Eagle Training Classes Cancelled?

[glenvt]

Word on the street this afternoon is that new-hire classes may have been cancelled or postponed.... Can anyone shed any light on this?

[MichaelCPS]

Originally Posted by glenvt

Word on the street this afternoon is that new-hire classes may have been cancelled or postponed.... Can anyone shed any light on this?

I was sitting with Claudette Carrol (AE Recruiter) at lunch in Las Vegas when the news came out last Friday. Classes are postponed for the time being. From what I hear, they have a back-up at the IOE level due to the large amount of new hires and not enough IOE captains. Their sims are also pretty backed up.

Michael

[falconvalley]

Not saying that's not true, but I'd be very surprised if that were the only reason. They were saying that at my last company and my current company when it was actually oil prices going up and less attrition than predicted. Right before my current company sent classes home, the word was "backed-up training" when, in fact, there was absolutely no back up at all. The recruiters just say that so you don't think their airline is having problems. It would be much harder for them to recruit you if alot of people decided to quit next week, and they had told you the truth last week. They wanna keep you as a recruit, even on a brink of big problems. If they say there's a back-up in training, they seem more desirable as a company.

[surreal1221]

Gonzo?

[ready2fly]

The information I've been hearing is a bit more ominous:

1. The class scheduled to start this week was cancelled;
2. Two classes already in progress were sent home;
3. Eagle has ceased hiring;
4 Rumors of AMR filing Chapter 11 this summer;
5. Rumors that Eagle will "lose a crap-load of flying in September"; and
6. Rumors of furloughs (15% fo staff) at both AA and Eagle.

Again, take half of that list for what they are = rumors.

Why Eagle stopped hiring is anyones guess, but the most obvious reason is that there is a slow-down in the insustry, fuel costs are insane, and we've got labor problems (AMR in general).

Personally, I don't think Eagle is in "trouble" per se, but I do feel like there is going to be another MAJOR slow down (and sadly - a mass exodus of pilots) again soon.

If somebody has more accurate and/or better information, please share.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by glenvt

Word on the street this afternoon is that new-hire classes may have been cancelled or postponed.... Can anyone shed any light on this?

Got two buddies in class. I called to see how things are going. They were the last class and they started a few weeks ago. Regardless yes this is true.

[3green]

From what I know, we just picked additional flying from AA. This coming from a capt. I just flew with. I'm not sure where the rumours of cutback came from, but I've yet to see any evidence of that(hopefully these aren't my famous last words). My understanding is that we are losing less FO's/Capt's now due to other 121's not hiring, hence training seems like its slowing.

Guess everyone at AE better hope for the best but plan for the worse in the future to come. Then again what do I know, I just fly where they tell me like the rest of the robots...

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by 3green

Guess everyone at AE better hope for the best but plan for the worse in the future to come. Then again what do I know, I just fly where they tell me like the rest of the robots...

GO to work, do the job go home....

[MstngPilot]

I may have a little bit of information here. Mind you, this is my first post ever, and I am in no way, shape or form an expert. But I have a friend in the class that started May 12 (still going on), 2 friends that were supposed to be in the May 26th (postponed), I am scheduled to be in the June 9th class (hoping) and another friend of mine has an interview scheduled for the May 28th. The only people I know that have heard anything has been the May 26th class. So as far as right now, the June 9th and additional classes are still on, and they are still actively interviewing. Now I do not work there (yet), and I have no first hand knowledge, just sharing what I know from people I know.

~JP

[glenvt]

Thanks guys- I just started at LGA a few months ago, and knew a bunch of people in classes behind me, but looks like they all made it out so far. Now I guess I'll just fly right and hold on tight.

[cfii2007]

So much for upgrades dropping to 2 years.........

[Asta]

My complaint is that one month ago they were giving offers to anyone who had seen an airplane at some point in their life. I know a guy hired at 236 TT. Now it's the brick wall. Is this a company I would want to work for? Or is this just business as usual in the ever fascinating world of regional aviation?

[SoCalAprch]

Originally Posted by Asta

My complaint is that one month ago they were giving offers to anyone who had seen an airplane at some point in their life. I know a guy hired at 236 TT. Now it's the brick wall. Is this a company I would want to work for? Or is this just business as usual in the ever fascinating world of regional aviation?

Its scary but not just Eagle.

[Gonzo]

I am at the school house now so I have some info.

Originally Posted by ready2fly

The information I've been hearing is a bit more ominous:

1. The class scheduled to start this week was cancelled;
Only the class on the 26th is cancelled now, but I would bet the June 9th and 23th will be soon.
2. Two classes already in progress were sent home;
None of the four classes that are at the school house were sent home.
3. Eagle has ceased hiring;
Eagle now has a pool.
4 Rumors of AMR filing Chapter 11 this summer;
?????
5. Rumors that Eagle will "lose a crap-load of flying in September"; and
6. Rumors of furloughs (15% fo staff) at both AA and Eagle.
Keep in mind if AA parks planes then Eagle will need to park planes. Word is 50-100 MD's to be parked.

Again, take half of that list for what they are = rumors.

Why Eagle stopped hiring is anyones guess, but the most obvious reason is that there is a slow-down in the insustry, fuel costs are insane, and we've got labor problems (AMR in general).

Personally, I don't think Eagle is in "trouble" per se, but I do feel like there is going to be another MAJOR slow down (and sadly - a mass exodus of pilots) again soon.

If somebody has more accurate and/or better information, please share.

I hope this helps.

[kellwolf]

Yikes. Once again, I have to say, I think I just flat out got LUCKY landing where I did.....

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Yikes. Once again, I have to say, I think I just flat out got LUCKY landing where I did.....

That really has so much more to do with it than most people think. Its like 50% hard work, 25% timing 25% luck. Even those who were "fortunate" enough to end up at a place that was considered to be industry leading (not that being that in this industry is saying much) are getting hosed at the moment.

[Clocks]

**** sorry to hear this rob

[SRA_kbad]

Originally Posted by Clocks

**** sorry to hear this rob

Ditto That. This blows

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by Asta

My complaint is that one month ago they were giving offers to anyone who had seen an airplane at some point in their life. I know a guy hired at 236 TT. Now it's the brick wall. Is this a company I would want to work for? Or is this just business as usual in the ever fascinating world of regional aviation?

That's pretty much the business. Feast or famine.

LOTS of airlines have briskly hired one month, furloughed the next throughout the history of professional aviation.

[NJT916]

Originally Posted by SRA_kbad

Ditto That. This blows

Fingers Crossed From Vegas...

[BobDDuck]

Typical Airline Industry stuff...

Hire until furlough, furlough until hire.

Repeat.

[Firebird2XC]

I'm a couple of hundred numbers from the bottom of the list. Not really enough to be safe. Even if I don't get furloughed, I'd likely be uber-junior on reserve and doing lots of sitting around, never over-blocking.

I guess I'm just sitting here, crossing my fingers.

Then again, some of the circulated rumors could just be AMR management trying to squeeze the unions. Both pilot groups are in contract talks, remember?

Ready2Fly's post ruined my night last night, but later on I went to bed and realized- hey, doesn't matter what I do. I just keep showing up to work like I always do. Until they tell me not to, there's not much I can do.

In the meantime, I just need to cultivate a stronger backup plan.

Ultimately, this could just be the harbinger of things to come. If we put McCain in the White House, my profession's pretty much dead anyways, so a furlough now might just avoid prolonging the agony.

I remember my Mom telling me stories about Dad weathering the strikes at NWA in the 70s. While some of the senior guys holed up in their summer cabins, he was out shoveling concrete to make ends meet. When he wasn't doing that, he was walking the picket lines.

He made it to the top of the pile in the end, but it wasn't all roses all the time. If he can do it, I can do it.

I remember being a pilot in the regionals being used to lampoon the song 'Rock Star' a while back. The comparison holds- consider what a musician does to get to the 'big time'. Are we really any different in that regard?

[jtrain609]

This got posted on my company forums, it would mean 400 Eagle pilots on the street.

-------

AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc., today announced significant reductions to its 2008 domestic flight schedule, including a fourth quarter mainline domestic capacity reduction of 11 percent to 12 percent from the previous year. It also outlined plans to retire at least 75 mainline and regional aircraft.....The capacity reductions will also result in the retirement of 35 to 40 regional jets, as well as a number of turbo-prop aircraft from AMR's regional affiliate fleet.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080521/l...terstitialskip

[CamYZ125]

Well damn.. that's no good. I think a lot of us are going to be lucky if we have a job in 6-9 months.

[jtrain609]

Originally Posted by CamYZ125

Well damn.. that's no good. I think a lot of us are going to be lucky if we have a job in 6-9 months.

That's what I'm thinking too.