Green All Over

A new American regional airline is using the ultimate weapon—money—to circumvent a pilot shortage that ALPA (the Airline Pilots Association, International) asserts does not exist, and airline industry pundits claim is the greatest threat to aviation since American Airlines did away with inflight peanuts in 2003.

Connect Airlines, a division of Bedford-Massachusetts-based charter outfit Waltzing Matilda Aviation, is offering qualified pilots an eye-watering yearly salary of $250,000. That figure may not seem excessive to high-seniority captains driving heavy-iron overseas for legacy carriers—but Connect is offering the wage to fly Dash-8 Q400s from Chicago and Philadelphia to Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ). What’s more, Connect plans to offer pilot’s perks the likes of returning to their home bases nightly, a four-on/three-off schedule, and an additional, tax-free, $1,500 monthly bonus to offset commuting expenses.

That’s a quarter-million-dollars a year to fly docile, loping turboprops back and forth between modern, full-facility, instrument-approach-served airports along two routes measuring 332 and 441 statute-miles respectively.

Connect’s target passenger demographic is day-tripping business travelers; its equipment is Dash 8 Q400s leased from recently-resurrected UK regional airline Flybe. The plan is simple, proven, and engenders some of the most attractive pilot gigs in the Part 121 industry.

Connect CEO David Marcontell states: "We are looking for Captains that see the opportunity in building a new airline and in participating directly in how that airline works and grows. There is a huge benefit in collaborating with our pilots to build a smarter airline and we are backing that up with a compensation package that is considerably higher than any other Regional in the USA and highly competitive with Low-Cost Carriers (LCC) as well."

At present, Connect’s fleet comprises a scant two ex-Flybe Q400s. The airline looks to raise that number to five in short-order. While an official, commencement-of-operations date has yet to be announced, the US Department of Transportation (DOT)—on 5 July—issued Connect its certificate of convenience and necessity, and tentatively authorized the carrier to conduct scheduled air-transportation outside the U.S. The inchoate airline is now working with Canadian regulators to the selfsame ends.

Connect’s pilot recruitment program—dubbed Smart Start Captain—seeks to enlist thirty highly-qualified, direct-entry PICs. In addition to generous pay, the airline states it will afford its pilots opportunity to “set smarter schedules to optimize their duty-time and home-life.”

Qualified applicants must have a minimum of 2,500 hours total flight time, including one-thousand hours of FAA Part 121 or Part 135 time. Prior captain experience is not necessary. Whether or not Airline Transport Pilot certification is required is unknown. Pilot-bases will be located in Philadelphia and Chicago.

Connect has set out to treat not only its pilots, but the Earth with consideration. The airline aspires to be the U.S.’s first zero-emission passenger carrier, and has underscored that aim with a recently announced order for 75 ATR 72-600 turboprops powered by Universal Hydrogen’s H2 fuel cells and electric powertrain.

FMI: www.alternativeairlines.com