Hi y'all,

Just wondering if anyone cares to share any recent info on Orca airways.. usual stuff.
Days on/off.
Pay for Capt's and F/Os
Capt requriments

Yes..I have used the search function, couldn't find anything recent and I imagine things have changed in the last couple of years.

Any info is much appreciated. Thanks

A friend of mine recently quit because they treated pilots like crap. Take that for what it's worth.

Thanks Endless

The last 4 people to leave this year.... One to Jazz, one to Hawkair, one to Pasco, one to Carson.

Larger machinery and a better sked...is that not what we are all after?

Just 2 cents...

CPL: That is what most are after. However, it's not about what you're after, but rather what you'll endure to get there. Just because people have left Orca to go to other companies, doesn't make it a positive work environment. If you look at the last year, just about every 703 operator with a twin lost guys to Jazz. So it certainly doesn't single Orca out as 'the place to go' if you want bigger and better things.

Food for thought anyway.

It's a hell of a lot better than the scumbag operators that used to be around YVR, but I would say that of the operators in YVR these days, it's lowest on the quality of employment index. It's all relative. You'll get the same experience there as you will at CAC or any other small operator, hence the movement to those other companies mentioned. At the end of the day, it's a stepping stone. It's not a terrible place to be, from those that I have talked to, but there are better places to work. But you don't usually have a plethora of choices when offered a job at that level. Take that for what it's worth.

I certainly don't know this for sure but I would think that with YAZ starting to slow down for the season it might be tough to get on there now. And if you did you might now be flying much.

Just a guess. I can't say that I know anyone who's run screaming from there sav for the aforementioned individual mentioned by Endless. Can't be that bad there I guess.

Mark

The Idea that it is ok to pay your employees especially FO's below industry wages is a tough sell. Even if there will be a window to a better operator. You want to move on because you can't see yourself surviving financially with your present employer. A flying career out of Vancouver should be prestige, but instead most pilots in Canada all know that it isn't affordable with the current operators. I long for the day to see a decent operator I can see myself working for in Vancouver. As of now there are only 2. That is sad. I would be interested to know how little Navair and Regency actually bid for those bag run contracts. They knew that they could get away with slavery. Makes me sick.

Mark: The guy that left realized how humans should be treated, and he didn't accept the subhuman treatment that all to commonly is dumped on new pilots. I truly applaud his taking a stand and putting his foot down. If more people had his balls the industry would be forced to change for the better, unfortunately it continues to prey on those without the balls to say no.

wallypilot wrote: You'll get the same experience there as you will at CAC or any other small operator, hence the movement to those other companies mentioned.

Yeeaah! HENCE!!

endless wrote:Mark: The guy that left realized how humans should be treated, and he didn't accept the subhuman treatment that all to commonly is dumped on new pilots. I truly applaud his taking a stand and putting his foot down. If more people had his balls the industry would be forced to change for the better, unfortunately it continues to prey on those without the balls to say no.

Yep, really tough in Vancouver for those starting out. I used to think that perhaps I could assist in change. Now I know that is not possible so I just try and look after my little corner and who gives a f_ck what next door is doing. I have no good advice for the fellow we are speaking of Endless. House and shit here makes it tough to go somewhere else.

M

I think its called move the @#$! out of YVR or you'll be living with your parents forever, or renting that moldy shit hole for $900 month. Come back when its greener.

privateer wrote:I think its called move the @#$! out of YVR or you'll be living with your parents forever, or renting that moldy shit hole for $900 month. Come back when its greener.

900? man.. that MUST be a dump.. I had trouble finding a spot below 1200 that was liveable. Might as well have a mortgage on a condo at tht point. Oh wait.. 300k for a junky place here now too. Hows a guy get a break eh?

However.. there are a couple of companies that would allow you to live in yvr and not be treated like total crap and make an okay living. Perhaps you should have gone the way of float driving there Pirvateer Oh and hows the dirty 'ho treatin ya?

Isn't sunwest talking about expanding in vancouver? CAC now has a couple of king airs.. Thunderbird seems to be doing well. Not bad places to hang your hat. It's still not the oil infused aviation mecca that is alberta

Actually I was hoping that a more employee friendly company does come to the coast and starts bidding on bag runs. Of course they won't get any contracts cuz there will always be shady Navajo operators bidding below the poverty line. Hey Rowdy lets get some PHO.

Not trying to stir the pot here but are the conditions up north or away from YVR any better in terms of pay, schedule, cost of living (except rent as we know that is expensive in the YVR area) etc for entry level positions?

Or is it just a case that the people that wish to stay in the YVR area have to put up with the same conditions as up north but these conditions are in the spotlight more down here?

Charlie

Endless, I could not agree more, however like you said there are people that will do just about anything to get that elusive seat.......

The Pas, Manitoba
I made $32000 a year on the ramp/PA31 F/O(Monday-Fri), upgraded to an BE20 F/O(2 weeks on, 2 off). Same Pay. Try finding that in Vancouver.
Rent was $600 for a 2 bedroom apartment.
Banking money(If your smart) on a entry level aviation job? It's possible.

Just wait till the pilots out there are 30 or 40 and they still can't afford to buy a house, then you can take your saved up money and return home richer than they are!

Vancouver has got to be the worst place in the whole country to get a start in aviation, unless you are an instructor I suppose.

To all you newbies, get in your car and drive east; if you keep putting up with the bullsh*t operators, then the more damage you do to this industry by accepting poor wages, schedules, etc. You won't have to drive very far to get ahead. The music is still playing, and chairs are aplenty. Oh, and move the F*CK out of your parents houses for chr*st sake, you're giving all of us pilots bad names when you bring your dates home, LOL!!! Right Endless

endless wrote:Mark: The guy that left realized how humans should be treated, and he didn't accept the subhuman treatment that all to commonly is dumped on new pilots. I truly applaud his taking a stand and putting his foot down. If more people had his balls the industry would be forced to change for the better, unfortunately it continues to prey on those without the balls to say no.

privateer wrote:They knew that they could get away with slavery. Makes me sick.

Makes me think of another YVR cargo operator...

aileron wrote:Vancouver has got to be the worst place in the whole country to get a start in aviation, unless you are an instructor I suppose.

To all you newbies, get in your car and drive east; if you keep putting up with the bullsh*t operators, then the more damage you do to this industry by accepting poor wages, schedules, etc. You won't have to drive very far to get ahead. The music is still playing, and chairs are aplenty. Oh, and move the F*CK out of your parents houses for chr*st sake, you're giving all of us pilots bad names when you bring your dates home, LOL!!! Right Endless

exactly....get out of dodge.....go north and/or east. it's simple.

and yet out east we are all told to go west

Go west to alberta... and north to the NWT!!