Pinnacle Airlines

[Freerad]

Could anybody tell me about the pinnacle airlines interview (Sim Ride, Commercial Written or ATP written Questions, etc.)?

 

[U-I pilot]

also curious....

I am also curious about pinnacle...I know they fly some Northwest CRJ's but is that all? Where are they based and such
-Thanks

 

[cornbread]

The fastest way to start training without the luxury of pay, hotel and an ID card is to go through the First Officer program at Gulfstream. They hire GIA trainees pretty often.

I find it odd that Pinn. gives their FAs a stipend ($) during training, pays their mechanics during training (plus rental car), but won't acknowledge that pilots even exist in while in training.
You won't even get a five-cent ID card until after your check ride!!!

Correct any facts if they are error, but that is the latest that I have heard.

Also, I can understand some sacrifices in reference to the "big picture" that will inevitably be referenced on this thread.
However, if you can't afford the little picture, how can you afford the big picture. Further, is there such a shortage of FAs and Mechs. that a company would have such contradictory compensation programs for various new hires?

very curious indeed.

 

[100LL... Again!]

It is a bad deal, but pilots are willing to do it for no pay.
Supply and demand.

You are only worth what someone is willling to pay.

 

[DoinTime]

Your value as a pilot at pinnacle is made obvious your first day of class. No pay, no per diem, no hotel, no transportation, no help finding affordable accommodations, no benefits, and no accruing of longevity. Don't think that you will get any respect after you pass your checkride either because their attitude toward never changes. In fact the majority of the attrition off of the seniority list is FO's.

What you were probably told in the interview about the future of pinnacle is probably considerably different from what is reality. We have one the best groups of used car salesmen in the industry doing our pilot recruiting. Upgrades are not quick anymore (the most junior upgrade in the last class was a 3 year guy), schedules are terrible even by the account of the people who make them, and the growth they quote is nowhere near accurate or guaranteed. The last I heard they were pushing that we were going to have 1300 pilots by the end of next year but their staffing model only requires 850 or so for the same number of airplanes. It also doesn't bode well that our contract negotiations are scheduled to begin at the same time as our promised deliveries are scheduled to stop, late 2004.

Can't wait to start!

I can't wait to finish!!!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Not 100% on this info, but I think it's pretty close.

I believe they now have only CRJs as have gotten rid of their last SF-340s. They are based in MEM, DTW and MSP. They are 100% owned by NWA, and NWA wanted to spin them off as a separate company.

I interviewed in 2001. They'll fly you in to the interview, I think I paid for the hotel. They'll fly you in to start class, but not pay of any kind, and no jumpseating 'til you're done training.

They were hiring Capts off the street, but I believe they are not now. You did have a training contract if your flight times were below a certain time level.

There was no sim.

Good luck!

Cliff
GRB

PS-My wife told me I could go to the interview, but, even if they were the only airline in the universe that hired me, I could not accept a position there, due to the lack of pay during training.

PPS-For those of you who think I let my wife be in charge? You're right. Once you're married, resistance is futile. It's easier to give in right away than fight painfully for several years and end up giving in anyway!!! ;-)

 

[Flex]

I was one of the FOs that left Pinnacle. It was an interim job for me to keep me current. Here are the facts: interview...yes, they will fly you to the interview in Memphis. No, they will not pay for the hotel during your interview. The interview is a written test based off the Commercial pilot written test and ATP. I think I barely passed the thing and still got hired. They don't tell you your scores, and as far as I could tell, don't even grade the thing. Then they give you an interview, after some free pizza lunch if your lucky. Check out all the active pilots that come over for the chance to get pizza on the company dime. The inteview is done by either S. Grantham or Kim Monroe. Either one will be accompanied by some catpain that is there to ask the "technical" questions. In my interview, however, Kim asked all the tech questions, since it is all very canned, and can be found at aviationinterviews.com. No Sim. They should have one, but it costs money. Once hired, no ID, no pay, no hotel, no perdiem during training. In fact, there is no real acknowledgement from the company that you are employed till you pass your checkride. The funny thing is that most pilots there give two answers to the question to "when were you hired?" they say: "i started class in june and did my checkride in August." See what I mean? Anyways, training is at least two months (no rush since you aren't costing the company anything). Once you pass the ride, (most training done in MEM), you will begin to be paid. I think it is 19 bucks an hour multiplied by 75 hour guarantee. You will be based in either Memphis, Detroit or Minnie. You could be on reserve for several months , and perhaps several years as an FO. Insurance doesn't start till you have been with the company 90 days (with the company means, after the checkride, so tack on a couple of months for training.) 401K is not so great, something like 50% of the first 6% of something, which means when all is said and done you are paying for someone else's retirement. Flight benifits on Northwest,..something like 25 bucks domestic per flight, 50 if first class. All standby of course, like everyone else. Good news is the RJs are new and shiny, and usually smell pretty good. Some of the FAs smell good too. Expect a minumum of 10 days off a month, about 1400 bucks after taxes. In the pre- 9-11 world, it would be a great place to get your time, upgrade and move to the majors. Now...think long and hard about it. Terry Mefford, Chief Pilot believes, as he told us in one of the "monthly pilot meetings" that: "you guys are lucky to have jobs in this day." Look at back posts on this company on this message board. Think about it long and hard.

 

[Sierra-Hotel]

Paul Holte seems happy.......maybe a little too happy!

 

[DoinTime]

Smilin' Paul could be happy in a Turkish prison. Some people are blessed with the ability to have the smallest speck of light illuminate their whole world.

 

[ForgedBlade]

Yeah, he could be happy in a Turkish prison seeing grown men naked while watching movies about gladiators.

And for those interested, Pinnacle is run by monkeys dressed as people - lucky NWA is writing the checks, there is minimal brain power down in Memphis!!!