Guest Kal Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 "make one high-tail it to Denman Island, grow tomatos and raise chickens." I do both of those (although on a different island) but just can't seem to make it pay. Soon as i figure that out I'm gone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sustainable Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 RTFQ2 I was flying the 737 before these pilots had attained the age at which they could get a commercial license. Over the intervening years, they attained the licenses, worked for Mom and Pop Air Service, got hired at an AC connector and took the first opportunity to go to AC during the flow through, by-passing more senior connector pilots (please, lets not even go there). I got off easy, we have some pilots that are now junior to AC Connector flow through types who literallly weren't out of diapers when the Ex Canadian (CP PW) type were first hired. I'm sure Keller will find a cure for this but I'm not holding my breath. When I was hired at Canadian, I, along with most of the pilots hired there went direct right seat 737, some went onto the -10. We were all glad to be there. We had all done lengthy stints in you-name-it flying jobs from military to bush to the fledging connector airlines. We did it... and... we competed with the pilot population of Canada for the very, very few jobs available at a major airline, at that time, AC, CP and Wardair. WE GRADUATED from from those positions to better postitions with the expectation that we would not be looking back. Nobody seems to like to talk about this subject, but what the hell, I'm a bit fed up so I'll take a chance and stoke the flames. The competition for those jobs in the late eightees was fierce. Probably one in thirty that were interviewed was hired. I'm no sky god. I don't believe that I'm any better a stick handler than anyone else but I did what it took to get hired at the time and I saw a helluva lot of guys at those inteviews that I have never seen on the line since. I guess they didn't make it. In another life I spent a lot of time interviewing people. If you get an interview it means that you've got the base qualifications. If you're a doorknob, you probably don't get invited back for the next round, the thing is, once you are on the mat answering questions, it's all you. The sum total of all your experience had better pull it off at that point because there are very few kicks at the cat. That being said, I didn't find it too dificult a process to go through so I had to wonder what the unsucessful candidates must have done to blow it because one good day's preparation and it was a cinch. So, where the hell were all you people. The opportunity was out there and, as Woody Allen says, "90% of success is just showing up". The mainline job was something you worked towards, aspired to. If you didn't get past the door, you have my sympathy, truly. But don't imagine for a moment that I equate your "decision" to remain with the regional carrier and my "achievement" at attaining a mainline position. Nobody at the mainline ever aspired to go back to fly the Dash 8, that was at least, until the regional pilots decided that they wanted to do an end run around the hiring process and leapfrog over the pilots who had achieved. It is a step up, not a consolation prize. Awaiting the flambe. Sustainable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hawkeye Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 Sustainable, I read your post and I can tell, like myself, you had to make some tough decisions in the past and I believed over the years, you worked long & hard to achieve the credentials you hold today. My hat goes of to you. I myself decided to stay at the regional level (17 yrs now) mostly for family reasons and life style. Nothing like in Nfld. with family,friends and peace ( No fish but we got no SARS or MaD Cow just mad fishermen). Seeing people bypass you is no fun I agree.I remember when AC was hiring only from the regionals and Guys from Air Atlantic would quit there and come to Air Nova at that time,with no intention of staying with us. While in ground school they would be talking to AC and before you knew it, they were on their way to ground school for the mainline at the expense of Air Nova/AC. Air Nova was very profitable and contributed to the AC bottom line. I too worked hard and dedicated my service for the customer and very proud to be associated with the big Maple Leaf. It was difficult to see those guys do that, to jump the line after I gave so many years of dedicated service to the red team. Suddenly, they were senior not having given 1 day of service. I got no recognition. I choose not to go because I had 10 years to give up, a young family, starting salary... I just wasn't able to make the numbers work living in YYZ. In your case, Ex-Canadi>n being bought(merged) by Air Canada, you should have gotten your DOH. I am still content though where I am and hope you are too. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 Ahh heck, you lost me when you said my name three times... I kept looking over my shoulders for the other Mitch's. Oh well... Where were we? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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