Sunwest Aviation Navajo F/O's

[Sea Trout]

There were questions regarding the status of Sunwest navajo First Officers on other threads.
They were hired in September and October with the understanding that they were part time pilots and part time ramp. Its now March and they still work the ramp, but only one has flown and now Sunwest says that within another six months if their lucky, they could fly 1 day every 2 weeks. With the balance on the ramp for another year.
It's unfortunate.

[Strega]

please, please, can I have the carrot!

when I hear stuff like this I throw up a bit in the back of my mouth.....

[Captain_Canuck]

This is a new type of gig for Sunwest having a quasi-low time program so there will be growing pains.

All good things come with time and Sunwest is a good company

[stmymdy]

They were hired in November. 2 are done their LI. 2 more to be done after easter.
2 more left to be trained. Sunwest is looking for staff for the ramp so the FO's can begin FT. FO's are clearing 30k a yr, with similar pay on the ramp. Its a good gig for people looking to get into aviation.

[privateer]

30K ramp/FO a year ain't that bad, I hope some of the winers out there shut-up. I remember humping bags for $8 hr not too long ago.

[altiplano]

/

[privateer]

Who the @#$! cares? There making good money for 200hr wonders on the ramp, and plus their getting good operational experience. I would say they will all be flying by the end of April. Everybody has there growing pains. At least they didn't have to pay for there training or even have to sign a bond.

[blewhead]

Go up north, with the industry the way it is now, you will be put on a turbine right away and you don't have to sign a bond at most places. My previous company alone put 4 guys fresh outta school on the be20 within a year and they only have 2!!!

[seahawk]

yeah the last post was dead on. Go north, get your time done quick, then go suckle at the teat of the airlines. Sunwest is a dead fish, they are bleeding clients and pilots like they were a hemophiliac.
Cheers

[Lanc702]

30K ramp/FO a year ain't that bad, I hope some of the winers out there shut-up. I remember humping bags for $8 hr not too long ago.

I tend to agree. Others say go north. That I agree with as well. I cannot speak directly to the point of getting hired and getting paid by an air carrier (enough/not enough) as I work for myself in an unrelated business but I am an owner operator and use air travel extensively - but I certainly can speak to how life goes. The apparent sense of entitlement by some people is pervasive in our society and indeed does not exclude pilots!

I go back to my first job - ramp rat. At the time I made $7.50 an hour - real good pay for back then. Another fella working there made 10.00 an hour - that was my goal to reach that. Guess what? He had been there two years by then. And the Manager - he made a wopping 12.00 an hour. My point is that 200 hour wonders have to start off somewhere. They either take what they can get south or north. Opportunity can be greater in the north but can also be harsher. Cost of living is higher and the same uncertainties can exist in the operation of an air carrier. For every "well I was flying turbines right away" story there is indeed the "all I did was load bagage and clean out fish gut filled boats" story. Don't fool yourself boys and girls - the guys and gals sitting in the pointy end of the Boeing did not have a starting job in that seat nor did they make the loads of $$$$ all the winers feel they are entitled to.

My 2 cents.

Lanc.

[Rowdy]

Seahawk.. Where do you get your info? Me thinks it's lots of BS

I happen to know quite a few sunwest Pie-lots and some of the dispatchers.. Doesn't seem to be anything but good times there right now.

[privateer]

I know a guy up North. It took him 2 years on the ramp to get into an airplane. So I think if you can get into the sunwest gig your doing good. Plus some 200hr wonders also go right seat in the Caravan, that ain't bad?

[Captain_Canuck]

x

[Rowdy]

I'll be the first to say that now I know.. that at 250hrs I knew absolutly nothing... but thought I knew a ton. Even now well over 1000 mostly PIC time on floats.. I realize how little I actually know about it all. It's an ignorance and an inflation. A bare commercial licence means you have a licence to now learn through trial and error. It's a "wonder" that some of us make it past that stage without killing ourselves.

These licences are not a right.. they are a priviledge!! Oh and for those that slag on instructors.. well hey.. if we didn't have them and they weren't proficient.. YOU wouldn't have a damn licence!!

[fortis risk]

I agree with Rowdy, the intructors I've had gave me the tools to achieve my licenses. If their job was to make me a truly proficient pilot they would have to have spent a much, much longer period of time with me, perhaps five years?

[privateer]

I heard some of the Ramp/FO kids are complaining about the schedule. These people think there in some kind of condition to complain when their the highest paid Navajo FO's out there

Almost 2/3 of them are flying and they think there so hard done by? Any thoughts?

[Red Line]

This seems to be a growing trend. This attitude of low-time pilots is widespread amongst many other operators across the country from what I hear. Shame really. Remember when people were moving to Yellowknife to get a job at the McDonalds for 2 years while they eagerly awaited their first ramp job? (where the wait was another 2+ years)

[stmymdy]

The FO's have a great attitude, and are a pleasure to work with. Its a shame that a few bad apples on this forum are making the whole lot
sound bad.

[Captain_Canuck]

Privateer,

I think most of those FO Kids are older than you!! HA HA HA

People complain - its human nature. You complain - I complain - Your partner complains. Suck it up!

[privateer]

I seek opinions mr canuck!

[Captain_Canuck]

Why dont you just walk out across the ramp one day and ask them yourself?

Or is that below you?

[Rowdy]

CC... he is not one with the "people".. haha you of all should know that by now

[fortis risk]

If complaining about your schedule would somehow make a person unworthy to fly or indeed work in any field then there would not be many people working.

Privateer, do you not complain about something? Does your complaining make you unworthy? Is their schedule perfect or is there something worth complaining about? You seem to have a problem with them being paid decently. Why can't you be happy that your contemporaries are being paid decently starting out in their career?

It seems there is problem amoung some senior pilots on this forum with others doing well. Its petty and small. Grow up and be happy for them.

[petey]

This seems to be a growing trend. This attitude of low-time pilots is widespread amongst many other operators across the country from what I hear. Shame really. Remember when people were moving to Yellowknife to get a job at the McDonalds for 2 years while they eagerly awaited their first ramp job? (where the wait was another 2+ years)

Yeah, to hell with these low-time guys actually wanting to fly, rather than construct Big Macs! Who do they think they are? Cudos to you being able to stick it out and do that ... but that sure as hell doesn't make it right.