Question about colgan

[thebot]

Hello everyone,

I have some questions with regard to Ari-Ben and its relationship to Colgan. It seems that many instructors seem to go off to Colgan Air in their next step towards their career path. I have a few questions about Colgans fleet and all of your opinions regarding it.

From the looks of Colgans website it seems that it all consists of turbo props.. and i'm sure many of you who went off to Colgan are looking to eventaully get to the major carriers etc. So my question to you is.... Arn't the airlines looking for turbine experience vs prop? How well do many of the colgan folks looking to advance to the majors feel about this? Is it an obstical in anyway?

Thanks

[BoilerPilot2007]

Theyre turboprops.

Turboprops = turbine time

"Jet" = turbine time

Same column in the logbook.

[Doug Taylor]

Word.

[meyers9163]

"Arn't the airlines looking for turbine experience vs prop? How well do many of the colgan folks looking to advance to the majors feel about this? Is it an obstical in anyway?" (Dont know how to do the cool quote thing even with 125 post)

Anyways I was wondering what you mean by this? An obstical (s/p) in what way?

[thebot]

Originally Posted by meyers9163

"Arn't the airlines looking for turbine experience vs prop? How well do many of the colgan folks looking to advance to the majors feel about this? Is it an obstical in anyway?" (Dont know how to do the cool quote thing even with 125 post)

Anyways I was wondering what you mean by this? An obstical (s/p) in what way?

Hi myer,

I was just wondering if it was ever not considered "jet experience" but it seems that someone else answered that for me. I was just told that if an airline wanted to be picky.. they might not look at flying a turbo prop .. "Jet time"

[Queboat]

props are for boats!!! =)

turbo prop time is turbo prop time

and jet time is turbo jet time, wheter its turbo fan or a straight jet.

you can log it all in a "turbine" column in your log book if you want. I log my jet time in a turbo jet column, never flew a turbo prop but if i did i would dedicate a different column.

either way the following job will know what airplane you flew before. jet and turbo-prop isn't exactly considered the same thing. 1000hrs pic turbine can be had in a caravan, but i doubt southwest will be beating down your door cause you've been flying a 9000lbs aircraft around at 10,000 ft.

[greaper007]

Originally Posted by Queboat

props are for boats!!! =)

turbo prop time is turbo prop time

and jet time is turbo jet time, wheter its turbo fan or a straight jet.

you can log it all in a "turbine" column in your log book if you want. I log my jet time in a turbo jet column, never flew a turbo prop but if i did i would dedicate a different column.

either way the following job will know what airplane you flew before. jet and turbo-prop isn't exactly considered the same thing. 1000hrs pic turbine can be had in a caravan, but i doubt southwest will be beating down your door cause you've been flying a 9000lbs aircraft around at 10,000 ft.

Comparing a Saab 340, Beech 1900 (maybe not that plane) or even a C-130 to a Caravan isn't a fair comparison. Southwest hires plenty of pilots with turbo-prop time. My Dad flew with a brand new hire the other day that had all his PIC Turbine from Great Lakes. Look at Doug's blog, he flew a 1900. Personally, I'm going for the relatively fast upgrade.

[Queboat]

you want a fast upgrade? look into cargo. i spoke with a guy today that is leaving colgan cause the upgrade has been increased to about 2 years. i was surprised myself. upgrade time can change even before you get out of ground school. i myself hope all stays the same where i work. it should considering most captains are looking to move on. but i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[meyers9163]

2 year upgrade! OH NO...... Wow chasing a quick upgrade will be a great option.... Since other places take longer than 2 years.... I mean maybe he can get on with Eagle? (Sarcasm). I mean even PCL is now what 2-3 year upgrade (or has it been pushed to 4 now). That just blows my mind that someone would leave a place due to a 2 year upgrade! Most would seem to run to a two year upgrade. And yes I understand Colgan isnt the highest paying 2nd year place around but still......

[Queboat]

I think most guys went to colgan banking on a one year upgrade. Things changed and this guy couldn't deal with it for 12 more months i guess? He went to skywest which I think is an even longer upgrade?? don't understand him? I still don't understand it and I've been saying it for years, why even go work for a regional at all? There are better oppurtunities else where.

[kailuaboy]

ive realized something.... quality of life is way more important than fast upgrade. I am soooo happy with where I am. Even if it was 5 year upgrade, ide stay.

First off, what im about to say has nothing to do with colgan pilots. great bunch of people (the ones ive met) that is in a sucky company.

Heres my view on colgan: one year training contract, flys at max 17,000 feet, goes 290knots (i think), MEL's all over the place, NO per diem, props not jets. Those are just some of what ive seen.

We were comming into Houston a couple days ago and the approach guy asks a colgan plane "why some days are you restricted to 185knots?" what was his answer "Maintenance". 185knots? we're told to keep up the speed to 310 or greater sometimes, unless of course we're under 10,000 then its 250.

ok rant over. here come the punches...

[Florida_Flyer]

Colgan is just a 121 version of the Aviator. Without the fast upgrade it's nothing! As for X-Jet, ideal if you dont care about minor things, like pay and job security.

[Queboat]

Originally Posted by Florida_Flyer

Colgan is just a 121 version of the Aviator. Without the fast upgrade it's nothing! As for X-Jet, ideal if you dont care about minor things, like pay and job security.

job security doesn't exist in aviation.

[meyers9163]

I'd second that ^^^^!

[kailuaboy]

Originally Posted by Florida_Flyer

Colgan is just a 121 version of the Aviator. Without the fast upgrade it's nothing! As for X-Jet, ideal if you dont care about minor things, like pay and job security.

pay? XJT is one of the best in the industry (as far as regionals go). who are you with FLorida_flyer? great lakes?

and what, you think we're getting furloud, get your facts straight. and stop playing Microsoft Simulator, it aint helping!

[Gonzorox]

Oh this is new... Florida Flyer showing off his shear ignorance!! Sounds like a disgruntled little man to me!

[SteveC]

Knock off the personal attacks. Either stick to talking facts and having a reasonable discussion or I shut it down.

[Gonzorox]

Fine here's a "reasonable" response to the original post then... Colgan and Aviator have an excellent relationship with eachother. Aviator will not GET you a job at Colgan, nor do they imply this in any way. The pilot gets the job based on his/her performance on checkrides, hours, references and what not.
Although I'm also not a fan of Colgan, I would like to add(if that's ok??), their pilots(particularly in the 1900) are getting an experience that those of us who went straight to the jets missed out on: flying at the lower altitudes, no autopilot, crappy weather, getting beaten around. I think that is en experience that would make a great pilot.

And I don't know where Florida Flyer get's his info on XJet's pay and job security!?!? The pay is excellent(for a regional) and they're hiring pilots left and right...

Goin back to stand in the corner now.

[SteveC]

That's more like it!



BTW, I agree with this 100%:

their pilots(particularly in the 1900) are getting an experience that those of us who went straight to the jets missed out on: flying at the lower altitudes, no autopilot, crappy weather, getting beaten around. I think that is en experience that would make a great pilot.

And no need to stand in the corner on my account. If I need someone to go to the corner I can put them there.

[Cruise]

For the record, I'm currently at Colgan and I love it.

Sure, the planes are older than the jungle jets out there. SO WHAT? Northwests DC-9's are even older........most of the cargo 72's and 74's out there are much, much older.....SO WHAT!!!!
The maintenance is completed according to FAA standards and the planes at Colgan are good to go. Sure, things break on the Saab's/ Beech's....but things break on any plane anywhere. IT HAPPENS. The Saab is an electrical nightmare.....there are over 25 electrical busses on a 34 seat plane.....ground school is a b!tch. If you can get through Saab groundschool, you can easily learn any jet. (FYI, I've never been in jet groundschool....but I know several people who flew Saab's and are now flying jets or the other way around.....those are their words, not mine)

As far as the experience goes, flying TP's is great for the reasons listed above....weather, hand flying, etc... In fact, many Colgan pilots are currently being hired by many major/ national airlines. People are getting picked up by Continental, Southwest, UPS, JetBlue, AirTran, etc....several cargo companies such as Gemini, North American, etc...

SO, anyone who says your career will be improved by going to a jet instead of a TP operator, simply doesn't know what they're talking about. And that's fine by me....let them keep drinking the Kool-Aid. I'm gonna have my 1000 Turbine PIC before many of them get out of the right seat of their RJ.

Also, for the record.....and this isn't an attack at you Kailua, but since you are quick to say how bad Colgan is...... didn't you interview at Colgan????? Didn't you fail the sim portion of your interview? There isn't a sim eval at XJT, right?

Colgan is a good place to work. I'm sure XJT is as well. I know many people there and they all enjoy it. In fact, I went out to dinner w/ an XJT crew when I was on an overnight in ORF......man, we had a blast! Good bunch of guys.

Bottom line, don't fall for the SJS that many people are quick to espouse on the noobs out there. A turbine is a turbine, you're all burning Kerosene and that's all that matters. Hope this helps.

[Queboat]

props are still for boats!

[Cruise]

Originally Posted by Queboat

props are still for boats!

[Queboat]

Originally Posted by Cruise

?????

[kailuaboy]

Originally Posted by Cruise

Also, for the record.....and this isn't an attack at you Kailua, but since you are quick to say how bad Colgan is...... didn't you interview at Colgan????? Didn't you fail the sim portion of your interview? There isn't a sim eval at XJT, right?

Yes I did interview at Colgan and obviously didnt get the job. Im not trying to talk crap about Colgan, i have some great friends there, Micah, James (former aviator instructors) and some guys in Houston that used to be in our crash pad.

As for the sim at colgan, it was because I was doing s-turns around the Localizer (my bad, i take full responsibility on that one). But, from my experience now, I see that a sim check isnt really necessary to pick out the so-called best-of-the-best pilots out there. At least when I broke out of the clouds I was fully established and able to make a normal approach to land. Oh and I landed it safely!!! Cruise (just for the record, im not trying to bash you, just trying to have a civilized conversational debate)

anyways, for all you present aviators and future ari aviators, everyone has their own point-of-view of how to accomplish their aviation dream. choose your own path.

[Cruise]

Originally Posted by kailuaboy

Oh and I landed it safely!!! Cruise (just for the record, im not trying to bash you, just trying to have a civilized conversational debate)

LOL.....that's a good one!

Anyhow, I'm glad to hear things are going well for you at XJT. It's always good to hear fellow Aviator's doing well in this crazy profession called Aviation.