Other than the obvious, this has been the very best thread that I have read or seen in years! It's so nice to see posative aspects on a avaition forum!:D

Without really trying, it just proves wrong the one or two who called AC pilots arrogant. By the way, I know there other companies hiring. Iwas hoping to hear from them as well.

brucelee,

I don't agree with the name calling, it just brings people and topics down to an ugly level and there's just no need for it. You can find arrogant people in any company or in any industry and they show themselves for who they are, as for the rest of us at least the ones with a half of brain can spot them a mile away and have learned to steer clear. Bloody hell, we're suppose to be professionals, there are some poeple out there who need to learn that we all share the same passion regardless of the uniform! I've been painted with the same brush by others who judge me for where I live and as always I ask them if they can say it to my face.....they never seem to want to..........hmmm. End result, I do not need to waste my time or energy on them. What I do find interesting however is that after the points have been made or issues have been proven that we do not hear from these critics again......that alone should tell others what type of characters we're dealing with.

I have been hearing and working on other company threads as well but it seems that no one else is willing or able to offer up information, too bad, it would be nice.

Me, Arrogant ? God....

After the medical I've just been through with the nurse from hell, I am hoping for some TLC...

OK, OK, I've thrown my share of crap into the forum...my appologies...Bruce and Inuksuk are definitely doing a good job of keeping us informed...they also seem to be bringing up the moral of this forum too...

No sweat man, but you're still buying the beer at Arizona's.:O
Cheers.

No worries mate,

I told you there on me! Good a good table and I'll let you when I am in! We'll have some bloody good laughs I am sure!:ok: :cool:

Actually, I just read some of my own posts on this forum and they are, well, not exactly friendly either...so I stand head bowed in shame...

Anyways, the latest news from the hiring rumour mill is as follows - I was flying with the equivalent of an "oracle" last night -
- Projections on retirals over next 4 years means the hiring is being ramped up for both expansion and natural wastage. There is panic in them thar hills about keeping up with demand.

- The old fuddy duddys will migrate off the line and bolster training, as it is stretched even now

- Pool first, then new hires. Outside screening first, but the agency knows NOTHING about flight crew. Bite your tongue during the first screening...

- There is a tech questionniare, but nothing no-one's not done before. AC Procedures gets the test after you're in

- With the growth of the long hauls with 777 then 787, lots of RP jobs

- A320 fleet is rumoured to reduce in size, and EMB F/O therefore the choice job

- Medical same as TC right now, but AC reserves the right to have its own standards. Understand this is being looked at again...

- Bias at first screen towards professional aviation programme

- Min requirments on the web to be ignored, as they will vary depending on individuals

- Lots of debate out there in corporate image land about the groovy new flight deck uniforms under consideration. Let's hope no checked shirts or mountie hats.

Right, I'm off for a beer, and some ice for the ass after the internal exam :{ Let's hope none of you new guys coming in get the Greek nurse...be afraid, very afraid.:uhoh:

Hiring
 

Got the call last Thursday - off to YYZ next week for medical and file-review. Things are finally starting to pick up!





TORONTO LEC NEWSLETTER 2005 #10

May 13th, 2005

FURLOUGHS, RECALLS AND HIRING

There are still 79 pilots on furlough.

The Company has advised that they expect to have offered all remaining furlough pilots the ability to recall within the next few months. Your representatives have been pressing hard for the Company to live up to the verbal (and in some cases written) commitments to the furloughed pilots to grant a LOA at the time of recall to fulfill commitments they made to their current employers. While progress has been made, we still have no final agreement from the Company on this issue and the Recall Protocol remains incomplete.


It should also be noted that Company officials have indicated to us that we will likely be hiring 600 pilots in the next year and will likely run a new hire course as early as July.

Inuksuk is right on this one...

CSA Czech Airlines bought a bunch of new A320's and has to fill the gap right now with some used ones. Rumor has it that some will be coming from Air Canada. Given the past history of our acquisitions, which usually arrived held together by speed tape and a prayer, I am impressed. No more waiting a couple years to get the sand out of the cockpit.:}

Dang, rubber glove treatment... the old bend over and let me tickle yer tonsils bit, eh? Now there is a reason for my blood pressure to go ballistic! I'll lay off the salt if they lay off the latex. :suspect:

There is a A321 in yqb with the CSA colours...maybe that rumour is true!

Inuksuk,

Just when I thought this thread was dead, more awesome info.

Like I mentioned before, I received an email from the company requesting to update my e-application. From what I understand, not everyone received the same email. I can only keep my fingers crossed that that is a good sign.

I have well over the "min" hours stated on the website (4300), with a fair chunk of ME turbine >12.5 time. I am daydreaming about an interview by the fall.

I went to an professional aviation programme (and graduated), and managed to complete a degree as well. I am hoping that will help me get to the interview. I'm only 31 too.

It sounds like the first interview with the HR contractor will be the wild card. Be interesting to hear some feedback from the first interviewees.

RP on a heavy would be awesome. Get to see some new parts of the world that I havn't seen before and I suspect there would be a fair bit of time off, too.

Does anyone know if second officer time is considered by AC towards total time or is it worthless. I am led to believe that Westjet counts it as half time so I wasn't sure if AC does.

Boeing727. S/O time does not count but they do consider the position to have some value. As I have stated in previous threads, you will not be hired because of one thing alone. Rather they look at the overall package.

Inuk. Better the greek nurse than old man Dr. T.

Does anybody know at this stage what aircraft the sim evaluation will be in regarding the interview process?

They used the 737-200 last time they were hireing but not sure what they will use this time.
Good luck
29

Alpa & Acpa are meeting on june 13th....anyone knows what's it's all about??

All that was mentioned was "common concerns" shared with other Star Alliance pilots. Yeah right. There's more to it gents. Probably no big deal but we'll just have to wait.

My guess is that Air Canada ISN'T getting the experienced pilots applying that it needs to expand. The starting salary and initial working conditions are enough of a deterrent that they are looking to the connectors to fill the gap in that expereince level. I for one couldn't make the jump due to family and financial reasons and have turned down the file review and medical (after 4+ years in the "pool"). I'm sure that many are in the same boat and that is why global solutions are back on. Embraer captain went to 1999 which is enlightening because thay haven't hired since 2001. I'm sure that we'll see a situation like we did around 1996 when AC was hiring direct entry captains and they went to the connectors to get that experience........again good luck to all at AC. I'm wishing that one day you'll all be a happy family again.

It's tough for new guys coming on, of that there is no
doubt, and I had a long chat with a management guy about the hiring plans, and he admitted that they are very worried, because the demand is outstripping the supply of candidates that fit the "bill". In fact, "panic" is not too strong a word for it.

In my humble opinion, we need to make it more attractive...and after my many years in a safe block, I feel privileged not to have been too badly affected by AC's trials and tribulations and will help anyone who wants in through the red and white door as much as I can. Brucelee feels the same....

PM me for specific info...

Longtime lurker here... Brucelee, Inuksuk, et al gracias, your information has been greatly appreciated...

Now in regards to hiring, a guy with 3500ish total(mostly turbine), 1000 jet(550/560xl), 1200 pic, college... does he(me) stand a chance? I'd like to think the experience I've accumulated over my career so far would be fairly attractive to an employer such as AC. Given my situation it'd be a substantial paycut, but I'm more than willing to trade the cozy confines of the Middle East for a schedule and the comforts of home...

Jumpy737. The situation AC is facing now isn't much different from the one it faced last time. Of course there are those who can't "afford" to make the move. But I'm willing to bet that there are just as many who will do it. I can recall my course five years ago had mostly pilots who were making more money than AC was offering. Some took a $80K/yr cut. It all depends on everyone's situation. I suspect there are just as many pilots out there now as there were in the past who are willing to take the temporary salary cut. As for direct entry captain Emb, I don't think you'll see much of that. Most 767 fo and A320 fo are going to take that one. Not to mention RJ captains.
If you're trying to say that Alpa and Acpa are meeting to discuss hiring deals, I really don't think so. Management are the only ones who hold the cards on that one. My guess is that AC will get its experienced help. Just like last time.

"On Friday recall letters were mailed to all furloughed pilots with the anticipation that all will be required for aircraft courses between now and the end of July. With new hire pilots most likely required for Embraer training in August, a new hire course is tentatively planned for mid-July. As a result, file reviews are currently being conducted on those pilot candidates who were previously interviewed, tested and in some cases medicaled, when we stopped hiring in 2001. As a reminder, if you know of any pilot interested in Air Canada, applications are being received, on line only, via the Air Canada website."

This is from latest AC flt ops web site recently put out in the past week. Sounds like those hired in the near future will be Emb 170/190 FOs. YYZ/YUL bases.

Just talked to a friend who has been on the waiting list since 2001 and has a course in mid-July. The training department says first course of 20 in July with a course of 20 each month until new-year's.

Just wondering,

Realistically, what do these hirings mean for the industry as a whole, if anything?

Probably nothing... I wouldn't bother to apply:p

just to add in the two cents - Thanks brucelee and inukshuk! I've been lurking for a while and this stuff is great.

:ok:

"RECALL LETTERS HAVE BEEN MAILED TO ALL FURLOUGHED PILOTS, WITH
RESPONSES EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK. FILE REVIEWS ARE BEING CONDUCTED ON PILOTS WHO HAD COMPLETED THE HIRING PROCESS WHEN WE STOPPED RECRUITING IN 2001. OUR FIRST COURSE OF NEW HIRES IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR JULY 11TH. "

From June 01 flt ops letter.

Also heard that Jazz pilots are now being invited to apply - and the news comes from their head of flight ops who send round info...

I heard the same thing on a different forum yesterday.

GOOD NEWS! Since we all made an effort to help ACE during CCAA we should have access as anyone else to these position!

This off the mec info line.

We have confirmed with the Company that
LOU 18 - Transition of Connector Pilots, as amended in 2003, is in effect
and we will abide by it. You can review this on the ACPA website under
Contract.

Good luck to all
29

I hope everyone gets a crack at the Big Red. You Jazz guys deserve a shot as much as anyone. Heard rumours there are guys at WJ that are looking to jump accross. Said to be a couple of hundred. This comment was not intended to start a WJ vs AC arguement. My guess is some guys sitting in the right seat living miles from home (TO/Mont/Halifax) etc that just want to get home!


How many Jazz guys will give it a go? What about fellas from Skyservice, Transat, Flightcraft, ACE, Canjet etc?? Lots of jet people out there....

Comments?

Intresting:ooh:
WestJet guys leaving to go to Big Red.
Just goes to show that not everyone near the bottom is as happy as the guys at the top.

Just got the e-mail from ACPA that the negotiations for the pay rates on the 777 and 787 have broken down.The company wanted the matter settled before the June 10th meeting of the board of directors before finalising the purchase order.Looks like it might not get done by then and the order is now in limbo....

Are we about to get screwed again....

It is a never ending story at Air Canada.
I truly wonder if things will ever be able to function normally.:(

Will my Service Air time help?

Could someone from AC please update the info on AirlinePilotCentral.com? I hear now that probation pay in year one is only $38,000 and year two around $43,000. If so the info on that site is outdated and it would be much appreciated by all of us applying to be able to see the new numbers! Cheers.

ps. $38K? ouch

I think that the info on this thread has been great for those of you looking to join us. I thought I would post this little bit of info because it just came out today straight from Micheal Downey.

FILE REVIEWS ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED ON PILOTS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED AS PART OF OUR HIRING PROCESS IN 2001. WITH THE FIRST NEW HIRE COURSE PLANNED FOR JULY 11TH, WE SEE THE REQUIREMENT TO HIRE UP TO 600 PILOTS OVER THE NEXT 24-30 MONTHS. AGAIN, APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ON-LINE.

I'm sure every body can do the math has to how many AC believes they will need to hire a month. I also think that beyond 30 months they will keep hiring.

Good luck to all.

Dockjock.
Where did you get those salary figures? I was under the impression that flat salary was untouched in the CCAA agreement. I looked back at my records and saw $53 an hour at about 80 hrs/month. This goes back to 2000.