wonderful thing That is why I enjoy the training dept. so much.

 

[LearLove]

It will be a LONG time to upgrade for WO pilots at MDA, they are all junior to a 1879 mainline pilots. Also we are not type rating pilots with seniority numbers higher than 4500 due to the "Jet Blue" factor.

at

Thats what I thought but then why are there positions listed for MDA Capt? Can the mainline guys still bid them? I'm under the impression they went up and down the 1879 for both capt and PIC. Guess time will tell.

 

[Steve 737]

Last I heard Mid-Atlantic Captain slots were being offered to guys about 1/2 way down the APL list. And don't forget that with each new class being filled, they start at the top of the APL and work down looking for anyone who may have changed thier preference. There are many of us who are waiting until we know we can hold a block to go to MAA. P.S. I believe they have been thru the entire APL for F/O's.

 

[LearLove]

Not really on the MDA suject but here is updates info on the ALG/PDT front:​

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Subject: Merger Update​

The Corporate merger of Allegheny and Piedmont will be effective on July 1, 2004. Although the
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Corporate merger will be effective on this date, the operational merger will require several months to
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complete.
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Effective July 1, 2004 all the flights previously sold and displayed under Allegheny Flight numbers will
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now be sold and displayed as Piedmont flights. However, internally crewmembers, maintenance,
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dispatch and other operational departments will continue to operate as two separate airlines under the
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Merger Plan until total operational integration has occurred.
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On July 1, 2004 all Allegheny employees will become Piedmont employees. New US Airways Express
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identification cards and the Piedmont name on the employee’s paycheck will change for all the former
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Allegheny employees after June 30th.
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The current US Airways Express identification card showing Allegheny Airlines Inc. will be replaced by
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a new card showing Piedmont Airlines Inc. as the employer. Distribution of the new cards will occur
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late in June and early July. Former Allegheny employees will need to surrender their old Allegheny card
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in exchange for their new Piedmont identification cards. Since our identification cards double as our
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travel card, both the old Allegheny card and the new Piedmont card will be active in the travel system
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allowing employees to use either card until distribution is complete. Once complete, the old Allegheny
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cards will become invalid and may no longer be used for any purpose.
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Effective on the first pay following July 1​

st, all former Allegheny employees will receive their paychecks
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from Piedmont. Initially, pay cycles will remain the same. The only difference will be the appearance of
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the Piedmont name on the check.
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Non-contract Allegheny employees will transfer to Piedmont’s policies, procedures, and benefit plans
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on July 1, 2004. A separate mailer to non-contract employees will provide specific information on the
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benefit plans and new policies.
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Contract employees (those represented by ALPA, AFA, or IBT) will have no other changes except
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what has been negotiated or decided by the National Mediation Board.
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2
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6/10/2004
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Airline Pilot Association (ALPA) represents both Allegheny and Piedmont. Allegheny Pilots have
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approved a pre-merger agreement. ALPA National has determined a Policy Initiation Date (PID) for
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the integration of the pilots of the two carriers into one seniority list, which must be completed before the
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full integration of the two groups can occur.
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Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) represents both Allegheny and Piedmont Flight Attendants.
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Both the Pre-Merger Agreement and the Fence Agreement have been completed between AFA and
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the Company. Allegheny Flight Attendants will transfer to Piedmont as specified in their fence
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agreement.
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International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) represents Allegheny Customer Service Agents,
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Mechanics, Dispatchers and Stock Clerks. The IBT has filed for single carrier status for the customer
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service employees of Allegheny and Piedmont. Piedmont customer service employees are currently not
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represented by a union. The Company responded to this petition for representation by agreeing that a
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single carrier would exist after the merger and furthermore stated that this status should apply as well to
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the mechanics, dispatchers and stores employees that are covered by the International Association of
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Machinists (IAM) at Piedmont. If the NMB agrees with the Company, the NMB will proceed to
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determine a single representative for each of these groups, presumably through elections for
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representation. Until the NMB reaches a decision, these groups will continue to follow their respective
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collective bargaining agreements.
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Further updates will be provided as events unfold.
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[FurloughedAgain]

August Classes For Wholly-Owneds

Rumor has it that they are now offering 30 Captain and 66 F/O positions at MidAtlantic (Aug class) for the wholly-owned pilots to bid.

I couldn't believe it got to MY class of furloughees that quickly -- i'm AMAZED that they have exhausted the entire list of furloughees for Captain classes and are now calling up wholly-owned pilots to the left seat.

I wish you all well with your decisions.

 

[stb]

MDA needs F/O's....

F/O's out of training are getting lines of flying. MDA is using Capts for F/O flying.

W/O pilots beware of adjustment bids in the future at MDA.

There are alot of senior pilots in the J4J about to be released from their contacts at CHQ, Mesa and PSA. (Aug, Sept, Oct.) They will be slotted in at USAirs date of hire. They will be ahead of W/O pilots.

W/O pilots that do come to MDA will get voting rights at U mainline. Which brings up the question of are MDA W/O pilots considered U mainline pilots for recall.
I know, U is a sinking ship and I'm getting off when I can but it is something to think about.
Pilots at MDA think we will be sold. Denial, wishful thinking, did I say denial?

But W/O pilots should ask themselves, What future does the Dash 8 have in USAirs future, if USAir has a future.
Could USAir sell the Dash 8's to another airline and who could it be?

One plus, when jumpseating, a MDA pilot is considered mainline.
Yes its a small plus but have to stay positive.


Just giving out some info on the MDA Capt dangling carrot.

Grasshopper choose wisely.

 

[WhiteCloud]

I think its time that I stop rushing around.

Congratulations on your decision. Best wishes that your new found stability is the key to happiness and success.

 

[USAirways1149]

Seniority

So lets say that Furloughed (or one of the other 1800 refugees) declines to go to MidAtlantic at this time.

They take a bypass and are put down as a "no preference".

Now fast-forward about six months or a year. US Airways has turned the corner and things are looking pretty good over there. (It could happen!)

MidAtlantic advertises a class to begin in a few weeks and Furloughed sends in a new preference form indicating his desire to now go to MidAtlantic Captain.

They accept his form and he is scheduled to attend the next class.

Will he then fall into the seniority list in whatever position his
01/99 DOH would hold?

Or would he go to the bottom of the list and be junior to the wholly-owned guys?

According to USAir, the furloughed guys can bypass MidAtlantic indefinately and need only send in a form when they're ready to go to class.

If that is the case, then "FurloughedAgain" or any of the other 1800 guys dont have anything to lose by bypassing MidAtlantic. It seems to me that they can just keep MAA in their back-pocket as a nice plan-B in case something happens to their current jobs or US Airways looks better. In the meantime their seniority would theoretically get better and better and if/when they DO decide to come back, they would be senior lineholders rather than junior reserves.

Or am I understanding it wrong?

 

[LittleDeuce]

Mda

A furloughed US Airways pilot (APL Pilot) will always be able to bypass MDA and always retain his or her seniority.

The most senior Wholy Owned pilot on the CEL, will be 1 number junior to the most junior mainline pilot on the APL.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

A furloughed US Airways pilot (APL Pilot) will always be able to bypass MDA and always retain his or her seniority.

The most senior Wholy Owned pilot on the CEL, will be 1 number junior to the most junior mainline pilot on the APL.

Duece,

If a furloughee passes on MDA how are future offers handled? Do they go back to the APL for each and every Captain slot that opens up? Even if they have been hiring off the street?

And it was asked before though I didn't see an answer. How will recall be handled should U somehow pull this thing out of the fire and begin to do well, concerning the W/O pilots who are on the property and technically are USAir mainline pilots? Would they somehow rate over furloughees who passed on MDA or not?

I have my own feelings about the pay scale at MDA, and the pay cut that I would incur should I elect to go to MDA, but that is an issue with the MEC and not the crews flying the birds, however this situation is becoming very haphazard and unclear. The lack of information coming from ALPA on these issues is making an educated decision near impossible. It has gotten so I can't even tell if choosing one way or the other is screwing myself or not!!

On one hand I am aprehensive of leaving a good corporate job to go to a regional feeder for a failing carrier, on the other hand, it is technically a recall to my airline. Given the track record of the MEC over the last two years (Retirement, etc....) I do not trust them to look after my best interests, even if I am on the active dues paying list. On that note though, if USAir does make it, they would then be the better choice over a corporate job in the long haul. My current position is stable and looks to be there for a long time to come but when dealing with corporate you do have to look at the averages. And they say that in the corp. world you are going to be looking for a new job about every seven years.

Hmmmm I seem to have been thinking out loud, so to speak!

Bottom line, from one furloughed puke to another, Since you are on the inside at MDA, what are your thoughts on the subject? I know that the phone is going to be ringing in the next few weeks and I a trying to assess the options.

Thanks,

Confused with a headache.

 

[WSurf]

Take your time, you are only going to gain seniority over at MDA, and have nothing lose it. Just sit back over the next year and look how all this pans out with MDA. Put No Prefence in your bid and then they wont call you. If you are making more money now, why the hell go. You can put US Airways Only, and they will only call you when U Mainline hires again (if ever). But if all looks good, then put in for MDA Cap. You have nothing to lose. Believe me, once Jet Blue gets there 100 EMB-190's they will go through the MDA list of Capts. fast to get qualified EMB drivers. MDA will be the training ground for J.B.
If I had a family to support, then I would stay at the job that pays well and wait till you get called back to mainline... You regain your longevity there.... But if single, then its a toss up... Good Luck which ever route you take.