Desperate times are coming...

[3stripes]

Looks like the 'pilot shortage' is finally here! Republic are reportedly offering $5,000 signing bonuses to new hires on the back of their new pay rates being withdrawn. It's a totally false economy for all new hires, but I'm sure there will be plenty who won't see it that way. Still doubtful this shortage will ever go beyond the regionals though.

[judge]

Can I sign up and come back here to my same seat and seniority after things don't work out?

[Boondocker]

Can I sign up and come back here to my same seat and seniority after things don't work out?

You'd be surprised at how much attrition you would get if you offered pilots here a 1 year grace period. The amount that would come back would be minimal.

Of course some people can never see how that would be a good thing.

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm either very drunk or desperate to move on...... but for the first time EVER I find myself in partial agreement with Boondocker

[ImperialxRat]

Funny Fozzie... me too. However in my case I would have been back well before that year was up.

I can't find anywhere official that this $5000 signing bonus is legit. Also, as mentioned on APC, their contract is horrible with regards to soft time... so if you went pretty much anywhere else you would make that $5k extra in the first year.

I find it hard to believe that they're already running out of 1000 hour flight instructors to higher, but I guess it is possible that some instructors/pilots don't want to change companies to make $20k/yr first year. That's good news.

EDIT: Here is a fun one... RAH is suing their pilots union. http://www.ibj.com/republic-airlines.../article/33538

[drivintin]

You'd be surprised at how much attrition you would get if you offered pilots here a 1 year grace period. The amount that would come back would be minimal.

Of course some people can never see how that would be a good thing.

Amen! I would take it in a heart beat giving a lot of people a bump.

Of the others that might do it, how many would go to non aviation jobs out there?

[SE Flyer]

Funny Fozzie... me too. However in my case I would have been back well before that year was up.

I can't find anywhere official that this $5000 signing bonus is legit. Also, as mentioned on APC, their contract is horrible with regards to soft time... so if you went pretty much anywhere else you would make that $5k extra in the first year.

I find it hard to believe that they're already running out of 1000 hour flight instructors to higher, but I guess it is possible that some instructors/pilots don't want to change companies to make $20k/yr first year. That's good news.

EDIT: Here is a fun one... RAH is suing their pilots union. http://www.ibj.com/republic-airlines.../article/33538

The are passing up the oppurtunity to fly a "heavy" RJ like the ERJ-190 with engines underneath the wing like an Airbus.

[Looking for a trade]

You'd be surprised at how much attrition you would get if you offered pilots here a 1 year grace period. The amount that would come back would be minimal.

Of course some people can never see how that would be a good thing.

It's a good thing for EVERYBODY, not just someone's buddy. It's also a good thing going forward but a nightmare going backward. Hopefully the arbitrator will decide this case based on the contract and not on the plea that "it will be a financial burden on my family".

Dave

[TAF]

I find it hard to believe that they're already running out of 1000 hour flight instructors to higher, but I guess it is possible that some instructors/pilots don't want to change companies to make $20k/yr first year. That's good news.[/URL]

Funny as it may seem I just got a letter from Lufthansa Airline Training Center advertising CFI jobs with a salary of $41,500 to $70,000 dollars. It says if you have enough experience they will start you out at $52,500. So yeah I can understand why people don't want to get into this industry. Not only are you home every night but you also get paid more than double what a first year FO makes at any regional. If you top out you are making as much as a captain.

[fazole]

Yes, but they don't get our awesome travel benefits!