TriCostal Air Info.

[1678]

First of all, I have read all of the info on GrandAire and are fully aware of their records. I know the connection between them and TriCostal.

What I am wondering is if someone working for them NOW, not last year or 2 years ago, but someone who has been there for a little while and are currently working there as a pilot, can tell me how the working conditions are now, and anything else you might have for good information.

I've been around long enough to know that everything is not rosy..

PM me or a post on here would be appreciated.

1678..May be at TriCostal soon....

 

[V2plus25]

After their last Metro crashed they decided to lay off the remaining Metro pilots even though they were getting ready to start a newhire Falcon class.

 

[DrProc]

Stay away, stay far, far away.

 

[FR8dognit]

There are other part 135 fr8 companies that fly the exact same equipment as Tri-coastal/Grand-Aire....Cherry, Ameristar, Kalitta, and USA Jet to name a few. None have perfect records and they all are not ideal places to work. But if you want fast upgrade and wages higher than poverty level then those aren't as bad. From what I hear (used to work there) the pilots at Cherry seem to be much happier the last year or so because of their new schedule and pay raise.

You can say what you want about pt 135 fr8...but it was a good path for me and many others...I went from being a 1200 hour CFI in 2001 to SWA in 2006. If you play your cards right and don't get into any trouble or get killed it is a viable path to start a career. I am proud of the path that I took...you really are paying your dues when your flying an approach into MMTO at 4 am with 200 and 1/2 and thirteen yellow MEL stickers all over the cockpit and a 1250 hour guy sitting next to you that was flying a 172 last month...it makes you good.

Stay away from Toledo though.

 

[pilotyip]

FR8, for your info USA Jet is a Part 121 Air Carrier. There is one certificate, all training, maintenance, and dispatch is part 121. We do have an exemption to operate the DA-20 under select 135 rules like crew rest, etc. No violations, low tunrover rate, highest starting pay in the on-demand industry, does hire Captains off the street, and a growing DC-9 passenger business, where first year pilots find themselves in the DC-9, after starting in the DA-20. BTW you were really lucky to have such a high time pilot next to you going into MMTO. What determines a perfect record?

 

[FR8dognit]

Pilotyip...thanks for the lesson on USAjet...hopefully it will help someone on here. I will agree with you that your company is several steps in front of the others mentioned. My intentions were not to get into a flame war on who is better or worse. I know you guys and Ameristar are expanding into passenger service. BUT, your bread and butter is still on-demand cargo and I lumped those companies together to illustrate a point...there are other places to go besides TRI/Grand Aire.
In fact...from what I have heard and seen up there in YIP...USAJet is not a bad place to go...if you can put up with living, at least part of the time, in Belleville, Michigan.
Oh yeah...don't tell pilotyip if you graduated college.
Just kidding yip...just trying to razz ya!
Take Care,
FR8