Missinippi Air Now Requires Training Bond

[Tropic Thunder]

Missinippi Air out of The Pas, Manitoba is now the latest company to institute a training bond. A one year $8000 bond required for any Caravan or King Air captains. They had done things right with the new salary and schedule and had such potential to be a decent company to work for. Such a disappointment.

[Torn]

How does a bond affect whether or not a company is decent to work for?

[North Shore]

That's strange... you'd think that the hiring boom would be over by now, and turnover wouldn't be such a bad problem?

[Banjo]

there is a reason turnover remains a problem there. do your research, from more than one source... that's all i have to say.

[ScudRunner]

So you have to front them 8K out of your pocket? Or is it just a sign here and if you leave you owe us this amount?

[Banjo]

upfront

[skydivepilot]

A friend of mine works there and has nothing but good things to say about the company. Its always unfortunate to read about training bonds. I would never sign one but I would also stand by my word if I committed to a company.

[Cancelgar]

Missinippi has it's pro's and con's. The flying and the pay are good, however they are in need of some restructuring. There is a reason why out of close to twenty pilots, only two have stayed longer than a year...on anything, let alone a single plane. All this bond does is hurt the company further. Qualified resumes were few and far between and that was before they started making people pay 8 grand upfront.

[North Shore]

...um...nothing..

[Tex North]

All this bond does is hurt the company further.

I couldn't agree more. If they had problems retaining character guys in the past it is only going to get worse by attracting the kind of people who don't paying money up front just for the privilege of employment. It sounds like they need to focus on the real problem which is creating a work environment that keeps people around. Too bad.

[RichAir]

I can tell that missinippi is a good company. I would have worked for them for a while. I didn't leave because the people were bad, or because I was pissed off. They just have no base in a big decent city, and they have nothing heavier than 12,500 lbs. Carrierwise and for lifestyle, I had to leave.

[Cat Driver]

and they have nothing heavier than 12,500 lbs.

What is so wonderful about airplanes over 12,500 lbs?

[Kelowna Pilot]

The industry is going into a downswing again... which means the bull shit goes into an upswing.

It's like a see-saw.

It's been that way since forever.

This board will be an interesting place in a 6 months when the downswing is in full force, like it currently is in the United States.

And, no, before you say it: Canada is not "different" or immune.

That you can get your employees to front you $8000 cash is just absurd.

Remember Jetsgo anyone?

[Cat Driver]

That you can get your employees to front you $8000 cash is just absurd.

Is there any other type of work in society where the applicant for a job pays to get the job?

It would seem that having a normal IQ is not a prerequisite for being a commercial pilot in todays world.

[Kelowna Pilot]

Is there any other type of work in society where the applicant for a job pays to get the job?

I can think of a couple instances where you have to grease palms to get the job or promotion. I had a couple family members do this (non aviation). One was competing for a promotion and gave the hiring guy $5000 bucks, but the competing guy offered an even bigger bribe. Guess what. He lost his $5,000, and didn't he get the promotion. Another relative had to pay an extremely large sum of money to get a job as a professor. It's just the way it's done.

But that was outside of Canada where the rules are a bit different.

There's also the famous "casting couch" in the acting industry. Basically you gotta pay by spreading your legs. I suspect modeling is much the same way.


But generally speaking aviation is such a tootie-fruity industry at the best of times run by some really tootie-fruity people, so the stuff that goes on is no surprise to me.

There is simply way too much emotional attachment to the industry... it causes so many problems and poor decision making.

[Cat Driver]

Yeh, I guess there are a few other places where people pay one way or another for a job......but aviation seems to have made a science of paying to work.

I'm sure happy that I worked in the industry at a time when my employers not only paid me but paid for all my licenses, ratings and upgrades as well.

[Freeride]

You are a tight group of pilots at Missinippi. They were unable to hire from the outside before and they certainly won't be able to know with the bond. Stick together and the bond will dissapear. It's just management trying to see what they can get away with. A few years back per diems were taken away as well. That didn't last too long. As good as a company Missinippi is they are way too unstable for anyone to be taking money out of their pockets to put up front.
Good luck

[square]

I thought training bond referred to the, as previously described, "sign here and if you leave before a year you owe us the rest." That sounds reasonable to me, but this upfront shit is a horse of a different mother.

[snoopy]

"What is so wonderful about airplanes over 12,500 lbs?"

Nothing, unless they have a couple of 1820's or 1830's, a low wings and a tail-wheel...

[Four1oh]

Did Beaver Air change their name, or is this a completely different company??

[Banjo]

Beaver Air is a limited partnership, after the Pukatawagan band bought the airline they wanted a more 'representative' name. Missinippi Air, along with Jackson Air are both part of the Beaver Air Limited Partnership.

[kevenv]

Not being a pilot, I can't comment on training bonds as I have never been in that position. Having said that, if you really want the job, and they want a bond up front, and you can afford it, why not pay it to a 3rd party (lawyer) in trust with the appropriate contract, ie: the only way they get the money is if you voluntarily leave early. If they close you get your money back. That way your money is protected legally.

[groundtoflightdeck]

Freeride is right, they tried something like that a couple years ago and managment was told to go fly a kite... it went away very quickly.

Its a good company in general they have just been suffering from constant movement for the last while and the fuel prices are hard on them so maybe trying to pass the savings to the pilots... the board of directors have never been that sympathetic to the pilots so this is no real surpirse.

Missinippi is a great place to accelerate your career and a couple years in The Pas or Thompson isn't so bad, might not be a bad deal in the end.

[Four1oh]

There are worse places to live... Pickle comes to mind...

[Jeremy]

Just don't get sick...or they will dock you for it. Good-bye sick days.