North Wright Air

maniac779 · Post by **maniac779** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 8:27 am

I was just wondering if anyone had any information about North Wright Airlines. Any info you have would be great. Thanks...

phillyfan · Post by **phillyfan** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 8:58 am

I've heard a rumour they will only hire grads of an aviation program.

bear · Post by **bear** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 3:39 pm

I worked for NWA for 3 years a number of years ago not a great fit to me or the company. I was a little older then most of the other guys and was not willing to put up with the sh!^ that was dished out by the owner or CP. The owner is very diffcult to work for and goes off like a fire cracker at the drop of a hat. We used to call him warhead Warren. If this is all you can find thatn go until something better comes along but get out asap. As far as college guys goes when I was there this was kinda their policy don't know if it has cahnged or not. You could go up there and hang around for a while arren likes that help sling bags and keep your mouth shut and yes sir yes 3 bages full will go a long way with the older guys there. Hope this helps.

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:38 pm

phillyfan wrote:I've heard a rumour they will only hire grads of an aviation program.

Yep, see up in Norman Wells...it is very seccluded, so toilet paper is quite hard to come by. The idea the CP had was, bring some guys up with a nice, soft, quilted college diploma for when the twin otter flying in the ToiddyPaper fails to arrive on time. See guys, and you thought your college education was useless; not so, you can keep your pooper clean in Norman Wells with it.

And luxury, luxury, luxury...living in the Hanoi Hilton with 10 other love-sick pilots while you deposite crates onto a c207...you'll make your mom and pop so proud.

So flock to the wells. So sorry, your will to live won't fit on the plane going up there though.

... · Post by **...** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:43 pm

Look-it MEEEEE!!!

desksgo · Post by **desksgo** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:26 am

I'm afraid I have to disagree with mr.shoot. An aviation college education is very useful in NWT; although I think it gives you potlickers bad attitudes. Say for instance, you go down in the north, you can always use that fancy pants, pretty boy, glorified groundschool diploma to start a small signal fire.

And yes, Dog the signal fire would screeeam
"LOOOOOOOOKIT MEEEEE" college grad stranded!!

Just give it up and come fly with me.

Radio Phone · Post by **Radio Phone** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:40 am

There is one crucial drawback to the College Diploma Grad in the North - the haircut. After Sept 15th, you'll want as much hair as you can get for insulation purposes. If you go in May or June, don't see a barber again till spring...

RP

cedarjet · Post by **cedarjet** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 8:12 am

stop knocking down the diploma or degree. you don't like higher education, well good for you, you were born with all the knowledge, if not you learned it in the hard knock life. great. je suis extatique pour toi. for the rest who wanted a higher education, good for them also. at least they have some paper to use in the norm. cha-cha-cha-charmain!

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:29 am

Actually, I am all for higher education, except an aviation diploma doesn't count as higher education...you kinda made me giggle when you said "higher education" in reference to those wonderful two-year glorified groundschools. Aviation is not a classroom lecture held before 20 year olds who think they know it all. It's a good foundation, but it NEVER makes a good pilot...NEVER. And basically, what this goomba in Norman wells is saying, is that the guy with the diploma is the better pilot...BS! Yep, he dedicated himself for two years to get it, but that's it. PERIOD...he's the same fresh piece of air meat as the next guy...capable of making the same stupid mistakes that I make on a daily basis.

The purpose of education is understanding, and perhaps something to fall back on, if things go south. But when joe handsinpants falls down the stairs, he isnn't going to land so well on his aviation diploma after his medical goes bad.

All it means to me is, I took the time to figure out the basics and now I am ready to really learn...It's not the education, it's the attitudes that these goobers are walking through the doors with that really makes me upset.

So in conclusion, I will continue to knock the colleges until I see some decent attitudes from their graduates.

JBI · Post by **JBI** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 12:43 pm

Corn-shoot,

I am one of those 'goombas' who went and got an aviation diploma, although my last name isn't handsinpants. I've been in the industry for a few years, but still have tonnes to learn.

I agree with you on two things. 1: An aviation diploma will offer no back up plan when you lose your medical and 2: some college graduates have a bad attitude.

However, I find it hypocritical that you're insulting all college grads and assuming that they all have a bad attitude. Painting everybody with the same brush seems like a worse attitude to me. Sure some College grads have a bad attitude, but so do lots of guys who did it privately.

With regards to North Wright only hiring College grads, that's their choice. They can hire whoever they want. Not saying it's right.

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 4:00 pm

Let me guess...SENECA...why? because you can't read

just kiddin...if you were from seneca you couldn't type either

1. You're not a goomba. you're a goober. there's a differnce in these parts. Goomba is the guy up in Norman wells looking for grads to pee on.

2. I said every goober that's walked through THIS door, not every college grad ever has had issues.

3. that said, you seem like a good guy, but you have yet to walk through my door...so umtil then I am going to have to let all your friends ruin the fun until one of you good ones arrive here. I mean, what do I have to go on...or maybe the good ones have sturdy employment where guys like me clean the toilets...ooooh I think I just had a moment.

JBI · Post by **JBI** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 5:39 pm

Corn-shoot, or should I say Magnum P.I. ?

Sorry, I resorted back to the Southern Ontario version of English and forgot that in the Northern vernacular, goomba and goobers are two very different things. Damn that useless English class!

However, if you are going to comment on my English comprehension skills, I must point out that in your post you didn't mention "the College grads that walk through THIS door", you in fact simply stated " the college grads that are walking through the doors". The doors of the mall? the doors of the strip club? The doors of the Northern store ?

But I digress. I did go the college route. I enjoyed my time there and if I had to do it all over again I'm not sure I would. I had A LOT to learn when I got up north and still do have a lot to learn. I agree that just because someone went to an avaition college, it doesn't automatically make them a better pilot than the next guy. But, it doesn't automatically make them a worse pilot either.

Kosiw · Post by **Kosiw** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:24 pm

I always thought that Aviation College's gave graduates "Fat Head" syndrome...

along with a diploma.

cedarjet · Post by **cedarjet** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 11:49 am

i'm all against the prolonged/glorified ground-schools. those are worthless. I was referring to the university degree such as technical aviation management, embry riddle. They are not meant to make you a better pilot, their objective is to build a foundation, not flying skills, but aviation in general. The BSc i have is a higher education, however you missunderstood me and thought i referred to a 2yr diploma as being higher education, by no means did i say it was, and by no means do i believe that it is.

you can fall back on this degree.

... · Post by **...** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:31 pm

Kosiw wrote:I always thought that Aviation College's gave graduates "Fat Head" syndrome... along with a diploma.

PT6-114A · Post by **PT6-114A** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:45 pm

working for North Wright is not bad just stay on there good side and you can fly your ass off. Just dont be scared of a little work

. . · Post by **. .** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:18 pm

pt6-114a

guess you're flying the caravan?

bear · Post by **bear** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 3:14 am

i really must say that NWA is the worst place on the face of the earth. Even if you work your a@@ off they may still not lile you and you will get no where fast they are awful IMO. Stay away from them if you help it.

PT6-114A · Post by **PT6-114A** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:50 am

PT6-114A · Post by **PT6-114A** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:51 am

hay bear I dont know if you worked there but they have just redone there pay and as for not going anywhere fast it is better than most places as you will get PIC and Copilot time on good planes. maybe you are just a little scared of a little hard work

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:56 pm

Don't forget your ray-bans and silk scarf, you can barter them for a 10 dollar box of mac and cheese up there

shwaman · Post by **shwaman** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:06 am

Hey all, don't want to get into college or not debate again, but it is disturbing some of the posts on here....obviously the college programs are misunderstood. Yes I am a college grad too, as well as university... does this make me a better pilot, or person?? or even necessarily smarter than someone who didn't go this route? NO...absolutely not. The only thing I have to say I strongly disagree with is the statement that these programs are just a prolonged 2 year ground school. It goes way beyond that, in fact that is something I found frustrating at the time, all I wanted to do was fly, and learn about flying, why did I have to take all this in depth electricity, university engineering level mechanics, fluid dynamics, english!?, the list of non ground school subjects goes on....
I don't mean to start an argument in anyway, and I am not suggesting that due to taking the program that I am better off than others, some of the most knowledgeable people I have met have no extra education whatsoever....It is just that I have taught ground schools at a flight school, and college was in no way a two year version of that.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:57 am

After discarding the chaff from the replies, there is a couple grains of truth to be gleaned from all this.

One is that Warren will insist on an Av College Diploma from his low time applicants. This is due to the fact that at a very low hour level you will be on your own driving an airplane he depends on for his retirement, without direct supervision, over an area that is as remote as most of the forum members are likely to see, except on TV.

While some of the college grads over the years, have a higher opinion of themselves than is merited, they will either thrive, and fulfill their college's mission statement; or screw up, have their ego brought in check and learn from it. Nobody knows who is which until they are put to the test.

Area pilots from back in the day (Northward, The Quick and the Dead, Cannibal Air) were mostly good drivers, but left several mahines planted in the ridge in back of the Wells. As I understand him, Warren is trying to creat the impression amongst his pasengers, (all of whom know somebody that died on the ridge) that his drivers are not a bunch of unprofessional hooligans.

Thus a white shirt and tie, and bars, are de rigeur at NWA. Otters Cessna, the whole kit. It isn't up for negotiation.

The Second is that in order to assist in his maintaining that his pilots are not unprofessional hooligans, they are kept busy. Fuelling, loading (freight, mail, drums, groceries, drill pipe, humans, recently retired caribou, fish, and humans; often on the same trip), washing, Hermaning, dispatching, oh, and flying.

If NWA is not sure of a person's worth, beyond giving them a second look, they have dispatch positions, and cessnas in the sub-bases. Ft Good Hope, Tulita, Deline. Here the work is less plentiful, and thus ill-paying. Nonetheless, this is where a tentative hire is given the opportunity to sink or swim. Accomodations are less than glamorous. If an applicant is from the big city, and most are, then the accomodations are less than adequete. These however are the conditions in which most of NWA's passengers live in, so a certain amount of empathy is gleaned by the savvier of new hires.

Surviving this, you are given the keys to a machine at a low hour level, and proceed to fly your butt off.

Progression is normally Cessna 206 or 207, small twin Islander or Navajo, right seat Otter or 99, left seat Van, left seat Otter or 99.

Salary was an issue that has been reviewed lately. They lost four drivers to us (sorry!) and have lost a few others to us over the last couple of years. Thus salaries improved.

It is one of very few companies around where a low time driver can wind up on a turbine machine in a very short span of time.

Fusion · Post by **Fusion** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 11:55 am

nicely put, Just Curious

CAL · Post by **CAL** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 8:44 pm