atr42flyer
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PSA good and bad please!
- Thread starter atr42flyer
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atr42flyer
Well-known member
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- Dec 6, 2005
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Could be better could be worse. Just about the whole airline is moving down to CLT could be a lot worse places to be based. Great city especially if you live here.
As far as whats happening here goes. . . who knows. No new airplanes that we know of not sure if we are going to lose any or not. There is actually a little bit of movement from attrition but thats it. Things of course change overnight.
As far as whats happening here goes. . . who knows. No new airplanes that we know of not sure if we are going to lose any or not. There is actually a little bit of movement from attrition but thats it. Things of course change overnight.
EDUC8-or
These Nachos Are Good
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- Dec 6, 2002
- Posts
- 326
I'm a newbie, but I'll give my opinion...
We're currently hiring. As skydork said, no news is good news. Right now the new hires are going to Dayton, but that could and probably will change very soon. I'm based in Dayton but live in Charlotte and I'm waiting until I can hold Charlotte. I've been on reserve for about 3 & 1/2 months and I don't see myself holding a line in the near future. My only complaints would be the fact that I don't like Dayton and the hot reserve we have at PSA. That means you have to sit at the airport ready to go. I know some people stay at home on hot reserve, but since I'm new I don't want to rock the boat. Usually you have to sit from 5am until 2pm or from 2pm until midnite. I'm not sure how it works, but I have friends from my class who've only done hot reserve 1 or 2 times, and others like myself who have about 8-9 times.
Most of the captains I've flown with are good people. I enjoy their company and they are quick to give subtle hints and pointers, but they don't overdo it. Most of our hiring is due to attrition and I haven't checked lately on upgrade, but I flew with a guy who upgraded at first chance and it took him just over 4 years to upgrade.
Indoc and systems are done in Dayton and the sim is in Charlotte. Once you get based in Charlotte you go to differences for the 700. I think that's mostly done in Denver, but I heard a rumor that we're getting another sim that can convert from a 200 to 700 and that will be in Charlotte as well. The instructors are good and the check airmen I flew with for IOE were very laid back and fun to fly with.
Hope this answers a few questions.
We're currently hiring. As skydork said, no news is good news. Right now the new hires are going to Dayton, but that could and probably will change very soon. I'm based in Dayton but live in Charlotte and I'm waiting until I can hold Charlotte. I've been on reserve for about 3 & 1/2 months and I don't see myself holding a line in the near future. My only complaints would be the fact that I don't like Dayton and the hot reserve we have at PSA. That means you have to sit at the airport ready to go. I know some people stay at home on hot reserve, but since I'm new I don't want to rock the boat. Usually you have to sit from 5am until 2pm or from 2pm until midnite. I'm not sure how it works, but I have friends from my class who've only done hot reserve 1 or 2 times, and others like myself who have about 8-9 times.
Most of the captains I've flown with are good people. I enjoy their company and they are quick to give subtle hints and pointers, but they don't overdo it. Most of our hiring is due to attrition and I haven't checked lately on upgrade, but I flew with a guy who upgraded at first chance and it took him just over 4 years to upgrade.
Indoc and systems are done in Dayton and the sim is in Charlotte. Once you get based in Charlotte you go to differences for the 700. I think that's mostly done in Denver, but I heard a rumor that we're getting another sim that can convert from a 200 to 700 and that will be in Charlotte as well. The instructors are good and the check airmen I flew with for IOE were very laid back and fun to fly with.
Hope this answers a few questions.
There were a few postings for CLT crashpads in the crew room down there and I think I saw a few in the DAY crew room as well.
Over all PSA isn't too bad of a place to be. I think they are starting 12 newhires in Jan and 6 in Feb so far. I would think that most new hires would be going to CLT now as they are trying to move crews down there. No word on the future as to more/less aircraft, but the way the industry is right now, no news is good news. Reserve in Dayton is looking like it could get long, but guys from my class that went to Knoxville right out of training were holding lines in 2 months. Go figure.
Over all PSA isn't too bad of a place to be. I think they are starting 12 newhires in Jan and 6 in Feb so far. I would think that most new hires would be going to CLT now as they are trying to move crews down there. No word on the future as to more/less aircraft, but the way the industry is right now, no news is good news. Reserve in Dayton is looking like it could get long, but guys from my class that went to Knoxville right out of training were holding lines in 2 months. Go figure.
I've worked at PSA since '99. Here's the scoop.
The good:
Most people here are really cool and stay off your back. As long as you don't cause a delay or ding an aircraft you will never hear from your supervisor. I haven't worn a propper uniform or shown up to work ontime in three years and I haven't heard one word.
A lot of the crews are fun. Imagine someone giving you and your buds a 20 million dollar jet and saying, "as long as you keep on schedule and stay safe, do whatever and enjoy yourself." Don't get me wrong- there's a ton of responsibilty that goes with this job, but PSA kind of lets you be your own boss and doesn't get all up in your face. I have friends at other airlines that have to actually check in for work. Not at PSA. Not too much "big brother is watching" BS goes on here.
The equipment here is good. The planes are all pretty new and rarely do we take a MX delay. Most MELs are cleared quickly. The mechs in CLT are great and very helpful, same with the guys in MX control in DAY all good people.
The Bad:
Sometimes it seems like no one knows what the hell they are doing. Becasue pay and work rules are so crappy for many at US Airways Express, there is constant turnover amongst all employees except the pilots andmechs. Everyone you work with from gate agents, to crew schedulers, to FAs, to ramp agents, deicers, dispatchers, and ramp controlers all are new to their job and don't know what the hell they are doing. This is a training airline. Once someone gets some experience they bolt to brighter pastures. That leaves the pilots to take care of almost every detail of the flight and keep people from wrecking schedules and expensive planes. Sometimes as a pilot you feel very isolated, surround by idiots, and they all have a giant attitude.
This airline has the worst schedules. I've worked here since '99 and the schedules always, always suck. Our scheduling department is completely incompotent and you as a pilot are used like a very cheap commodity. One day you'll be warehoused in a Econolodge for 22 hours, and the next day you're flying 7 legs with all quick turns through PHL and DCA. Staffing levels are always wrong and you can expect 10 junior mans a year and an extension at least once a month. This airline can never seem to work out its scheduling problems and you are the one that has to pay the price for their mistakes.
The sorta good sorta bad:
We are small. That means if we increase in size, even a little, time to upgrade drops really quick. The disadvantage is since we are small there is little to no movement on the seniority list. Coming to PSA is a gamble if you are looking for quick upgrade. It could be a year to upgrade or it could be four and a half. Depends on aircraft orders. No one knows if we're getting more aircraft.
hope that helps.
good luck
The good:
Most people here are really cool and stay off your back. As long as you don't cause a delay or ding an aircraft you will never hear from your supervisor. I haven't worn a propper uniform or shown up to work ontime in three years and I haven't heard one word.
A lot of the crews are fun. Imagine someone giving you and your buds a 20 million dollar jet and saying, "as long as you keep on schedule and stay safe, do whatever and enjoy yourself." Don't get me wrong- there's a ton of responsibilty that goes with this job, but PSA kind of lets you be your own boss and doesn't get all up in your face. I have friends at other airlines that have to actually check in for work. Not at PSA. Not too much "big brother is watching" BS goes on here.
The equipment here is good. The planes are all pretty new and rarely do we take a MX delay. Most MELs are cleared quickly. The mechs in CLT are great and very helpful, same with the guys in MX control in DAY all good people.
The Bad:
Sometimes it seems like no one knows what the hell they are doing. Becasue pay and work rules are so crappy for many at US Airways Express, there is constant turnover amongst all employees except the pilots andmechs. Everyone you work with from gate agents, to crew schedulers, to FAs, to ramp agents, deicers, dispatchers, and ramp controlers all are new to their job and don't know what the hell they are doing. This is a training airline. Once someone gets some experience they bolt to brighter pastures. That leaves the pilots to take care of almost every detail of the flight and keep people from wrecking schedules and expensive planes. Sometimes as a pilot you feel very isolated, surround by idiots, and they all have a giant attitude.
This airline has the worst schedules. I've worked here since '99 and the schedules always, always suck. Our scheduling department is completely incompotent and you as a pilot are used like a very cheap commodity. One day you'll be warehoused in a Econolodge for 22 hours, and the next day you're flying 7 legs with all quick turns through PHL and DCA. Staffing levels are always wrong and you can expect 10 junior mans a year and an extension at least once a month. This airline can never seem to work out its scheduling problems and you are the one that has to pay the price for their mistakes.
The sorta good sorta bad:
We are small. That means if we increase in size, even a little, time to upgrade drops really quick. The disadvantage is since we are small there is little to no movement on the seniority list. Coming to PSA is a gamble if you are looking for quick upgrade. It could be a year to upgrade or it could be four and a half. Depends on aircraft orders. No one knows if we're getting more aircraft.
hope that helps.
good luck
BlackPilot628
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- Sep 20, 2004
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- 816
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