TriCoastal Air

[Syncit]

Any pilots that work at TriCoastal currently, with a fairly good outlook on the company, out there? I need info about them fast. You can pm me if you like. Thanks

 

[pilotyip]

Quickest way to get info

Do a search under Grand Aire, or Tri Coastal. There is tons of information; the good (not much), the bad and the ulgy. That is probably the quickest way to get a lot of into.

 

[DrProc]

Unless you have a death wish, stay away. During your interview, ask them how many crashes they have had and how many pilot have been killed there.

 

[leardawg]

A good friend of mine was hired at Grande Air/Tri-Coastal a few years ago, and I just had a bad premonition something bad would happen to him. He wound up being killed in the Hansa Jet crash with the founder/owner, Tahir Cheema. He was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, and was eager to do a good job and be a "team player". I'm pretty convinced that's what got him killed.

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

This goes back a couple years, but I have talked to a few crews. All were unhappy about the pay (what else is new in this industry) and the schedule. Seemed most of the guys were not happy that they were not flying all that much. As for their safety record, it is well documented. Just do a quick search for Grand Aire/Tricoastal and I can't remember but their airplanes had been registered to "the Czars and something" maybe somebody can help. You can start by searching those. The aircraft air now registered to Tri-Coastal and most if not all went through an N number change. For what reason, who knows. Smoke and mirrors I guess.

With your experience I would think that you could easily find a better job. Maybe Pilotyip can get you an interview at USA Jet, they have been hiring recently. Ameristar has also been hiring. Both those operators fly freight and have bases at Willow Run. Just mention in case you are trying to stay close to Toledo. As for Grand Aire, I would only consider it if they were going to put me in their Lear 35. Seems to be a nice bird as they try to run some passengers in it also.

 

[freightdoggie]

Stay away, or take out a gigantic life insurance policy with my name on it.

 

[ACT700]

A good friend of mine was hired at Grande Air/Tri-Coastal a few years ago, and I just had a bad premonition something bad would happen to him. He wound up being killed in the Hansa Jet crash with the founder/owner, Tahir Cheema. He was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, and was eager to do a good job and be a "team player". I'm pretty convinced that's what got him killed.

That was E.P.....In a recent move I came across some pictures we took when we flew together....got sad again.

What a waste.

Greed finally did T.C. in. Too bad he took someone with him.

 

[TheBaron]

Greed finally did T.C. in. Too bad he took someone with him.

Eko was a nice guy and it was sad to see his life end that way. Sad to see any pilots life end that way. I think it was more get-home-itis than greed that got TC and EP killed. If you read the NTSB probable cause, a maintenance facility in St. Louis rigged the elevator trim bass ackwards and that was listed as the probable cause for the accident. TC was a competent pilot but he often let getting the job done cloud his judgement.

Is Tri-Coastal a safe place to work? Good question. It is basically a completely different company than the old Grand Aire and it might not be fair to prejudge them based on mistakes made at their predecessor. TC's ex-wife is running the company (or so I've heard) and she was always an advocate for the pilot group. None of Grand Aires prior accidents were ever ruled caused by mechanical problems. In most cases their accidents were caused by flight crew mistakes.

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

TB,

That is very good point that you make about most of the accidents being due to the dreaded pilot error. With one exception, the metro that crashed and killed the pilot this year looks like there was at least some sort of mechanical problem. Could the pilot have done more and perhaps contributed to the accident. Well the final report has not been released so we don't know.

With so many crashes since 2000, even if they all were pilot error, you have to admit that this perhaps was due to an organizational problem. Such as, what kind of pilots do they select (young low timers hungry for turbine time) perhaps, I don't know. Or was the problem that they gave these guys little if any training? Again I don't know. One thing I do know is that the Falcon 20 that went into the Mississippi around St. Louis a couple years ago was the fault of the pilots and management. Another cargo operator was going to do that trip (DRT-STL), but told the customer they needed a fuel stop due to cargo weight. The customer apparently called Grand Aire and they were willing to do it non-stop. They would have made it too if they would not have had to do a go around on the first approach. Next pass got them a swim in the river.

The FAA keeps an eye on them, they have suffered through crashes and large fines. Hopefully they have got their management issues taken care of and it will be a safer place to work. Cover your backside if you decide to take the adventure.

 

[ACT700]

TB,

That is very good point that you make about most of the accidents being due to the dreaded pilot error. With one exception, the metro that crashed and killed the pilot this year looks like there was at least some sort of mechanical problem. Could the pilot have done more and perhaps contributed to the accident. Well the final report has not been released so we don't know.

With so many crashes since 2000, even if they all were pilot error, you have to admit that this perhaps was due to an organizational problem. Such as, what kind of pilots do they select (young low timers hungry for turbine time) perhaps, I don't know. Or was the problem that they gave these guys little if any training? Again I don't know. One thing I do know is that the Falcon 20 that went into the Mississippi around St. Louis a couple years ago was the fault of the pilots and management. Another cargo operator was going to do that trip (ELP-STL), but told the customer they needed a fuel stop due to cargo weight. The customer apparently called Grand Aire and they were willing to do it non-stop. They would have made it too if they would not have had to do a go around on the first approach. Next pass got them a swim in the river.

The FAA keeps an eye on them, they have suffered through crashes and large fines. Hopefully they have got their management issues taken care of and it will be a safer place to work. Cover your backside if you decide to take the adventure.

Well, maybe they should get off their lazy, incompetent arses and quit watching them, and do something about it.
Note: I do not know what it's like now, but during the T.C. days my statement applies 100%.

Also, TB, Tahir finally got it because he was greedy--nothing else. I've flown with him and seen him work.
T.C. was a very competent pilot, and an even better businessman. However, when it came to making aeronautical vs. financial decisions, $$$ was always the deciding factor.
Greed finally did him in.

Also, just because none of the accidents have not been deemed mx errors, does not mean mx was not at fault.

The saying "If you don't like it-leave" was applied by 5 of us; on the same day.
And maintenance was the deciding factor!

Again, I don't know what has happened since the end of T.C.

But I don't buy that whole fuel imbalance theory crashing the Metroliner thing.