Went to TSA in 2007 for the year up grade; in 2008 it turned into a furlough. Refused to do Go Jet like some of the others, after 3 years came back and was one of the few to re-qualify in TSA's jaw-dropping 3 sim - 3 days of ground re-qual program after 3 years away. After passing IOE and hitting the line the news came that the wife was losing her job and could no longer support my regional airline hobby. I took a high paying job I hate but got the finances in order. Wife has her job back and can pay the bills, I'm older/wiser, but a stroke of the pen leaves me with a few hundred hours to get back for the 1500. Now CFIin again and a few months away for the prize if I bail from the hated but paying gig, go full time and find some place to get an ATP written.

I'm interested in the happenings at Piedmont because of the flow up and talk of ERJ flying on the west coast (live in Cali and SIC ERJ from TSA). I could be qualified by years end when the equipment arrives. Also curious about Compass for the LAX base, but not sure how hard it is to get in there. Is this industry in any better shape now? Is now the time to make another run at it?