Pacific Wings

Yes...heard from a friend one plane was down for so long it had cobwebs throughout the cabin

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember interviewing with one of their other outfits, New Mexico Airlines, and I was very underwhelmed. I remember posting it here, but too lazy to look it up at the moment. In summary: stay the hell away.

Also remember a coworker I had met several months later at one of my charter gigs, and he echoed everyone else here: run awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Noooooooooo! A coworker at a previous job had flown there (plus I saw some of it with my own two little peepers). Flying in ice in a Caravan with no boots...just wings painted to look like they have boots. Sounds like something someone would be making up, doesn't it? I'm not. That pretty much sets the tone for the whole thing. Place is like a concentration camp for kittens.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it would be very, very difficult to legally enforce this, especially if they fired you for doing the right thing.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:yeahthat:

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be very easy to enforce this in an at-will state. There are few exceptions. Besides, they don't have to give a reason for your termination in that case.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would also be very difficult (and expensive) for a pilot to fight it.


I flew with a pilot who came from there and he had nothing good to say about it.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even in at-will states an employer is not permitted to fire an employee for refusing to commit an illegal act. There are numerous cases that went against employees where pilots were terminated for refusing to commit actions in violation of the FARs.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of these stories and warnings, yet you're still asking this question? Wow.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is the employees burden of proof. Good luck with that. I'd rather just not go there at all.

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I was not advocating going there. Just pointing out that the employer will have a very, very tough time trying to keep the $8k if they terminate someone without cause. I know of a few lawyers who would have a field day with this one.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I'm telling you that IMO they would have an incredibly easy time doing it. All they would have to do is this:
Pilot: 'No! I won't do that, it's against FARs/opspecs/GOM/etc.'
Company: 'Well, okay... if you don't feel comfortable, that is OK. We don't want to do anything against the FARs.'
*4 weeks, or random time later*
Company: 'You're fired.'
Pilot: 'What for?!'
Company: 'Don't have to tell you!'

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I'm telling aviation operations have tried this- to include a notorious regional out of St. Louis - and got spanked in court.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That airline has a union that has many extremely experienced labor attorneys. I can't imagine what it would cost if you were trying to retain them on a personal level. Also when you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement you are not an "at-will" employee anymore, even if you are in an "at-will" state so the laws are different. YMMV.

Can't say who would win in court, but I know to a certainty that the exact sequence of events that Spira described has occurred at the company in question. I would bet it's happened way more than once. The company most likely figures (and is most likely right) that guys who are making $20k/year, at the beginning of their "career", and working 16 hours a day A) Will just be glad to get out of there, B) Will be spooked about future repercussions if they "rock the boat" and C) Won't be able to afford a lawyer. These guys are bottom feeders of the worst kind and I would rather wash dishes than fly for them. Of course someone will read this whole thread and still send a resume.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nope wrong... i was there in NM for 18 months. refused to fly in reported severe ice (in a caravan no less) and was terminated immediately. THey dont give two s about anyone they have working for them. The company is run by the twink and a 26 year old idiot, (the owner has self proclaimed that he uses the SWA book Nuts! to run the company by). Maintenance is less than desirable.. especially for fairly new equipment. once you are there for a few days you will realize it is a huge mistake. If you try to take a stand against anything kiss your job goodbye.

two words... STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every time a pilot accepts a job at PW....god kills a kitten.

Stay away.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even if its an atwill state (NM for example) if you are terminated and you are doing the safe thing (91.13) and exercising PIC authority (91.3)... or if you dont fly because you will break an FAR then the atwill stuff does not apply. Ive looked it up and talked to a few labor attorneys about it.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why would an airline, force you to fly through severe ice? And why would they fire you if the planes aren't equiped for ice? That's a big class action lawsuit waiting to happen. And are there trained and ready pilots lined up to take your spot, seems to me with what has been said they'd have trouble finding pilots. It would also seem to me that most of the pilots would be gone since I would imagine every flight in the winter months would get some kind of ICE. Just doesn't make much sense, at some point it's cheaper to keep pilots than fire especially since word is out that PW is a horrible operation.

Re: Career WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who knows? But they do loose when they try to do this. An example.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UBT/is_5_14/ai_59242925/