Piedmont?

[trainer8]

trainer8

I went to Piedmont 5 years ago. SOE, not IOE was very good. I think you are full of it. I am now at Comair, and IOE was very good, but Piedmont's AQP was just fine for a UND grads. Most of Piedmont's junior people are UND grads. THEY ALL PASSED. So either way you loose.

You are entitled to your opinion and I am to mine. No sweat if I loose this argument with you. The word is out on the street on more than this forum about PDT's training. And, the concensus from your old buddies at PDT is that the corporate culture at PDT is very poor and is reflected especially in their DOT and training enviroment. I agreee, so, I'm in good company.

I'm glad the UND GRADS can take the heat. All I'm saying is that it is not necessary to treat people that way and that the DHC-8 is not the Space Shuttle.

Cheers

T8

 

[WSurf]

You are kinda blowing this way out! If you come to training and CQ prepared (and no, you don't have to rebuild the Dash 8) there is no stress at all. On the other hand if you come in weak, yes they will drill you a bit on the parts you are weak on. Hell, whats wrong with that!!!!! I have been to training and got spanked because I wasn't prepared. And so what, its a wake up call!! COME TO TRAINING PREPARED AND BE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. That's it, they tell you what you need to know! Limitation and procedures.. you don't have to be Chuck Yeager in the sim at all. Now I have heard of a Couple of instructors that are on the odd side and don't take the time to help and teach. However I think ever company has a couple of those kinda of dudes! Usually they are a bit pissed because their careers have made turns and changes that they didn't care for. Then again, we have some instructors that go way beyond the call of duty to help train you and they really enjoy helping people.
Just remember that a Safe Pilot is one that is well trained in the Aircraft that he flies. I really don't think that PDT training is preparing you to fly the Shuttle.... I did get a laugh out of that!!

 

[Dash8]

the sad problem at PDT is their pathetic devotion to being like mama mainline....in the training dept, and corp. offices
right down to that piece of schiesse checklist (can you say airbus checklist with a couple dash items thrown in?)
their answer to everything is
"because mainline does it"

oh, and does anyone really think that bigass hideous ring you know who's wearin looks good? a hard core goomba/made man wouldn't wear that thing

of course the fact that they were very obviously gunning for a number of specific alg guys in transition training doesn't make them look very professional either

but on to the original topic matter...
my limited experience so far is that there really isn't much in the way of 'reserves' certainly not enough to backup the scheduled lines, but their hiring like mad so it prolly won't be long before your in a line, depending on your base, as for upgrades? your guess is as good as mine, they trickle out occasionally at the moment but its around 4+ years

 

[WSurf]

I don't think Piedmont is the greatest place to work, crap what regional is? Everyone thought AWAC was, now look at them... Everyone thought ACA and now look at them maybe going out of business. Bottom line is most regionals have there good and bads! We have a working contract that I would put against most. We do fly old tired equipment, however it could be worse then the 8.

So my Advice to you DASH8... If Piedmont Sucks------->Simply leave!!! Its that easy! Nobody is making you stay at our Sucky airline. I have been here 5 years, and if I thought it sucked I would leave. I wouldn't want to torture myself having to come to work.

 

[DC8 Flyer]

WSURF hit the nail on the head! If you don't like, F'N LEAVE!

PDT has its ups and downs, people piss and moan but it could be worse, you could be flying for ASA /giggle. Training is EASY, simply study, you know instead of going to Murphy's every nite maybe spend 30 minutes studying before you drink all your brain cells away.

 

[Dash8]

hey, i didn't ask to come here, and no 'one' is keeping me here, but i'm stuck because of financial issues among others, i would leave if there were someplace i could go and not go bankrupt even faster than i am here...
but i'm stuck here for now, and just wanna come in, do my job and go the heII home...

its funny how some of you guys defend pdt(not all mind you, i do consider a number of pdt guys that i know a friend), and how in the past the pilot group, and the union just rolled over and let mgmt enact all those rediculous provisions and letters...
what? did they have pictures of y'all with a goat or something? (not you wsurf or dc8 specifically, just a general statement)
for the most part, most of you don't realize it because all you've known is pdt, yes theres plenty of worse places to work at, but were coming from a different perspective, we've seen how a dash operation can be run
hopefully we can get some more of our guys in the union so it might actually grow a backbone and standup to mgmt....
200 some odd outstanding greivances??? i mean come on....

i really don't want to start a pissing match, were all stuck together, and need to fight mgmt not each other, just remember that the alg guys are bringing a different perspective on things, use our knowledge and tenacity to benefit the pilot group and try to make our lives better while we're here

 

[Sig]

Who farted?

 

[WSurf]

Dash8 I can agree with that! I just had a problem with you coming on here and bashing your own company! Let other people do that!!! LOL If you have been at PDT for a long time I can understand your pain. I feel sorry for all the new FO's that will never experince the fun of working here. The days when we were up to 60 Dash8's KeyWest overnights! Crews all over at the same hotels! Everyone was happy to be at work! Dash 8/300 were coming in. Its hard to have worked here when this was the Number 1 place to work. Now the only people we can get are 500hr pilots.
I don't think we will ever see those days again. And after 2008 we just might be gone for good anyway. But I try to stay postive and come to work and do the best I can. I think thats all we can do! It would be nice if we had our own control in terms of running this company, but we don't. Group does and look what they have done to what used to be the best regional airline.

 

[suupah]

Is anyone concerned for the future of PDT in light of AWAC?

 

[WSurf]

No!!!!!

 

[suupah]

WSURF,

could you expand on your answer please!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hobit]

WSurf,

I've got a few questions about PDT. Mind if I PM ya?

Hobit

 

[Dash8]

Dash8 I can agree with that! I just had a problem with you coming on here and bashing your own company! Let other people do that!!! LOL If you have been at PDT for a long time I can understand your pain. I feel sorry for all the new FO's that will never experince the fun of working here. The days when we were up to 60 Dash8's KeyWest overnights! Crews all over at the same hotels! Everyone was happy to be at work! Dash 8/300 were coming in. Its hard to have worked here when this was the Number 1 place to work. Now the only people we can get are 500hr pilots.
I don't think we will ever see those days again. And after 2008 we just might be gone for good anyway. But I try to stay postive and come to work and do the best I can. I think thats all we can do! It would be nice if we had our own control in terms of running this company, but we don't. Group does and look what they have done to what used to be the best regional airline.

fair enough wsurf, but, i have a question here, for a long time we at alg have been hearing about how great pdt is from y'all, and how great the contract is...
well, we're all here now, and with the exception of a couple of small things.....pdt is worse than alg was in most every respect....it seems like the pilot group and union just rolled over and let mgmt enact all those rediculous amendments and rules, and that junior guys are systematically screwed (no reserve lines published prior to completion bid, no differential pay for 300, no pay for reserve days not worked that would take you over guarantee just to name a few) i'm not that junior, but i still see how crappy that is
don't get me wrong, i'm not blaming you or anyone else specifically, just pointing out some of the deficiencies to the 'pdt is/was the best place to work'
and alg certainly wasn't a day at the fair either, we had our own issues for sure

 

[sync8]

Well..ALG is NO LONGER .. SO I would suggest that your time would be better spent trying to fix the company that you now work for..and be grateful that you have a job at all..like the rest of us trailing edge of technology Dash Trash types.. ALG MEC did give up YOUR rights to a hard fought contract..nothing is worse than that ...PERIOD..We all suck in different ways..now is the time to at least present a common front to get things changed for the better..We are all at PDT now ..as unfortunate as that is..So lets make the best of a difficult situation..

 

[CLR2LAN]

whats the und/erau guys getting hired on with these days?