Voyageur losses

[ARCTICOCEAN]

I was told by a friend that Voyageur has lost 20-30 pilots to AC/Jazz?Westjet in the last month. Is that number true? If it is that is beyond painful for Voyageur.

Any other horror stories like that out there?

[just curious]

Sure, we've lost a bunch in the past year. Most of them were anticipated. That would be the reason for a training departmant and a PIC US program.
Does any 702/3/4/5 employer think that their staff weren't going to apply to a company with bigger machines a schedule and a base that isn't named: Ik, Ak, Uk, or Lake?

[ARCTICOCEAN]

My point is that if the number is that high, having to do that much upgrade and subsequent initial training, I would think, would be a big drain on profitability and sustainability.

[Doc]

Hey JC...we're still here! Guess we're just too old to change....or they know about us?

But I would think a loss or 20-30 captains would pretty much "do in" a company like VAL??

[sanjet]

I think they lost some overseas pilots also. Got an offer last week for right seat dash-7 in africa without applying, being just refered by a friend that works there, but politely declined it after some seriouse thinking. Being away from home/friends/family so long already...

Were really polite though IMHO and seemed like a great adventure from other people that worked there.

[just curious]

having to do that much upgrade and subsequent initial training, I would think, would be a big drain on profitability and sustainability.

True, very true. As I see it, only an obtuse operator isn't aware of the cycles of the industry. Thus, not changing salaries treatement and scheduling of employees as the pendulum swings up means the loss of people who are more of a key to one's operation than a newly-minted FO.

That is why we are seeing Job ads for CP Ops Mgr, Training Captains, Check Pilot, that weren't here last year.

Airlines who offer a schedule and better equipment can afford to cherry pick right now. The only reason 704 ops are not feelinging like baby seals at a club show is that operators like Jazz feature a not much bigger plane, and a lot less bigger cheque. Thus they are now running out of 5000 hour heavy turbine applicants due to the un-appealing nature of a lateral move/ financial penalty.

With Groundschool, sim, a ride and line indoc, I would feel comfortable driving a dash 7 or 8 or an RJ for Voyageur. I know of a bunch who would. But we make better money, enjoy more time off, and see very few people on our ramp with AK47's.

As long as Gulf Air, WestJet, AC, and Cathay are hiring, I expect this to continue.

The only bright spot for operators in this boat is that eventually the pendulum will swing the other way. Whether they survive ontil this point, I couldn't say.

[Doc]

Or, all the captains will be old guys like us, and the FO's will be 250 hour grads...and we'll become "puppy mills"?

[sanjet]

On the same thread, it amazes me that companies will not take the time to do due dilligence on future employees just because they may be short and there is lots of movement, last time this took place I recieved a call from an outfit that one of their hires who had worked for me was a total asshole, {finished up no one would sit in the same aircraft with him after one flight} when I pointed out the fact that we hardly gave him a glowing reference and they had at no time contacted us they did conceed that it was in fact their own neglect which had caused the problem, I wonder if my phone will ring again in the next few months? After all Jazz seems totally oblivious to the problems at one of the Ontario Government FTUs, I wonder if chief pilots are so damn busy these days they dont have time to use the "jungle telegraph", they should do, it would save them a lot of grief.They should take a tip from the late Gath Edward who hired for Big Red way back when, he knew more about aplicants than their mothers, but the that was before privacy and human rights leglislation can into play.

Sure and when it comes to referals within a company, remember: A people refer A people and B people refer B people.

[privateer]

are they still asking people to pay up front for thier PPC?