OK....Just talked to the 757 Program Manager, and he didn't have much positive to say. He said all the 727s have left the property. No more Emery, no more anything on that aircraff. All those guys who were flying that aircraft are very senior, so would be taking any and all new positions created by any additional flying brought to the other fleets. As far as the 757 goes, right now there are 3 aircraft, and they were recently awarded 180 min. ETOPS, so they will be doing Hawaii. He thinks that feet will go to at least 5 and as high as 10 aircraft, but again, all those positions will be filled with senior people from the 727. (He was personally very disgruntled...but that's just his own deal...). There is an MD-80 program, but the guy who pushed it is trying to take it to PACE...so it's very uncertain as to how that whole program will shake out. The plan was to fly that aircraft from Orlando Sanford to the Caribbean. But again, he said it was very up and down, and it may even be gone completely to PACE. So, he doesn't see anything positive in the future at Ryan. Nor did I when I left about 3 years ago. I don't think things will ever be good there. It is a typical contract supplemental carrier. Contracts come and contracts go. The pilot list grows, the pilot list shrinks. Guys get furloughed out of seniority based upon which aircraft or contract they're on, but then they come back at their old seniority....so junior guys stay junior forever, and there are virtually no upgrades. Captains are hired off the street in good times when new aircraft are added, or in times of heavy furloughs, like now...they are moved from one aircraft to another. ALPA has always had a struggle there, becuase of the unusual type of business they do. Operating other people's aircraft on contracts. The way the contract reads, you have seniority within the company, but also within your particular aircraft and contract...and since the customer pays all costs invoved, they will only let you go from one aircraft to another if there is someone on furlough from the aircraft you are leaving to take your place. They won't pay to "double train". So, that's how guys get furloughed out of seniority while others are being hired off the street. Also, when you start over on a different aircraft and contract....you go to first year pay. Say a 12 year 727 Captain goes over to the 757. He is now a first year Captain for pay purposes. So, you get the idea. It was a good place for a lot of Purdue grads to go from the Purdue program to the back seat of the 727 (and then maybe to the right seat of one of the other aircraft when they reached the required time)...but it is a tough place to upgrade. If you happen to be in the right place at the right time with the needed credentials...then you could get hired into the left seat of a new aircraft type that they were adding to the fleet. Although now, with ALL the 727 pilots furloughed, any and all new spots will be taken by those guys. I see very little opportunity there in the forseeable future. Maybe somewhere down the road. But by then, maybe the entire industry will be on an upswing. Ryan will always be a lower level carrier. A place to go when nothing better can be found...and a short-term stopping off place on the way to somewhere else.
This is just the view from where I sit, and from where I sat when I was there. My $.02 worth...if even that...
