The Comair Story
There seems to be some confusion about Comair, what it did, what it does now and PFT. I won't pass judgement on PFT itself, but let me tell you what Comair used to do, what it does now, and you can judge for yourselves.
1. The Company & the Academy. First of all, the airline Comair does not own the academy and never did. That's just advertising technicality. The Academy was and is owned by Comair Holdings, Inc. as a subsidiary. There are (were) several subsidiaries: a) Comair, Inc. = the airline; b) Comair Jet Express = a fractional, Part 135, and corporate charter company. Operates Citations, Lears, Challengers and Gulfstreams and a chopper. The pilots are not Comair pilots. Now called Delta Elite (since Delta, Inc. bought Comair Holdings, Inc. and all the subsidiaries). c) Comair Aviation Academy = an ab-initio flight school in Sanford, FL.; d) Comair Leasing, Inc. = a company that buys airliners and leases them to airlines, including some to Comair Airlines. e) Airline Training, Inc. = a company that trains CSRs, ticket agents, ramp service people, etc., for the airlines (including Comair), I think this is now inactive.
2. Back to the Academy. You can go there with zero hours (or any other level) and get your PPL, CPL, CFI (A&I) and MEL ratings. It's expensive. The training is geared to produce new hire pilots for Comair as well as other airlines. It does some training for foreign carriers as well under JAA rules.
a) IF you complete the ab-initio program at the Academy and meet the school's criteria, you can be hired as a Flight Instructor at the Academy (there is no guarantee this will happen). If you work as a Fight Instructor and meet their "standards" (which include more than just flying), for a total of 1 - year AND you have 1,000 hours + (I think) 200 multi-engine, they will guarantee you an interview with Comair airlines. An interview, not a job. If you get through the interview, you'll get a job as an FO and you don't have to meet the "minimums" (published or competitive) that someone "off the street" would have to meet. This is the only way you can get hired by the airline with real low time/experience. Published minimimums are now 1200/200. Competitive minimums are around 3000 +, so it definitely helps if you have low time and came from the Academy.
Opinion: This is a good program. We get lots of new pilots through it. Those that complete the program and get hired, usually do well in training and with the airline. I've flown with many of them and they do a good job. What seems to help them most is the standardization and procedures at the school, which match the airline's procedures as much as possible given the difference in aircraft type.
b) What they used to do. Every airline is required by the FAA to give you initial training and IOE (initial operating experience) before they can put you on-line as an FO on a scheduled Part 121 flight.
Part of this initial training includes systems and simulator training in the aircraft that you are going to fly.
Comair sought and obtained from the FAA, a waiver of the FARs that allowed the systems and simulator training to be conducted at the Comair Academy. The instructors in this program were all qualified line Captains or First Officers and qualified instructors, employed by the airline and active.
If you wanted to fly for the airline, BEFORE they hired you, you had to enroll at the Academy and complete this part of the training there. It included the required simulator time in the type (no type rating). You could not attend this program [unless you had already completed the interview and were placed in the pool]. However, completion of the program did not "guarantee" you would be hired. It actually guaranteed nothing except that you would spend 10 grand. When you completed this training, through and including a simulator check ride in the type, satisfactorily, the airline would then hire you in almost every case. However, it was possible to wash out and get nothing. Many people did due to poor performance in the simulator. The cost of this "program" was about $10,000. You were not paid anything by the airline while attending and you were NOT an official employee of the airline. There was NO guarantee that you would actually be hired after completing the training. HOWEVER, the airline would absolutely NOT hire any pilot, regardless of past experience, unless that pilot first completed this program. While at the Academy, you were not a Comair pilot.
After you were "hired", you would go to a three day basic indoctrination ground school (at the airline, not at the Academy) and then directly to IOE on-line. During this phase you were an employee of the airline and you were paid at a training rate of pay. You got a seniority number on the day you started basic indoc. and became a Comair pilot.
This program has been discontinued (several years ago). They dropped it due to supply and demand. That program did not exist when I was hired.
c) Today. The program for instructors at the Academy still exists. We still hire many of the "best" instructors from the Academy, but NOT all of them.
If you are hired "off the street", it used to be, that sometimes this training still took place physically at the Academy. That is no longer the case. In 2000, the airline opened a new training facility on the airport in CVG. All ground training is now conducted there. Comair controls (leased from FSI) 3 CL-65 simulators (Class D) located in CVG.
Note: The Comair pilots' contract has ALWAYS specified that the airline, i.e., Comair, Inc., may NEVER charge a pilot for any required training or equipment. A "new hire" pilot is paid, while in training and until he begins IOE (25 flight hours minimum), at the rate of $240 per week (no per diem). This is really a "meal allowance" but they don't call it that. Regular hourly pay rates ($21.75/hr now) begin when a new hire starts IOE.
A pilot (not new hire) is paid a minimum of 4-hours flight pay for each day in training (or actual block time if greater), plus away from base lodging (hotel - and not Motel 6) and per diem ($1.60/hr x hrs on duty) while in training . If the training is away from the pilots base (TDY) the Company also provides a rental car for each 3 crews (shared) or for 1 pilot if there is only one. The pilot also receives positive space must ride airline transport to and from the training location and a specified number of days off while in training.
Notes on the Training Program
Section 11 of The Comair pilots working agreement covers training. You will get a copy of the pilot's contract during Basic Indoctrination. You will also get (free dinner) with pilot representatives from the Comair union (probably during your first week). You should go to this meeting and you should review Section 11 of the contract. ALL the rules governing your training are included in Section 11. The Comair pilot's contract contains one of the best training sections in the industry, bar none. I can't include all of that because it is quite long, but these are some highlights that may be of interest to new hires.
The training curriculum is subject to oversight and contains input from Comair pilots, not just management.
Only Comair pilots or retired Comair pilots may serve as Simulator Instructors and they are not management pilots. The same applies to Check Airmen. FAA can monitor, but not give check rides. Only the best people we have are chosen as instructors. All are highly respected line pilots and they maintain their proficiency on the line. There are no people who "live" in the training Dept. and never fly the line.
All pilot training is "training to proficiency". This doesn't mean you can train forever. There are standards and you have to meet them, but there is no wierd stuff. If you have trouble, additional training will be provided. There is a Training Review Board of Management and Pilot representatives. If you have serious problems, the TRB will make the final recommendations and decision. If you don't have problems, you'll never know the TRB is there. Management can't out-vote the pilot reps. You'll never be railroaded by anyone for any reason. Training is a pleasant experience, not a pressure cooker to put your job at risk. There are no instructors or check airmen doing their own thing. It's all open and for your benefit. It costs more than $30,000 dollars to provide your initial training and the Company as well as your fellow pilots want you to succeed. If you need help at any time, just ask and you will get it. The quality of the Training Department is the equal of any.
You'll know your schedule well in advance and get to bid for some things like FTD and Simulator times, even as a new hire.
There are adequate days off and mandatory rest periods. You won't be in a classroom more than 5-days in a row. Training on the back side of the clock is seldom scheduled = nothing between 0100 and 0500 unless you need re-training. Performance Evaluations (check rides) on the back side of the clock are prohibited. No check rides between 0100 and 0759. Never more than 8 hours in a classroom. Never more than 4 hours in a Sim (flying 2 of them). All sim sessions have pre and post briefing, no surprises. They are video taped. You get to see the video and it is erased afterwards.
We don't train in live aircraft. You'll get some bounces after you finish sim. No emergencys or V1 cuts ever in live aircraft.
If you're a professional, training will be a pleasant experience. We want you to learn so it's not about "testing" you. It's about helping you to do it easily and proficiently.
Good luck and hope you enjoy it.
Now, is the program we used to have PFT? You tell me. The one we have now definitely is NOT.
