Wasaya

[Krimson]

What's the deal with Wasaya? It seems like every month there is a new add for B1900 FOs. High turnover rate?

Is this a good place to work? I have heard in the past that you just fly. No life, just fly. Build your hours quick, upgrade quickly, and then move on. Is this true? How is the pay, are you working 7 days a week or can you actually head home for a few days?

What about that 1000 hour benchmark? Are they actually taking people with 1000 TT? 1200? more? No multi requirement seems a bit unusual too...

[X-Savior]

[AJV]

you have to pay for your training up front. douchebaggery at it's best..... not a fan of guys that accept this....

[X-Savior]

you have to pay for your training up front. douchebaggery at it's best..... not a fan of guys that accept this....

+1

[lilflyboy262]

Pretty sure they give it back plus interest don't they?

[X-Savior]

No pilot should ever be required to up front training costs. This is just bad business.

[tbaylx]

Pretty sure they give it back plus interest don't they?

So did Jetsgo..right up until the moment they went out of business.

[Grey_Wolf]

What's the deal with Wasaya? It seems like every month there is a new add for B1900 FOs. High turnover rate? Is this a good place to work? I have heard in the past that you just fly. No life, just fly. Build your hours quick, upgrade quickly, and then move on. Is this true? How is the pay, are you working 7 days a week or can you actually head home for a few days? What about that 1000 hour benchmark? Are they actually taking people with 1000 TT? 1200? more? No multi requirement seems a bit unusual too...

The high rate is more prominent at the junior ranks. There has been some movement in the industry. Some guys have made lateral moves to get closer to home, while others have progressed to 705 operations (Jazz, Porter, etc). Spots at Wasaya need filling, and trying to fill the ranks in house is not always possible, hence the postings.

Is it a good place to work? Subjective. I've been around for 5 years. I have good days and bad.

Flying is pretty busy, I average (on the high side) round 950 yearly on the 1900. PC-12 Guys are a little less busy, round 800. Caravans are work pretty hard 1000+. Hawker drivers round 600-750.

Pay is left to be desired. Pay is based on a mileage system. Think of it as a base salary. Those bases, in my opinion, are shamefully low! For example Year 1 PC-12 FO makes about 23500$ (gross yearly); A full-time minimum wage employee in Ontario? 21300$. Granted that these are "minimums", many make more than the above. I'd venture that a Year 1 PC-12 and 1900 FO are closer to 27-30k yearly. Also to note, the contract does have COL/CPI pay increases (currently minimum of 1.5% or CPI, whichever is higher).

No bonds for 208/PC-12 FO; bonds are required for positions past this. First bond is 9500$, second is $6500 for 12 months (18 months at 15k/10k for the hawker and dash 8 ). Contract reads: "It is policy that all flight crews enter into a training contract prior to the commencement of initial and/or secondary flight training when the Pilot has less than 3 years of continuous employment as a full-time Pilot as defined by the seniority list". In short, No bonds at 3 years or "third" bond, whichever comes first. Bonds ARE paid back in monthly instalments with interest at a rate of prime+2.

With the current contract, you are expected to work 20 days per month. Should you want a block of days off to head home, you must request them (following CARs of course; more prominent with 704 ops). With the seniority system, if you're at the bottom, you might be SOL if you can't day trade with another pilot if denied days off. Weekdays are busy, weekends not so much.

Which leads to 1000TT requirement, this IS required for their Hydro One contract as an FO on the PC-12. Normal progression is to start as a Pilot Apprentice as a 208 FO, then at 1000TT a PC-12 FO; at 1500TT 1900 FO or HS748 FO or C208 Captain. In recent times, lots of movement at the 1900 FO level, creating a reaction throughout the ranks below.

Hope that helps!

[Krimson]

Great post Grey Wolf. That is exactly the information I was looking for.

Got to say though, it does not sound too appealing. The way you make it sound is that it is a place to gather hours and jump ship. Move somewhere else, better pay, no bonds, etc. That being said, you have chosen to stick around for 5 years, do you mind if I ask what has kept you?
I at the point where I am looking for that next step and trying to find somewhere I can live happily and comfortably and stick around for 5+ years. The B1900 they have there is a great machine to gain command time on (eventually), so your insight is really helpful. Maybe I am missing something which makes it more desirable.

[Cough Syrup]

I did some contract work for them a couple years ago and I found morale pretty low. Everyone was pissed off about something and nobody had any real confidence in management. Actually, it was pretty much a shit-show.

This was in Thunder Bay...maybe the out-bases arent as bad but I suspect they are close.

Maybe a place to get some time and good experience for a few years, but wouldn't want to stay there too long from what I saw. Unless you get on the Dash doing the mine run...thats about the only good gig there.

[Grey_Wolf]

The corporate culture is what you make of it. In my interactions with all ranges of pilots at Wasaya. In a simplistic way of speaking, some senior guys, including myself, have 'beef' for whatever reason; some legitimate, others perceived. Junior guys are just happy to be flying planes. In my opinion, the atmosphere since I joined is that it's a place to "not to rock the boat", collect your hours and move on. Shelf life seems to be around 3 years. The Union has tried to convince senior management that it can be a place to hang your hat on, and make it a career. There's been resistance on both side during negotiations, but it seems that both sides have matured on Contract 1, and the gap that once existed is being filled in.

I've stuck around for 5 years since I wanted 500 MPIC. I've long gotten to my goal, and could leave at any time. I'm presently staying put to see what Contract 2 brings. As well I've got a significant other that is attending University at the moment. Once her schooling is done in the spring; we'll decide if it's time to pack up, to stick around, or to commute. I'd like to stick around because I enjoy the people I work with, and the work that I do. People make the difference!

[Doc]

They have an escape committee.

[General Brock]

I remember mass exodos at wasaya.