The Air Canada OTS thread

[runway29]

Anyone get called for the May 29th PIT yet?

[porkfloss]

How is the strike going to affect recruitment this year?

[rudder]

How is the strike going to affect recruitment this year?

Only a couple of hundred vacancies forecast (1 year outlook). Looks like near term recruitment won’t be as big an issue.

[BTD]

How is the strike going to affect recruitment this year?

Only a couple of hundred vacancies forecast (1 year outlook). Looks like near term recruitment won’t be as big an issue.

That is true of this bid. However, it wouldn’t be the first time they manipulated a bid to maintain some control over morale etc. I have heard that the last bid (perhaps this bid too) didn’t take into account retirements over the same period for next year. If that is indeed the case, there should be 10s of more vacancies at the top end than what appears on this bid.

[rudder]

How is the strike going to affect recruitment this year?

Only a couple of hundred vacancies forecast (1 year outlook). Looks like near term recruitment won’t be as big an issue.

That is true of this bid. However, it wouldn’t be the first time they manipulated a bid to maintain some control over morale etc. I have heard that the last bid (perhaps this bid too) didn’t take into account retirements over the same period for next year. If that is indeed the case, there should be 10s of more vacancies at the top end than what appears on this bid.

Every bid is a figment of someone’s imagination (Crew Planning? Commercial? Flight Ops?). And looking 12 months out also creates more risk of guessing wrong. Fortunately, AC’s de facto ‘rolling bids’ allow for timely adjustments.

At some point the music will stop. I figured that would be out towards the end of 2025. This is likely just a speed bump along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOYi4NzxlhE

[itsgrosswhatinet]

Reduction bid during negotiations is not necessarily a real reflection of the required crew going forward.

[JoeyBarton]

Is it still a go for summer PITs?

[thepoors]

Is it still a go for summer PITs?

If they can find enough people to fill them.

[altiplano]

Is it still a go for summer PITs?

2 have been cancelled.

[a2btrail]

Originally there were 2 classes planned for June and July. Now we will only have 3 classes for the summer. This due to number of factors... training capacity, lack of A22O's we are down 7 fins waiting for engines, reshuffle of man power for upgrades and more than expected vacation time this year

There will be 3 courses this summer:

1 June Course planned
1 July Course planned
1 August Course planned

[Flyboy73]

Did the interview last week, no background check yet. What’s on the background check, do they want you to tell them everywhere you’ve ever worked or is it just past 5 years?

[aeronauticaldisaster]

Originally there were 2 classes planned for June and July. Now we will only have 3 classes for the summer. This due to number of factors... training capacity, lack of A22O's we are down 7 fins waiting for engines, reshuffle of man power for upgrades and more than expected vacation time this year

There will be 3 courses this summer:

1 June Course planned
1 July Course planned
1 August Course planned

Shouldn't the company be spooling up hiring for the 600 new pilots they are going to need for the Quality of Life improvements negotiated in the new contract?

[Mr. North]

That would mean being proactive, which is not how we like to do things here! No! This airline likes to operate at the low end of the Threat Error Management pyramid. Reacting to errors and occasionally finding themselves in UAS (Undesirable Airline State). They're too busy trying to solve yesterday's crisis to think about tomorrow.

Also, they hate pilots. If they could operate an airline without us, they would!

[Transition9er2]

Significant order of 787’s coming, deliveries starting next year.

Significant order of 737’s coming, deliveries happening soon.

321XLR’s coming next year.

220’s on order

Contract changes coming that’ll require more pilots.

Aggressive route expansion ie. India this fall and SE Asia adds.

767’s being converted to pax flying this fall with no one typed to fly them.

Yet they just issued an extremely pathetic equipment bid. The company is dusting off their old play book to try and scare pilots into giving up. But it’s not working.

They’re kicking the can down the road and it’s going to blow up in their faces. Everyone can see it BUT them.

Best thing you all can do is be patient (easier said than done) and enjoy your summer. Once this contract is finalized, it’s going to be hiremagedon and things will move extremely fast!

[beefcheese]

Has anybody from OTS been given a PIT date for July or August? I am approximately 6 weeks post-interview with all references contacted, background check completed, etc. I imagine things have slowed down a bit given the negotiations, but still hoping to get a call sooner rather than later!

Any insight is appreciated. Cheers.

[crymeariver]

Anyone who did their interview lately? I did mine (as well as the medical) about a week ago and have been told from ex-colleagues AC will normally contact references within a week or so after the interview/medical. And I don't have my references called yet.

Any idea what is their timeline nowaday?

Much appreciated.

[a2btrail]

Latest PIT class started July 10, class of 20. Surprisingly it was mostly an experienced class.... Most Captains from Flair, Military, Turkish, Transport Canada, Lynx, 704, CJ, Porter and the PJ world.

Class before that was June 10.

Calls going out for August Class.

[Blueontop]

Only one PIT a month eh? What ever happened to two a month with up to 40 a class?

[flyingcanuck]

Only one PIT a month eh? What ever happened to two a month with up to 40 a class?

"training capacity"

[ohio_19]

What are the wait times like nowadays from Application to Interview and Interview to GS?

Asking for a friend, thanks in advance !!

[daedalusx]

Calls going out for first week of September course, good luck everyone

[pipedream?]

Any news on an October PIT?

[cdnavater]

Calls going out for first week of September course, good luck everyone

Yikes!
Could end up on strike during the PIT course, oh well as I understand it, it is a raise for year one while on strike pay!

[crystalpizza]

Calls going out for first week of September course, good luck everyone

Yikes!
Could end up on strike during the PIT course, oh well as I understand it, it is a raise for year one while on strike pay!

New hires attending training is not considered struck work - if the training continues through a strike then they'll be obliged to continue attending. Only once they have finished their first line check (unlikely the strike would still be on by the time the Sept class reaches this stage) are they required to walk.

[altiplano]

Calls going out for first week of September course, good luck everyone

Yikes!
Could end up on strike during the PIT course, oh well as I understand it, it is a raise for year one while on strike pay!

New hires attending training is not considered struck work - if the training continues through a strike then they'll be obliged to continue attending. Only once they have finished their first line check (unlikely the strike would still be on by the time the Sept class reaches this stage) are they required to walk.

Are you sure about that? All Air Canada pilot work would be struck work. Training sure sounds like work to me. I wouldn't cross that line based on what I read on avcanada. Talk to your base rep.