Originally Posted by
bedrock
Making a blanket statement like that is ALWAYS a dumb thing. Some of the hobbyists are retired, or not in need of money. Most are senior and/or live in base, so their QOL is not impacted all that much by reducing days off. Many have wives who want them out of the house. Why would they quit at the drop of a hat? They don't care about losing ground, since they are hobbyists. The certainly don't want to go back on reserve, and they they don't want to lose healthcare. The part of what I said about hobbyists forming the back bone of the new regionals was a little bit tongue in cheek.
I can only speak about the hobbyists I know at Mesa. Most have left already. I do know two captains who run trucking businesses, and I wouldn't call them hobbyists. They are dead set on their aviation career, and just want multiple sources of income for peace of mind. Hard to imagine some one doing this at the regional level just for a hobby, long term. Hobbyists tend to prefer doing what they want, when they want.