Ram Air Freight training contract?

[MrPink1911]

I know I keep going on and on about the company I work for, and for that I appologize, its just that my experince is limited to there.... But, I signed a training contract when I started working there, but I dont think that signing a contract necessarily makes the place a bad place. Is it a negative, yes, but the fact is these companies would like a return on the investment of their training dollar. And for that I do not blame them. Also, to compare a relatively small freight hauler with a much large regional airline, is comparing apples to oranges. I dont know why the regionals dont have training contracts, some may, I dont know, I have never worked for an airline. But I knew my company had a training contract and I signed it willingly and it was a commitment I made in good faith and as long as the company didnt play "dirty pool" I was going to keep my WORD..... PERIOD

 

[MrPink1911]

CHQ is regarded to be one of the better regionals to go to work for these days, some may disagree.... But, according to their latest job posting on Climbto350, there is a $15,000 / 2 year training contract..... The others may follow suit, who knows???

Which is kind of amusing, because I know of at least 2 (note the sarcasm) high quality individuals recently broke their contractual agreement with my company to go to CHQ to apparently sign another one.... Whats disturbing to me is that a company will actually hire people to do stuff like break contracts.... Its only rewarding bad behavior....

 

[coltsfn8888]

Mrpink I agree with everything you say except that it is acceptable for a company to have training contracts in the first place. It is completely unreasonable and should be outlawed. Take an objective look at the industry, there are a lot of pilots and cfi's at the bottom making almost nothing. The reason the companies can get away with paying you less than a livable wage is basic economics of supply and demand. If you are not willng to work for that wage someone else is. In many cases people are in massive amounts of debt and still cant afford to pay the rent and employers will turn around and claim that it is fair its just capitalism. Capitalism applies to job markets as well. Supply of available jobs will determine the wages and that will determine demand. That is the way a fair market capitalism should work. Training contracts are used to simply undermine the job market. If your company wants you to stick around for a year they should pay you a wage that keeps you around for a year not force you into a training contract. If your going to assume unlivable wages are ethical then by the same logic you must conclude that training contracts are not.

 

[MrPink1911]

Training contracts are not what I would call positive or acceptable by any means, but they are a fact of the industry and if you sign one in good faith, you should honor it in good faith..... Thats all I am saying!!! I would agree that pay in many cases is substandard, but regards to pay, pilots are our own worst enemies..... Regional airline pay is a good example, and I know for sure that I am not getting rich flying freight..... You have to admit though, training someone for a flight job, be it in an E145, Citation, Lear, or even a BE58 or PA31 is more costly for a company than sitting someone down at a PC and making sure they are proficient in MS Word or Excel..... Thats why training contracts exist in the first place..... If I had a small charter company and I hired a guy to fly for me and paid for him to get a type rating in whatever plane and he turns around and quits, that would be a problem.... And the reasons for people leaving are not always money.... It could be an upset wife or girlfriend..... The bottom line is everything in aviation is expensive and the money has to come from somewhere..... I cant think of a solution to this delema, can you??? My plan has always been to do my year at my company and build time and more importantly a small, but close, network of pilot friends who can help each other as we build our careers.....

 

[coltsfn8888]

The solution to the dilema you proposed is simple. You take the owner of the charter company, regional airline or freight company and you tell them if someone trains and bails tough. I guarantee if you paid more people wouldnt do that. This is a career position not a job we're working to get through college. From an owners prospective, your paying a guy about twenty k a year less than what he should be making, if you have to take a 10 k hit once in a while tough. And furthermore if they are willing to tie your hands with a contract it has to make you wonder what other kinds of business practices they are willing to engage in.

 

[MrPink1911]

The military has a training contract of sorts for their flight crews, their crew members have to stay in for a certain period of time, starting at 6 years for the Navs.... The reason is training a pilot is expensive!!! Does the military fall into the catagory of a shady operation?? Every company lets you know what you make before you take the job, if pay is an issue say NO.... The companies that have training contacts let you know about it before you get hired.... If these issues are troubling to you, then say NO..... Just dont expect me, or quite a few other people to feel sorry for you if you break your contract, because you know everything you need to know to make an informed decision before you sign on the line.... And those folks that choose to break their contracts, I hope it costs you a job in the future....

 

[John Glenn]

Please be gentle. I should probably shy away from this for lack of having a "flame proof suit" but see some valid points.

From a company standpoint.
.training is expensive=cost of doing business
.contracts=could be a nessecary evil (in some cases)
.do a good job (not illegal OR unsafe)=good reference
.we are all building a career and movement is expected, companies would love to have you stick around for a year * and some even pay "better"
.when someone bails it is not just a matter of telling the company tough, there are line pilots who are now having to cover

From this pilots standpoint.
.I will not sign a contract (unless Air Force One has an opening)
.I will not let any company force me to fly, period. (unless I am in the military)

Kinda the bottom line here guys is this. You have a choice.
First, NEVER risk you life or career.
Second, Don't sign a contract if you don't intend to honor it. There are so many more options for pilots now that I don't see why you would have to sign a contract. There are companies that do not have contracts, pay well (considering the industry norm, sadly) and honor PIC decisions.
Third, Do the research before you get there. This board is EXCELLENT for that.

Remember, we could have all gone to med school and bought a fleet of jets for what we have paid out both in time and money to get here.

* pilot plz, if SW calls, I am so outta here

 

[mcjohn]

Still fat on pilots? I'd gladly stick around for a least a year. The more multi PIC the merry. The 135 mins are mine come April. I wish you guys could create a AVL base. I guess it is a little too close to Concord though.

 

[ricky83]

First they start you on a lance, and a 6th month contract. Then upgrade anywhere from 2 week to 2 month is upgrade time, another 6 months on that. That is how the guy worded it to me.