Piedmont Airlines`

[WSurf]

Well Said!!!! Okay kid, I am finishing up my Southwest Online App!!! Bourbon in hand!!!

 

[RobCat]

Surf

You still have the new dad feel, or has it worn off yet?

 

[Quack]

Can anyone sum up in three sentences why someone should stay at PDT if you have been here three years or less? Honestly, all this crap that everyone speaks of, flow thru, 400's, delta merger, is really all just crap. Because no one has that crystal ball, the next best thing for anyone in this industry is to come to PDT, get some experience, and move the hell on. Go fly some place where there is POTENTIAL for an upgrade under 5-6 years, go fly MUCH better maintained equipment, and basically go work for a better company. If you read anything outta Farrow's words, it's that he doesn't care about this pilot group. Think about how much money this company has wasted on pilot training, with little or no return on their investsments. This doesn't seem to bother anyone in management? Please, if they cared so much as a fart for this group, they'd try to at least retain people for more than 6 mos. The way you do that (besides training contract) is by upgrading pilots, growing fleets, updating fleets, flow thru in WRITING, ANYTHING. If you have 600/100 for time, why would you even consider this place? It has nothing to offer but airplanes held together by speed tape and gu-gone, and an aging pilot group that is about as unhappy as a cat taking a bath. There i'm done...good day

 

[twighead]

nowhere in my posts was i whining. nowhere did i say that i expect or was entitled to a 3 year upgrade. you guys obviously don't know me so you can drop the assumptions. i am not some whiny 20-something year, nor am i a graduate from any of those flight schools you mentioned (my degree is not even in aviation).

we were simply discussing where that guy came up with his 30-40 captains quitting next year figure . . . and i say it is never going to happen because there are too many guys here that will never leave.

i said clearly this is all from my selfish point of view. i'm not telling anyone esle what they should do.

yes, i am married and have a family too. i left my former career for this one and i'm glad i did. i took a big pay cut to come here so you all can cry me a river about how you don't want to work for jetblue for $35/hour. you have to take some chances sometimes.

 

[Terrain Terrain]

I left the bad dream (Piedmont) about 4 months ago, never been more happy. Pedmont can burn in hell as far as I am concerned, along with the 20 year old captains on reserve.

enjoy

 

[jvrac]

I think the worst part about working at PDT is the poor morale. Yeah, the pay sucks, the schedules suck, the hotels suck, but it's like that pretty much everywhere. Everybody complains, from new hire FAs to 20 year CAs. I know it sucks, but sheesh, it's so depressing to hear complaining all the time. Alright, I guess I'll stop complaining about people complaining.

 

[Quack]

I think that a lot of the complaining stems from many of the guys here who are still stuck in the 90's when the regionals and just being a pilot was reputable. I mean come on a lot of these guys have been capts. for ten or more years and are still sitting reserve or build up. What other regional airline (besides horizon and eagle due to the flow back) have captains like this. In addition to that, we fly broke airplanes around for a company that doesn't give a hoot as long as the flight is completed. If US Air actually looked deeply into the day to day operation at pdt, they'd be astounded at the fact that we can get many of these planes up in the air with passengers on board. This is not directed at the mx dept. cause they're doing all they can do. The fact of the matter is that pdt is a REGIONAL airline. There I said it, a REGIONAL airline. I know that we don't get paid well enough, get treated like shiat, and would rather fly rubber dog crap outta hong kong, but quit thinking you should be paid at a mainline level just cause you're a 20 year regional pilot, and quit thinking that you're god's gift to aviation because you fly a dash 8. Times have changed, and it looks like it has passed not only the pdt. managment WAAYY by, but most the pilot group as well.

 

[woxonwoxof]

I left PDT last FEB after 11 years. In my opinion, if the pilots aren't complaining, Farrow figures he must be doing something wrong.

 

[jvrac]

Every once in a while I get a captain who actually enjoys his/her job and a reserve flight attendant who still has the "I love helping people" attitude and it is like a breath of fresh air. Wait a minute, I didn't know this job could actually be fun... but it is if you have the right crew.

 

[MEL'ed]

The best crews are those that realize they aren't still in Florida or they no longer work for ALG. We all work for PDT now and they do things different. Those that realize line flying pilots don't have the big picture about where planes need to go and which routes need to be flown more than other. Just swap when one is scheduled without saying, "This never happened at ALG." Dispatch knows they are hurting for airplanes and it sucks just as much for them and scheduling. They are just regular employees too. It goes back to mgmt on some level, Farrow or Parker, not spending money where it should be. 75+% of the time the crews here are great. That's reason #1 to stay.

#2, I am pretty dang junior in base and getting 13+ days a month off and a great schedule. Hell off my bidded line I managed to get xmas off and days around it this year and it's only my second xmas here! Lots of time to get away and travel. Plus, when I do travel wholly owned PDT gets on before the contract guys. That has come in handy several times. Not a sole reason to stay but it's definately a benefit.

#3, It sucks just as bad everywhere else as here. So long as I WANT to work here cause I don't hate it and until a time when I decide what else I want to do with my life, what's the problem? Still a little more time to build until I am competitive with fractionals, if I choose to go that way. If the industry takes a dump in the morning, some furlough, and you can't get a job with less than 3,000 hrs again, I won't be so bad. PDT doesn't have the staff to furlough without getting rid of planes and routes. I feel secure here. And when I do have the time and leave if something happens I'll feel more secure with a little more time than come here get 1,000 and bail.

#4, I like where I'm based and moved for the time being. Will I stay here? NO way! But I'm enjoying the north for now and when I am ready to leave PDT, I wil be ready to leave the snow and head back south for a while.

If anyone wants to know why a pilot with 600/100 would stay at PDT, there's my reasons. Everyone here has their own. If you left and are happier at your new job, Congratulations! You wanted to leave and succeeded in finding a place you are happy. I'm enjoying my time and schedule here stress free and being happy in life is all that really counts.

 

[OPECJet]

Yeah, uh huh....

We just proved a lot of those swaps are not needed this morning. We had a 6 leg day and scheduled to fly 4 different aircraft. Called dispatch after flying the first leg and asked why. The reply was that we would keep the airplane we currently had, then do one swap. That one swap was a legitimate one since the last 3 legs were in a 100 with the first 3 in a 300.

Good on our dispatcher this morning. She made life a lot easier, but it proves that half the time I'm swapping for no reason.......

 

[woxonwoxof]

I thought all crews knew that the dispatchers' goal was to see how many times they can make a crew swap.

 

[CJII]

What is an email address I can send my resume to?

 

[CJII]

Is shelia parker still hr?

 

[G2T]

I left the bad dream (Piedmont) about 4 months ago, never been more happy. Pedmont can burn in hell as far as I am concerned, along with the 20 year old captains on reserve.

enjoy

Is flying the RJ for $19/HR that much better?

As far as swaps, my favorite is when you fly 4 planes for 6 legs and end in the same one you started in. ALL 100's.

 

[fieldinsight]

Is shelia parker still hr?

Nope, left suddenly this past summer. Word is that it wasn't her choice.

 

[CJII]

I interviewed with her last year, she was really cool. I got the job, then turned it down. I was thinking about reapplying, how is the new hr lady? Does Mr. Buchannon still work there?