Newhire CAL Pilots

[pkober]

Last I heard we have 1 class in July, August and September. We should start back to full steam in October, hopefully 64 a month.

 

[Ex737Driver]

Same pilot interviewers in EWR confirm this, CAL management has acknowledged that we are short staffed which will bring, as said above, 64+ a month for the foreseeable future. In the past CAL has used AMR's sim facilities for 737 training and recurrent and will continue to do so as long as AMR makes them available. CAL currently owns 1 737-800 sim and 1 737-800 FTD with the addition of one more FTD in the future. AMR has 5 737-800 sims. In addition CAL uses flight safety on several occasions for noth 737 and 757 training. The big "what if" is always fuel, which CAL has begun to attack, albeit late in the game, with fuel hedges.

 

[bsweasel1]

what is the chance of a new hire getting IAH 756? If awarded EWR 756 approx how long to return to IAH 756? Thanks for your insight.

 

[propjob27]

what is the chance of a new hire getting IAH 756? If awarded EWR 756 approx how long to return to IAH 756? Thanks for your insight.

You need to have an interview first.

 

[bsweasel1]

I've had the interview, that is why I was asking the question. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[pkober]

I was hired in Oct 05 and a few of our 756 guys were back in Houston by Jan 06. That was then and thing could have changed since. Both the 737 and the 756 guys in our class could get back to IAH by January. 737 sat reserve in lovely EWR for 2 months, 757 EWR for about 5 months. 737 IAH reserve was 3 months and 757 IAH are still on reserve.

CLAMBAKE

 

[Ex737Driver]

We have an upcoming system bid that will run mid August and should determine where new hire pilots will end up this fall into next year. The bid encompasses the flying through August 07 and takes into account 2 777's deliveries in the first quarter and 6 737-800's deliveries throughout 07 well as the 6 737-800's we are getting between now and the end of 06. In the past there have been vaccancies on equipment other than 737 but they are mostly for the EWR 756. As for vacancies in IAH on the 756, I would imagine that there will be some, but as in the past, you will probably see them filled with pilots currently on the senority list and not newhires, but as always, this often does and can change. The easiest way to get to IAH is on the 737. I will try to post the numbers on the bid and base vaccancies when available.

 

[Pancho747]

The most junior IAH 756 pilot was hired around October. I think there are many EWR pilots waiting to get IAH. I tried to get IAH 756 in January but could not hold it. (I was hired in December) IAH 737 is much easier to get. My whole class was assigned to EWR but all the 737 pilots who wanted IAH had the transfer within 8 weeks.

With that said, when hiring picks up after the summer, transfers will probably happen more quickly.

 

[bsweasel1]

Thanks for all of your insight. I would enjoy the 756 out of ewr for a few months, but being home and not commuting would be even better. If you are IAH based can you pick up EWR trips in open time to get some of the international flying?

 

[Ex737Driver]

Unfourtunely there will not be much in the way of open time once PBS goes live, at least as it stands now. There will always be sick calls but as for several hundred pairings availbale to choose from, that will be a thing of the past. You can pick up out-of-base 12 prior to departure but only if you are a lineholder. The more convenient thing to do is try to convince crew scheduling that they would be better of if you sat reserve in IAH vs EWR. It has worked for some in the past, but who knows what reserve will be like once PBS goes live.

 

[Plug]

Can anyone tell me what the junior bases are for newhires?

What class date did they give you?

 

[hawk996]

Not Flame Bait, just a question???

What are you guys doing for the first year with Health Ins? I had to turn CAL down and head somewhere else. I looked hard for cheap Ins. but the pay at CAL the first year, 6 months of me funding the INS, 3 Kids, 1 crazy Wife, House, Car, and food it just didn't work....

What are you guys doing for the first year?

Thanks

 

[Jonny Sacko]

Starting Over. Turned them down. Hmm

 

[bearcat]

Not Flame Bait, just a question???

What are you guys doing for the first year with Health Ins? I had to turn CAL down and head somewhere else. I looked hard for cheap Ins. but the pay at CAL the first year, 6 months of me funding the INS, 3 Kids, 1 crazy Wife, House, Car, and food it just didn't work....

What are you guys doing for the first year?

Thanks

It is funny to watch the generations change. Everybody is all about the W-2 and not wanting to pay their dues anymore. Yeah 1st year pay sucks hard...really hard. I think most people make their decision to WANT to work for an airline b/c of the W-2. It just blows my mind that people could turn down a major airline gig at a time when there are thousands of furloughs and this job is more competitive than ever. I would make my decision based on location and stability. Pretty much in that order. I'm in the GUARD and that is how I survive. Oh, and I knew the pay cut was coming (sts) so we were financially prepared to take the pay cut.

Good luck.

 

[hawk996]

I was not looking for a fight boys, a valid question. I had a choice to make and had to look at the big picture. Sure year two, three, four etc etc might be better down the road, but the first year would at CAL would not work for me. All that I was asking is how are you making it work. I had no Idea that your tighty whitey's were in such a bunch. Relax ace, It was nothing to do about the W2, it called working to pay the bills that where covered at the old job before they closed and finding a new job to pay said bills. Why take on a new bill with Health Ins when you don't have to????

I have a job and like where I'm at, it was only a question, and I guess you don't want to answer it. That's fine with me, move on......