Vari2ty

Hello all. I'm a new member, long time lurker here. I have a choice to make and would like some feedback and see what everyone else would do.

Background:

33yr old
750 total time
Married (Wife is a flight attendant)
Living in Florida

I have offers from both Great Lakes and Cape Air. I'm on the fence as to which to go with. Lakes means moving west (wife is ok with it, she can transfer crew base to one out west) but it means turbine time. Both places pay sucks for the first year so the money isn't the factor. With HR5900 looming and only having 750hrs, I don't see any other regionals knocking down my door for the next year. My other option is to stay instructing but we all know how that goes. Both are decent companies.

What would you do?

Thanks!!


PS. no pressure to respond or anything, but my class date with Lakes is Monday

Skytrash99

I would say great lakes would be a better choice. Its nothing against Cape Air. I am an X 9k pilot myself and live on the cape. At 9k with 750TT you will be sitting right seat in a C-402 until you reach 1200TT. You will then fly the mail plane for about 300HRS until you meet the mins for your ATP, then you will be garanteed a captain position, which is the ultimate goal since Cape air is mainly a single pilot operation (minus the Guam operations). You will be based in Hyannis, MA which is a pretty expensive area to live during the summer and probably will be transfered to San Juan in the winter. Thats what would have happened when I was there. But I hear now they have much more bases in the Midwest area, upstate New York and Baltimore area so be prepared.

It really depends on your goals. Airline Pilot I presume? Turbine time is very Important which is the main reason I would say Lakes. Pick an area where you can bring your family and minimize your commute (if you can).

With all that said, 9k was the best job I had ever had. I really loved my job, but the draw to fly jets and eventually go overseas where I am now was just too great. I hope to be able to go back if I ever hit the LOTTO!!

Good luck

cubbies4life

Being a 9K pilot and loving this company makes it very hard to say this, but in your current situation, if the airlines are your end goal, it looks like Great Lakes is the right career choice. With our new contract here though you will start accruing seniority and longevity as an FO so it will be a nice jump when you do make Captain. Right seat 402 time is barely worth the the paper its logged on though. If QOL is important to you I would pick Cape Air.

2nd best pilot

I had the option for other regionals and picked Cape Air. I love it. But 700 hours of FO'n here would be miserable.

DirectTo

Totally serious question - what do your FO's do?

Do you guys alternate legs, or are the FOs gear monkeys, radio operators, and paperwork filers?

Ruff T

I'm a 9k pilot, and I guess I might be biased towards this company, but I think that ultimately, you'd be much happier at Cape Air. I don't think that Great "Mistakes" earned it's name from nothing, but at your age, I can see where the decision would be tough. Like other previous posters have said, the pay as an FO here sucks, but I don't think that you'd find many 9k pilots that have many negatives about the company. Your QOL would be much better here, but you'd have to tighten your belt a couple holes.

cubbies4life

An FO at Cape air is like an FO at any other regional. We alternate legs. Personally, I let them do as much as their comfortable with and do my best to prepare them to be Captains as I can. I probably fly with FO's more than any other regular line Captain in the company though.

I'd be willing to bet that FO pay at 9k and GLA is fairly similar. I ultimately agree with Ruff. You will be very happy working here if you choose 9K

Vari2ty

Thank you everyone for your reply's. Yes the airlines are my goal so the turbine time does play a factor. I guess I have a coin flip to make!

zac137

I am a former "Laker" and would have to say Lakes will make you one hell of a pilot. Fun flying, great people to fly with, training is tough, no GPS, no Autopilot, horrible work hours and horrible management. With that said I wouldn't change my decision of going there for anything. It makes training at any other airline a breeze and you will enjoy the QOL much more once you leave.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Zach

The Juice

Can't say I 100% agree with you. I too began at a prop outfit and flew planes without advanced automation, FMS, full glass etc... Sadly nobody caress if you are one "heck of a stick" everyone can fly to varying degrees of skill. What will hurt is when you try and make the jump to a major and the lack of "technology" on your resume may cause some issues.

It isn't any fun going through initial at a jet carrier when everyone else has been flying glass and FMS for the last 10 years and you are trying to learn how to program a flight plan into the box. Training departments will not have much sympathy to the fact that you don't know how to program an box but you have great "hand flying skills"