What's Great Lakes up to?

[flythere]

What's the latest, any new hire classes on the horizon?? Did Lakes close their Chicago Base? How are the contract negotiations going?? Any info would be appreciated!!

 

[Alaskaairlines]

They just finished a new hire class, my buddy was one of the new hires. So far he loves it!

 

[fly26]

So far he loves it!

Give him time. He'll change his tune fast. Ask him how much he loves it after he gets his first paycheck.

 

[ERJpusher]

I heard that GLA put a freeze on hiring and stopped accepting resumes. Anyone know if this is true?

 

[TxFlyerDave]

Check My Thread

Now that you've stopped giggling at the title...

If you're looking for Great Lakes updates, look for my thread..."Great Lakes Info?", posted a little while back.

My thanks to those of you that took the time to reply, especially those that sent messages to my e-mail address.

Like I said, "Info=peace of mind"

 

[Alaskaairlines]

He has told the pay isn't much more than he was making instructing.

He is loving the part of actually flying and living his dream. Thats what I am looking for, some might be in this industry for pay, but not all........there is no way your going to be making the big bucks right off!

 

[Palerider957]

Hey Alaska:

With all due respect, you really don't know what you're talking about. All of us love to fly, all of us have paid a lot of dues to get our jobs. There comes a point when you need to actually make some kind of $$ to pay student loans, car payments, put food on the table, etc.

With 100 hrs and a PPL, you have JUST started to enter the profession. Most of us have worked our a$$es off to get our jobs (and keep them). Getting above poverty wages is a real struggle for regional pilots. When you're 21 with no real attachments you can afford to live lean, when you're 33 with a family and a stack of bills to pay--it burns your a$$ to work so hard for a pittance. That's why pay is such a hot button issue on these boards.

The company each of us works for is also a major issue. Some companies treat people well, others don't. I've heard really awful things about Great Lakes, but I've never worked their so I don't know. My company, when I first started, treated people woarse than I've ever been treated in my life (this includes 6 years as a city cop), now it's s-l-o-w-l-y getting better. Your companies policies, union contract, pay, seniority, and equipment totally dictate you quality of life.

When you get to a regional, the glow of a new hire will fade pretty fast and youl realize the job IS real work. Sometimes it's a lot of fun, other times you hate it...that's just reality in any job.

I don't mean to stand on a soap box and preach, but with your experience you should tread lightly. Good luck to you!!!

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Ditto Above,
The "Dream"=
Start at the hotel @ 0430LCL time,
fly all day, with minimum time for meals(APT food).
Finish up @ 1845LCL time, drive back to the hotel.
Do this 4 days in a row, this job is work!
Add welfare wages to add something to worry about when you get back to the hotel.
Oh yes, I only have my home electricity turned off twice while on a trip.
All you wanna bees I applaud your enthusiam, but please temper that with the reality that someday you may want to have a family or even(gasp), a room of your own to live in. Current newhire pay will not allow the dream of living like an adult until the second, third or even fourth year pay. I have just finished paying off newhire pay from two carriers.
BTW I am currently 4th year CRJ payscale and word is the company wants to take some of that away as we speak.
Ola
PBR

 

[Cargoboy]

I agree to the two above posts with PBR and Palerider.
Love of a job or to want to fly shouldn't mean that we have to sell our souls and get treated like common office boys/gals. Most of us here have worked hard to get where we are with education as well as the high costs of flying. For the amount of knowledge we are suppose to have and accomplished we should be compensated better for it. Most jobs that none of us would even need and education for start out higher than some of us make our first years flying. Now, I am not thinking that since I have accomp[lished this level of training and education I deserve the entire farm. But, (and I don't know who would disagree with me here with this) I think we should be paid a level of compensation that is above the poverty line. It is a very sad thing that we as piots have allowed ourselves to be sold out like this. I just hope that our employers someday can understand that we are trained for a highly skilled position and understand that as we respect them, that they should respect us and I feel that loyality and employees behavior would be different.
I love flying as much as anyone else on this board. If any of us really weren't sure, I think after reading posts here would quit and find something else. So, all we can do as a large group of pilots is stick together and work together with our employers and unions and contracts and try a make it a better life for us.
In the meantime, I will be flying cargo 4 days a week and working a second job on my layover and my part time job at home in the cities a few days a week. Making my ends meet and trying to keep on top of my bills and helping my family to survive.
Someday I know it will be great. Til then I cross my fingers and wait for my 121 job to call me back on my resume.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Pale,

I agree with your post. Hats off to all the guys who fly! I am on the path to the flight deck, but have many obstacles to overcome.

I do understand 18K for a year is horrendous, and they do need more, but I think many of them are just happy to have a job and live in a shoebox.

Anyways, I agree with your post.