CMA -

pitot-tube · Post by **pitot-tube** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:14 am

Anyone know if there is any movement going on at Central Mountain Air, with Jetsgo looking for 4000 hr F/O's, there are bound to be some captain heading that way! Anyone have any info??

twinpratts · Post by **twinpratts** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:46 am

Yes, I heard they recalled all the layoffs... and hired a bunch more not long ago.

Dockjock · Post by **Dockjock** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 11:58 am

Another groundschool planned for late march, interviews might already be completed though. With that g/s spring layoffs seem pretty unlikely I would guess.

Propwash · Post by **Propwash** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:26 pm

CMA is also starting a few new routes this summer...... ex- fort nelson and they are also increasing frequence on some flights out west ..... ex- campbell river and comox, things are sounding alright there..... perhaps theres a possiblitly for more a/c!

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 pm

and with pay scales going down that will help them pay for new airplanes too!!!

Propwash · Post by **Propwash** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 8:27 pm

at least those pilots are emplyeed at a good company and getting their time added up quickly!

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:40 pm

Don't get me wrong....I think that those pilots have it better than many. And I get the feeling that CMA isn't too bad in terms employment conditions. But to try to live on that salary in Vancouver, and pay off loans, etc, the old argument persists. It lowers the value of a pilot for the entire industry. And in the end, I guess it comes down the general public demanding lower airfares, and the only expense the operators can really control is wages, so that is what gets hit hardest, even though it doesn't have much impact on the bottom line. So they save a few grand a year per employee, they could make up that amount by charging a measly few bucks more per ticket. If there was a union group watching over things in our industry, then I think it would help us get our fair wage and the tickets can be a few bucks more. Anyways, that's an debate for another time. And these actions are allowed to persist because there are so many pilots looking for work and we all love to be drivin' airplanes.

My $.02 on a very old argument.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 2:53 am

Wally,
How is your idealistic union going to protect you from the kids who get a licence paid for from Daddy?? They don't have to make the same wage as you to live because not only do they not have loans to pay off, they have an allowance to live on.. And, they will be the first to prostitute themselves and work for free.. Because they can..

It's very unfortunate, but a fact of life that because there are more people who want to fly than there are jobs that these kind of people will prevail. It's simple economics for the operator. Why should they pay you when Joe Shmuck over there will do it for nothing? Sad but true, and it's been going on for longer than most of you have been alive.

Don't want to discourage any of you but you should be aware of the truth..

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 9:28 am

I think you will see that my remarks reflect exactly what you are saying. I agree with your second paragraph, and I realise that I am being hoplessly idealistic with the Union thing.

I am lucky to be working for a company that not only pays above industry average, but also treats their employees very well. So my self interest has been served. I am just thinking about all those new guys coming into the industry who not only can't find a ramp job to work at for 2 years before getting in the right seat of a ho, but also have to live at a standard lower than welfare normally allows just to lurk in order to find that ramp job.

I don't know the answer, but I think as we continue along this path, aviation becomes more and more for the wealthy, just like in Europe and eventually guys will just be getting frozen ATPL's at 250 hours, then pay their $30,000 for some sort of transport or corporate aircraft type rating, then get on F/O or SIC on something big. I mean not all of us want to be jet jocks. Some of us (probably quite a few on this site) like the bush/charter type stuff and would like to be able to earn a decent living doing it. I guess fire bombing and geophys is really the only relatively lucrative area left for those that don't like the rigid schedules and fancy gold bars of airlines and commuter operations.

all in good fun. cheers.
wp