Dash to E2 Transfers - Looking for Perspective

[braaap Braap]

Looking for perspective from fellow Porter pilots.

In the most recent pilot call KW announced the 50th E2 should be arriving Oct or Nov 2024. The current/most recent transfer agreement for Dash Captains to transfer to the E2 is "3 cumulative Captain transition positions will be guaranteed per class for Dash 8 Captains to transition to the E2..." - further along - "These provisions are agreed upon as a minimum commitment"

November was just announced so from Dec 2023 to Oct/Nov 2024 there will be another 33 or 36 transfer spots before the 50th plane arrives. This has me concerned since with some basic math - accounting for management, Sim only trainers, and failure to transfers - there will only be spots for people with an employee number <3500. Leaving approximately 80 Dash Captains currently on the list stuck.

I am referencing the fleet seniority list as I think outstation Captains (YOW, YHZ, YQT) will transfer and take the commute just to ensure they don't get stuck on the Dash.

Obviously if the other 50 are announced more spots become available, but that is not a guarantee at this point. To me it really boils down to the inability to find/attract Dash 8 Captains (or easily upgradable FOs). I do not think enough is being done here. I am not hearing good things on that front even with the sign on bonus being offered.

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for attending my Ted Talk

[paytoplay]

Hence why many captains with employee numbers above 4000 have recently bid to go FO on the E2. Everyone’s starting to realize Dash CA to E2 CA is years away for most. We will end up like Encore did where Dash pilots watch OTS people fill up the 737 while they wait on flow.

[cjp]

Had a conversation with a Q crew the other day. Certainly some cause for concern.

That said, I know there is a lot of managerial hinting at more than 50 jets coming, not by 2024, but by 2027.

First question is - why was there so much hesitation to bid over to the E2 for so many? Was it mostly base issues?

[Aviationanalysis234]

Looking for perspective from fellow Porter pilots.

In the most recent pilot call KW announced the 50th E2 should be arriving Oct or Nov 2024. The current/most recent transfer agreement for Dash Captains to transfer to the E2 is "3 cumulative Captain transition positions will be guaranteed per class for Dash 8 Captains to transition to the E2..." - further along - "These provisions are agreed upon as a minimum commitment"

November was just announced so from Dec 2023 to Oct/Nov 2024 there will be another 33 or 36 transfer spots before the 50th plane arrives. This has me concerned since with some basic math - accounting for management, Sim only trainers, and failure to transfers - there will only be spots for people with an employee number <3500. Leaving approximately 80 Dash Captains currently on the list stuck.

I am referencing the fleet seniority list as I think outstation Captains (YOW, YHZ, YQT) will transfer and take the commute just to ensure they don't get stuck on the Dash.

Obviously if the other 50 are announced more spots become available, but that is not a guarantee at this point. To me it really boils down to the inability to find/attract Dash 8 Captains (or easily upgradable FOs). I do not think enough is being done here. I am not hearing good things on that front even with the sign on bonus being offered.

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for attending my Ted Talk

I have heard from reliable Porter source that they are in the process of locking in aircraft 51 to 75 with deliveries rolling out in 2025. Also have heard that they have made signficant progress on Dash 8 Captains and expect to be flowing more in the range of 55 to 70 Captains to the E2 from the Dash 8 by end of 2024.

[CaptDukeNukem]

Looking for perspective from fellow Porter pilots.

In the most recent pilot call KW announced the 50th E2 should be arriving Oct or Nov 2024. The current/most recent transfer agreement for Dash Captains to transfer to the E2 is "3 cumulative Captain transition positions will be guaranteed per class for Dash 8 Captains to transition to the E2..." - further along - "These provisions are agreed upon as a minimum commitment"

November was just announced so from Dec 2023 to Oct/Nov 2024 there will be another 33 or 36 transfer spots before the 50th plane arrives. This has me concerned since with some basic math - accounting for management, Sim only trainers, and failure to transfers - there will only be spots for people with an employee number <3500. Leaving approximately 80 Dash Captains currently on the list stuck.

I am referencing the fleet seniority list as I think outstation Captains (YOW, YHZ, YQT) will transfer and take the commute just to ensure they don't get stuck on the Dash.

Obviously if the other 50 are announced more spots become available, but that is not a guarantee at this point. To me it really boils down to the inability to find/attract Dash 8 Captains (or easily upgradable FOs). I do not think enough is being done here. I am not hearing good things on that front even with the sign on bonus being offered.

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for attending my Ted Talk

The 3 per class is a minimum commitment. I expect classes for the E2 to have more. The latest bid award had 7 transfers all starting Nov 7th with 1 DTIP activation. To me that sounds like 6 in a class.

[PRM1]

3 were from the last bud. So it’s still 3 per class.

[CaptDukeNukem]

3 were from the last bud. So it’s still 3 per class.

Ahh. Okay. Well the most junior on that bid was 2886. So people >3500 will absolutely have a crack at the jet soon.

[braaap Braap]

Yes its a minimum but its also cumulative, 2 activations (previously counted), 4 flows, and one DTIP. So seems like theyre ahead by one but with the next month being Xmas I can see them trying to get ahead.

It also seems silly the way they are announcing these bids and double counting people/trying to pad the numbers.

Aviationanalysis, its hard to take your “trustmebro” anecdotes. Were you not a resident Westjet expert earlier this year?!?

Cjp, I think the government initial transfers went so deep from a mixture of 1) not wanting to commute / the TIP making people not need to 2) others not expecting a bid to reach their seniority level and 3) junior people “bidding the dream”

Paytoplay, Yes it is starting to make more and more sense to jump to the E2 as an FO just to escape the wild ride that is the Dash 8. It will be interesting to see what Q4 classes have for FO transfers.