The average flow time before COVID was closer to 5 years not 3. In 2016/2017 you did see some pilots flowing after 3 or 4 years at the Company, however, many came in with much higher time and the Company got their worth out of them as Captains.Gear Jerker wrote: ↑Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:38 pm To clarify some of the comments about flow:
Prior to Covid, hundreds of Pilots flowed from Encore to WestJet, and that is very much the stated plan going forward. All pilots on the WPSL will be recalled by this summer, meaning that any additional pilots needed will come from a combination of flow and hiring. Internally, we are told repeatedly that there will be flow this year, although nothing tangible is currently known.
Whoever feels most confident holding a crystal ball and telling us what will unfold within the world, within aviation, and then specifically within the WestJet group and pilot seniority in the next little while is welcome to do so.
Pre Covid, average flow time was around the 3 year mark. Like everything else in the world, this has obviously been impacted by the pandemic. The actual amount of flow will always be a combination of WS crewing needs, and how much WR can flow senior captains and members of the training department without crippling the operation. It has always been this way.
It's a regional airline and it's not perfect, but it's an awful lot better than any job I ever had in my life previously. I've been able to pay off all my student debt, buy my first house, become a very active investor, and travel more than I ever imagined. Work wise, there are good and bad days, but without question the good have outnumbered the bad. I can't even imagine coming here at 2000 hours, or 1000 hours, let alone some of the fortune 250hr guys at some point.
Best of luck to everyone applying.
GJ
Even before the exodus to Air Canada in late 2018 and 2019, the time at Encore before flow was increasing. I don't have numbers, but in 2019 it definitely felt like more Encore Captains were quitting and/or going to Air Canada or Transat than were flowing to mainline. In December 2019, the few pilots that were going to flow were 5 years in. IF flow opens up to mainline this year, the average flow time will be 6/7 years seniority.
Encore is a good place to work. But for most it won't be a career gig. Look very carefully at the WJ Group of Company's growth (hint: it's Swoop), the age of the pilots on the seniority list (hint: they're young), and then think about your long term goals. One of the biggest reasons I choose to come to Encore was because they had a good commuting policy. Thankfully I've since moved to YYC as the commuting policy is gone and the Company has no interest in replacing it.
I couldn't say whether it's better or worse than Jazz or Porter as I've never worked at those shops. I wouldn't call Encore a career dead-end, but it's also not necessarily the quickest way to a mainline job.
