Bearskin Info

dream chaser · Post by **dream chaser** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:25 pm

Just wondering if anyone had any current info on Bearskin. I am preping for an interview next week and any info on the interview process and bearskin in general would be greatly appreciated.

sprucemonkey · Post by **sprucemonkey** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:00 pm

Keep your file active at HRDC for starters.....

dream chaser · Post by **dream chaser** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:20 am

Well thanks for the words of encouragement Monkey. Does anyone else have some useful information to pass along. It would be appreciated.

wha happen · Post by **wha happen** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:38 am

just curious as to thier minimum times these days. HAd a friend a few years back workinhg for them ,no complaints from waht i hear

Mclovin · Post by **Mclovin** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:54 pm

According to their website they want 1000 hours total time with 100 multi.

CaptainHaddock · Post by **CaptainHaddock** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 2:31 pm

They have been running a much leaner ship in recent years. It's a great company to work for, the operative word is work. If you don't mind hard work you will be fine ( a 14 hour day in the tube with 12 legs in bad weather keeps you working). They run 8 metros and a few 99's still. The main base is YQT, then YWG, and YXL, with a mini base of 1 99 in YYB.
They pay well for the equipment they are running. They have good maintenance, the ground schools are thourough and the training captains are knowledgable and helpful, and your paycheck won't bounce. The guys working there are very experienced (as they have been shrinking ) most captains are in the 6000 hour and upward, and most F/O's are about 3500 hour and upward. They mins are 1000 and a 100 I believe still. They greatly prefer fellows with experience in northern ontario. There are some guys who are upset at being bumped back to the right seat with the contraction( and I really don't blame them=it sucks) and there are F/O's that have been right seat for up to 5 years.
That said, you could do a lot worse, other employers respect the time when you move on, and the operation is generally run professionally. Good luck and try to relax. Kevin Beddome usually (and one other) does the interview and he is a great guy and will put you at ease.(there is a 10000 dollarew 2 year bond on new hires on the tube, and a 2000 (I think) one year bond on the 99)

Tintin

Polar · Post by **Polar** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:37 pm

L.O.P
I am wondering if you were able to receive any more information about the hiring process at the Bear, I must admit though, I was unaware that they were in a postion to be hiring.
Regardless, is there a sim eval?, panel interview?, typical interview type q's or what??
Im sure that they are a great company, but 1000 and 100 seems a little low for a metro, but maybe they start you in their king airs?

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:20 pm

Just finished 6 years at the bear. Considered staying there for many years to come, but they kept cutting and cutting. Eventually I pulled the plug and left.
Bearskin is a great company and great people. Try to stay out of the union politics and concentrate on doing a good job and you will be rewarded with respect and the feeling of a job well done.
JV does hire on the metro direct, but I believe it is the ATPL exam that has to be written and passed.
Great pay, great lifestyle, just make sure you buy the right person a beer every now and then and your lifestyle is better than the union givers.

talkinghead · Post by **talkinghead** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:00 am

LVLChange wrote: Great pay, great lifestyle, just make sure you buy the right person a beer every now and then and your lifestyle is better than the union givers.

Here we go. All those pilots that help out with the union, are bad employees.

(intriguing)

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 7:54 am

LVLChange,

"Union givers" is a bit of an oxymoron, as you generally are one and not the other.

It is usually the givers who want more to do with the performance of fellatio than they do with the union, except of course when it comes time to reap the benefits of the collective agreement or, heaven forbid, file a grievance. Too many times I've seen the anti-union type's suckive relationship foul only to cry to the union for help. I guess hypocrasy is part of that nature.

Keep on suckin', it goes so much further than integrity.

Ready for tiresome flaming to begin.

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:44 am

Alright... Guess I put my foot in my mouth, being mis-understood...
I think Bearskin needs the union however, I was refering to the select few who are the people who delay flights with connections for LUNCH as an example.
Going to work with your collective agreeeeemmeennnt and try to find ways so you can go home, cancel whatever.
Sorry for any insults, this is the only part of the pilot group that I was embarassed to be associated with, and hope most would feel the same. I think that the attitude of trying to do the best job you can do, and make the company profitable has been lost for SOME due to some having there head burried in their contract. Hence, the fighting never stops between the pilot group and employees.

grouchy · Post by **grouchy** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:30 pm

LVLChange "Alright... Guess I put my foot in my mouth, being mis-understood"
There is no misunderstanding that.
"Great pay, great lifestyle, just make sure you buy the right person a beer every now and then and your lifestyle is better than the union givers."

So as long as your suckholing to the bosses you can get your way?
Did the union not get you a decent wage increase with the last contract?
If you're so dead set against it you should have given the raise back.
JayVee, I agree with you. He's a hypocrit.
Sounds like some spoiled brat who'll do anything for himself.
How many times did you bust a min for that beer waiting for you back at the hangar, compliments of Harvey?
Didn't think so, on the beer that is.

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:45 pm

Grouchy,

Go ahead, pick away my post "union givers" and take that to believe it was in ref to the actual union itself? Sorry bud, no ref made to the people who work on the contracts. Everything was in ref to the people who hide behind the contract, see previous post.
If you can't read. Don't post a reply. Your actually saying that the behavior of pilots hiding behind there contract to get out of work is a good thing? Are you one of them? Why I atttaa....
Would you never hang out with management? Buy them a beer, probably not because your an a#$hole who believes your owed everything. Keep up the US and Them attitude, because if the Bear keeps losing money your out of work. Since you know everything, go back to flight instruction.

grouchy · Post by **grouchy** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:52 pm

I'm not going to get into a big thing with you on this
"Your actually saying that the behavior of pilots hiding behind there contract to get out of work is a good thing?"
If its in the contract, its in the contract.
The guys who worked on the union should be given a pat on the back, instead of a slap in the face. And a back handed slap at that.
I've said all I'm going to say, have a nice day.

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:53 pm

Good, and again, read the previous 2 post. I never implied once or slapped any of the Union workers at the bear. Your assuming, not reading and getting higlhly defensive or something that was never said or even mentioned for that matter.
And Lunch breaks are not in the contract.

Goodday

Dockjock · Post by **Dockjock** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:06 pm

-the company gets the union it deserves. A union, by default, does not have to be beligerent, contrary to what folks like LVL change might say.
If your union is though, perhaps years of mismanagement made it that way?
-don't pretend that a on a "14 hr day with 12 legs in bad weather" you don't need lunch. Sorry, but if you think you're doing your passengers a favour by skipping lunch (probably because the sked is too tight) you need to grow up.
-contract negotiations is not "fighting" pal. Regardless of how much of a giv'er you are (and you might want to figure out what that actually is) eventually being a "team player" for no benefit wears off.
-there is no such thing as hiding behind a contract. It is a negotiated compromise between management/ownership's desire to work you all day every day with no time off to eat or sleep for the least amount of money possible, the CARs, safety, and pilots' desire to make a living wage with reasonable time for a life outside work (you should try it sometime).

One day you won't be that guy in the bosses inner circle, getting the schedule you want, the aircraft you want, fair pay, vacation time, and going for beers and hearing about all the latest gossip on the company card. Glad you had it so nice (at the expense of your collegues, I would guess).

gonnabeapilot · Post by **gonnabeapilot** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:36 pm

It seems to me that a few people are missing LVL's point. If I understand what he's saying, I agree with him 100%. There is nothing wrong with a strong union, they help balance the employee's interest versus the company's. They help protect the employee when they stand up to the company when there are issues over working conditions and safety. However there is something wrong with people who hide behind their union in order to excuse their laziness. The "I don't have to care because the union will protect me" attitude is a fundamental problem certain employees have in many companies and I believe this is what LVL is getting at.

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:02 pm

Gonnabeapilot-its exactly what I have been trying to say. Thanks

Dockjock-Pack a lunch(As this is the only relavancy to any of my posts, the rest is all your own thoughts)

CaptainHaddock · Post by **CaptainHaddock** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:13 pm

LOP, I imagine you've had your interview and I hope it went well, and you're enjoying a ground school of Giv'er impersonations. As for the union argument you'll figure it out. The vast majority operate in the middle, getting the job done timely and safely within the intent of the agreement. As in any system there are a few that push things to far to each end of the spectrum. Enjoy the tube with it's fingerlight responsive controls, and more than adequate power on those hot summer days (especially Fort Frances).

NFA · Post by **NFA** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:14 pm

True hater!

LostinRotation · Post by **LostinRotation** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:51 am

Thanks for all the info on Bearskin. I've only heard good things about this carrier as well and as soon as i hit the 1,000 hr mark I'll be looking at them if my plans south fall away.

Laid off....how did you make out btw ? Any words of wisdom ?

-=0=LIR=0=-

Dockjock · Post by **Dockjock** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:32 am

(slaps forehead)

Polar · Post by **Polar** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 4:44 pm

LVL Change:
I am curious to know why you would leave the Bear after 6 years?
Were you able to get a better job?
I hope its not too personal of a question, but I too have looked at going to Bearskin, maybe they are interviewing 'Laid Off Pilot', as a result of your leaving?

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:39 pm

Not too personal at all. Things got..and still are a little crappy for people there who got hired around the time when I did, lucky enough to get captain at under a year(8months to be exact) and then be on a captain wage for the rest. When the cutbacks happened, we saw some that were pushed back to FO after 5.5 years as capt, and to make matters worse, when they went back to FO, went back to first year FO pay instead of 6th year. The way the Collective aggreeeement read; the company got away with it. In my opinion my new job is a Stable and more reliable enjoyable job, for 1/2 the pay and the money means absolutley nothing.

I hear a few more peole have left and there are jobs opening up as they have been running ever to lean for too long. I think now will be a ever so slowly climb in the hiring rate at the bear. Jump all over it. Its a great place to play if you stay out of the politics a do the best job you can, for yourself and the company.

. . · Post by **. .** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:08 pm

years ago with the tier 3 flow through to AC the bear was an amazing place to be. I wonder with the flow through agreement gone if you're going to see the same kind of movement out of the top end when AC/Jazz starts hiring again.