Central Mountain Air

[lionheart27]

There was a dispatcher position a while back which you responded to non-other than the "Dispatcher" through email.
His reply was write your exams and I'll keep your resume on file.

Now. He says they take low time pilots but as with most operators your hired on after interview and SIM as a RAMPIE. Which they call Tier 2. Tier 1 at 1000tt is invite to ground training.

Any stories or truths for this company?

[Biggles]

There is some truth to this. Generally speaking, they won't consider you for a flying position if you have any less than 1000 hrs tt, m-ifr etc and your samron/samra exams written. They will consider you for a ground position (which includes working in their offices, ramp, dispatch, etc) if you have between 250 -1000 hrs and iatra exam completed. While I am not an advocate of the low-hour program, I understand why they do it. All of the guys/gals that were in my ground school for the 1900 had an excellent understanding of the aircraft before going in. I (with 1400hrs) could barely keep up with the transition from piston to turbine, let alone the complexities of the aircraft vs the seminole/cherokee/172 that I was accustomed to. You'll have an opportunity to read through the POH well before the course starts, ask pilots and mechanics questions, sit in the aircraft and practice flows, go on obs flights and plug in and all sorts of other pro's that I can't think of right now.
Yes, you'll be on the ground. Yes, your ifr will lapse and won't be logging hours. yes, its crap pay... Yes it's a good company (except for pay, perdiems), great flying, fantastic experience and decent people.

This site has heaps of threads on this subject, try using the search function. You're welcome to pm me for further, but keep in mind it's been years since I worked there.

[aV1aTOr]

Low time program is a bit of a wait at the moment (2 years I think) but they are working to shorten the wait. If you have less than 1000 hours and don't want to instruct/bush fly it's a good way to go. right seat in a 1900 with 250 hours in Canada is hard to beat. As was mentioned pay isn't great (25k to start and roughly $300/month per diems) but the flying is great, top notch maint. and excellent training (level D annually). Great pilot group, and lots of movement (when they hire) to AC, Jazz, WJ, Sunwing, Cargojet etc.
Upgrade is ~3000 hours and mix of direct entry and in-house. Bottom line, pay is nothing to write home about, otherwise solid company and great flying.... choice between 1900D (14) and Dornier 328 (2).

[Biggles]

Another interesting point is that CMA just bought out Hawkair and all their DHC-8's. Not sure what's going to pan out with all this but it could either be a great time to get in with the movement onto the Dash or a crappy time if they offer HA's old pilots a spot on CMA's roster.

[Carrier]

Quote: "..........if they offer HA's old pilots a spot on CMA's roster."

Might not be so straight forward. Hawkair pilots unionised a couple of years ago. Is there a union at CMA? If there is no union CMA would probably prefer to keep that status. If there is a union at CMA then relationships seem to work better at CMA between it and management than at some other unionised companies. CMA management would not like to change that. They would not be keen to introduce the sort of problems that West Wind Aviation is having and that Hawkair had.

[altiplano]

I don't know, but I would doubt to see CMA/Hawkair "merge". It was the owners of CMA not CMA who purchasewd Hawkair. I would expect an alignment between the two and fotal co-operation but not much more.

[AuxBatOn]

There was a dispatcher position a while back which you responded to non-other than the "Dispatcher" through email.
His reply was write your exams and I'll keep your resume on file.

Now. He says they take low time pilots but as with most operators your hired on after interview and SIM as a RAMPIE. Which they call Tier 2. Tier 1 at 1000tt is invite to ground training.

Any stories or truths for this company?

Have you bothered doing your homework (ie: research on the company)? It's right on their website...

http://www.flycma.com/jobs_pilot_requirements.html

[chinglish]

Have you bothered doing your homework (ie: research on the company)? It's right on their website...

http://www.flycma.com/jobs_pilot_requirements.html

Maybe he/she was looking for some "inside" information?
I know a couple of guys and gals at CMA. A couple of them have done the ramp to cockpit and a couple have done the 1000 hr direct entry. Both ways work that is the truth.

[handyandy]

just heard the dorniers are for sale, any truth to this?

[300_hour_wonder]

where you hear the rumour?

[lionheart27]

Maybe now they have the Dash 8's they don't need the Dorniers!
Yes inside scoop is always good. I'm not a firm believer of 18 mths on the ramp while your MIFR expires.
There might be some upside to this down the road but flying is flying and that's why I became one.
An agreement between your employer say a few months will know whether they want you as a pilot or not.
I don't mind sloshing the s@#$ but there has to be an outcome to this within a reasonable time.
I'm sure CMA has a good thing going otherwise they would not be there.

[V1 Rotate]

where you hear the rumour?

Me ex-roomate's sister's great-uncle's gardener.

[300_hour_wonder]

dam blabber mouths guess I guess I better pack my bags and start looking for a job I wonder if I can get sold as a part of the plane.

PS I havn't heard any rumours about the planes being sold and CMA didn't buy Hawkair our parent company did we are completely seperate companies and will remain so for the forseeable future.

[ywgflyboy]

Any bonds?

[ywgflyboy]

Any bonds?

[whiteguy]

Any bonds?

Yes

[whiteguy]

Any bonds?

And Yes!

[flyincanuck]

And there it is...

Yes it's a good company (except for pay, perdiems)

What makes a good company?

The mortgage broker loves it when I tell him about all the nice people and 'great' experiences.

A statement like that is why we are where we are in this industry.

[aV1aTOr]

keep in mind, your mifr may expire while in the low time pool, but the ride in the a/c when you get trained covers your renewal, so you don't have to have a current ifr when you get trained. If your IATRA expires though, you must (legally) re-write before you can hold a type rating. Managements requirement to have the IATRA written BEFORE you get on the list is a silly one if you ask me, since most guys have to re-write.

[JTrain]

CMA can be a good deal for some.

Remember - although they might be telling you 2-3 years until you get an FO slot, the economy is on the upswing, things are looking rosier than '08 and '09, there will be movement. Guys ahead of you will get hired elsewhere and you'll get to move to the line. Upgrades are never a fixed amount, they vary, and I'd be willing to bet if you join as a rampie or dispatcher hoping to make it to the line, your timing now is decent

JT

[aV1aTOr]

CMA can be a good deal for some.
Remember - although they might be telling you 2-3 years until you get an FO slot, the economy is on the upswing, things are looking rosier than '08 and '09, there will be movement. Guys ahead of you will get hired elsewhere and you'll get to move to the line. Upgrades are never a fixed amount, they vary, and I'd be willing to bet if you join as a rampie or dispatcher hoping to make it to the line, your timing now is decent

Agreed. Movement has been slow for the past 4ish years. READ: things should start swinging the other way soon. Anyone who has been in this industry for any time over 5 years knows how the hiring pendulum swings. Last check I think there was around 12 on the list, with a candidate getting trained about every 1 1/2 - 2 months. Talk of taking 2 low-time candidates per gs as well.

[Marinth]

What is the schedule like at central mountain? I saw they are looking for both flight attendants and groomers, I am wondering for both. Also do they get flight passes on AC/Jazz?

[whiteguy]

Also do they get flight passes on AC/Jazz?

After 6 months.

[fly-drink-chicks-music]

6 months company time, or 6 months after you start flying?

Thanks

[aV1aTOr]

CMA passes start immediately upon hiring. After 6 months (regardless of position) you get interline passes (AC/Jazz, Lufthansa, Westjet, Alaska/Horizon, US Airways, select Cathay Pacific cities, Southwest, Canadian North, First Air, Pacific Coastal, Hawkair, Bearskin, Helijet, and a bunch of other smaller operators).
Schedules vary depending on poistion. FAs have it a bit tough (long days, no reserve so you can be called in on days off) groomers work mostly all nights, ramp/dispatch/CSAs work varying shifts between 5am and 11pm ish. Full time emplyees get optional health benefits and optional RRSP benefits. Also your vacation seniority earned carries to the flightline. (5 years worked = 3 weeks vacation earned etc.) Pilot seniority obviously starts when you join the pilot roster.
For working a ramp/dispatch/CSA job with a secure number on a waiting list to go to groundschool on a 1900D, it's not a bad gig.