Air Canada Pool

[Old fella]

I don't think I'm that far off...

Here goes...

4th year day/night blended rate on the EMJ is about $157 or so?

a little over $140K is the least you're going to make as a 4th year EMJ captain if you only get the 900 hour annual guarantee... you can count on that as minimum.

But assume you do an average more like 80 hours/month - that's over $150K right there.

If you really want to earn and look at max out opportunity to bring in cash, let's look at what else you have...

-50% ESOP match on 10% of your earnings would bring another $7500+
-Strong likelihoods of profit share moving forward... that's about $15000+
-might aswell count SIM and ART pay - that's another 20 hours pay for the year... so $3000+ ...
-add a bit of draft and OT premium and you're going up on that... crew sked calls daily for draft... a few of the junior EMJ captain's in YYZ maxed out on OT for the year, surely at draft rates too...

Anyway, lots of ways to make money at this company beyond straight flight pay if you're so inclined.

Add on to the above a good health and dental plan. While my wife was being treated for cancer (chemo and radiation treatments) all we had to pay for was parking at the hospital. Drugs, etc were all covered under the health plan.

As we age, the importance of a good health plan is worth it's weight in gold, especially in retirement. It is one of the reasons I went early in lieu of transfer. I took a pension hit but kept my health benefits

PS. Wishing your wife nothing but the very best in her treatments.

[complexintentions]

Health plan? I thought Canada had socialized health care. Isn't everyone's coverage the same?

OK slightly tongue in cheek, but I'll bite: what are the health benefits offered that are so valuable? Surely cancer treatments are covered for all Canadians? I admit I haven't lived there in many years, maybe something has changed..?

[goingnowherefast]

The basics are covered. They'll put a cast on your broken leg, but once you go home you are paying for the pain killers and the crutches/walker/wheel chair.
Do you want to spend a month in a room with 6 other people, or your own private room?
Prescription drugs are not covered, so you need a company drug plan or bring cash.
Transfers between hospitals are not covered, so open your wallet for the medical transfer (simplified ambulance).
What if it happens out of country? Get hit by a car during your vacation in Florida?

There's a massive list somewhere of what's covered and it differs between provinces. Basically they won't let you die, but you won't be comfortable or happy either. Health plans fix that.

[rudder]

Good point rudder. No one in their 3rd year is making 165k at AC. 90k is more likely (especially if at rouge). And the few junior (4-5 year sen.) emj captains are making 140k at best. The 737 capt positions going junior is just a theory at this point. Let's wait til the planes arrive and positions are awarded.
I'm not out to pour cold water on the excitement, but let's be realistic. AC is a fantastic employer, and as has been said the future looks bright (at the moment. This is aviation, remember). But don't expect to crack 150k at AC in any position until at least 5-6 years in at best, and only if you are based in YYZ and are willing to sacrifice lifestyle for paycheck.
Opportunities will come, but keep in mind there are 3300 pilots already on property waiting to move up the ladder ahead of you.

I think by 2018 you will see junior EMJ Capt at 2 years. By 2020 junior CS Capt at 4 years and junior 737 Capt at 5-6 years. However, these would only represent bottom 2-3% of each roster.

[Rudy]

What are your thoughts on applying at Jazz if you have received the 'Phone interview in the next 12 months if nothing changes' email? I can envision a situation where you are in ground school or just starting flying the line at Jazz and you get the call for the AC interview. Would it help or hurt your chances? For the flow through agreement is there a minimum time you must be at Jazz for this to come into effect?

[Rowdy]

After day 2 of Jazz GS, you will have to wait for your turn in the FPMA.. as an alpa member.

[sstaurus]

If you want a chance at AC off the street, don't go to any AC express carrier, or you'll have to wait your turn in line.

[bruced007]

If you want a chance at AC off the street, don't go to any AC express carrier, or you'll have to wait your turn in line.

With a 80/20 split looks like either way its a long wait...

[tallyho]

Its been a couple of months, has anyone with the 'phone interview in the next 12 months' email had a phone interview, or had one scheduled?

[altiplano]

Equipment bid is out now.

Early polls show it looks great for new hires. As I forecast previously... a bunch of EMJ Captain openings unfilled... and not 737 Captain positions as I foretold - because they aren't here yet - but mainline A320 Captain spots going to guys in their 4th year... that's a $200K job...

We'll see where it sits when this bid closes, but it won't be far off... and it's only going to get more pronounced moving forward...

[DH772]

That's only the interim. There will be many changes on final award. Dont expect any EMB captain spots open

[rudder]

What is happening with the new-hire equipment freezes?

[altiplano]

What is happening with the new-hire equipment freezes?

New Hire Freeze

The Company may release pilots frozen in accordance with Article 20.16.02. Therefore, pilots who have this freeze should assume they could be released from this freeze.

I think new hires have been released on all recent bids...

That's only the interim. There will be many changes on final award. Dont expect any EMB captain spots open

Even if it doesn't leave seats open to new hires, it will be very junior... and it's only going to get more so moving forward.

[Lemon]

When does the bid close guys? Any guess as to how many vacancies the final bid will show?

[TheStig]

There will be 339 vacancies.

[CYCG]

Any truth behind a rumor that there is a specific PFO email going out saying your PFO'd due to not having a university degree?

[Lemon]

Would seem odd to get called for an interview with no degree and then get a PFO because of it.

[JBI]

Any truth behind a rumor that there is a specific PFO email going out saying your PFO'd due to not having a university degree?

After the most recent application window opening, it appears that pretty much everyone who applied got one of four e-mails:
1-We expect to contact you within the next 12 months for a phone interview.
2-Sorry, but we're not interested at this time
3-You already work for an AC Express Carrier, you need to go through that agreement
4-You do not have enough time

Between door #1 and door #2, it seems the only criteria was having a university degree. At our shop, all the pilots that had a degree and were over 2000 hours got the 'good' e-mail and all those that did not have a degree (regardless of TT and PIC) got "Thanks, but not right now, try Jazz." TT, PIC, 705 time all didn't matter.

If anyone got a different e-mail, or has a degree and got a PFO, or does not have a degree and got the 'good' e-mail, please share.

[CAL]

has a job ad gone out yet?

[watermeth]

has a job ad gone out yet?

it closed few months ago.

JBI,
do you know which criteria is used to determine who gets to be called earlier than some others ?

[JBI]

No, I haven't heard of anyone getting a call yet. Doesn't mean there haven't been calls, just no one's told me if they've had one.

[bruced007]

I get a 'UNIVERSITY' degree is important but they gotta remember airline flying is a profession where everybody has to give due respect to one's flying experience may it be as PIC, Jet or any other such professional related skill. Sure a degree is good to have in your Resume but not everybody had the funds to afford it, and I guess for those who can now don't have the time to give towards it. I honestly think the HR at AC need to give an honest look at how they screen their future pilots.

P.S A degree and a Commercial Pilots Licence won't make you a better pilot as compared to someone who has earned his time flying numerous hours, by that I mean not 2000hrs of which 200 are from your commerical .

All the best to all

Any truth behind a rumor that there is a specific PFO email going out saying your PFO'd due to not having a university degree?

After the most recent application window opening, it appears that pretty much everyone who applied got one of four e-mails:
1-We expect to contact you within the next 12 months for a phone interview.
2-Sorry, but we're not interested at this time
3-You already work for an AC Express Carrier, you need to go through that agreement
4-You do not have enough time

Between door #1 and door #2, it seems the only criteria was having a university degree. At our shop, all the pilots that had a degree and were over 2000 hours got the 'good' e-mail and all those that did not have a degree (regardless of TT and PIC) got "Thanks, but not right now, try Jazz." TT, PIC, 705 time all didn't matter.

If anyone got a different e-mail, or has a degree and got a PFO, or does not have a degree and got the 'good' e-mail, please share.

[yycflyguy]

I get a 'UNIVERSITY' degree is important but they gotta remember airline flying is a profession where everybody has to give due respect to one's flying experience may it be as PIC, Jet or any other such professional related skill. Sure a degree is good to have in your Resume but not everybody had the funds to afford it, and I guess for those who can now don't have the time to give towards it. I honestly think the HR at AC need to give an honest look at how they screen their future pilots.

P.S A degree and a Commercial Pilots Licence won't make you a better pilot as compared to someone who has earned his time flying numerous hours, by that I mean not 2000hrs of which 200 are from your commerical .

All the best to all

Nope, but it does show an aptitude and ability to learn. It also shows dedication to complete a task. A degree is more than just fluffing your resume and AC HR presently agrees with this perspective. Instead of arguing why they shouldn't use it as a screening device, why not fulfill the requirement? It separates your resume from the rest of the pile.

[rudder]

A degree = points.

More points move a candidate to the top of the pile. In the US, a completed accredited degree is effectively mandatory for an interview at all of the 3 major carriers. That is not the case (yet) in Canada.

The Canadian regional carriers are already going directly to the aviation colleges to establish a pilot supply chain. And Sunwing has just launched a cadet program with Seneca College to take 10 candidates per graduating class. That leaves 10 less potential pilots per year from Seneca for the likes of Jazz, Georgian, Porter, and Encore.

Eventually, Air Canada will do the same. The only detail will be whether the candidate does an internship at an AC Express carrier or goes directly to AC. Currently, the AC Express carriers are acting as proxy and the actual job offer from AC comes via the PML. There are already direct entry aviation college candidates at Jazz doing their AC PML interviews.

[Inverted2]

You can get a degree through online courses fairly easy these days. I know a few that have gone that route. Doesn't mean you have to go back to school for 4 years like it used to. Maybe the MBA in basket weaving will wow the HR department.