Originally Posted by
WMUFlyboy1
Hey guys,
Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm nearing the point of transitioning towards a regional. I am currently a flight instructor and live in the Detroit region.
I know that QOL is one of the top points for deciding which regional to go to. Being in Detroit, surprisingly the options are limited for non-commuting though.
From what I understand, with Compass closing their DTW domicile the choice is now Endeavor or ExpressJet...
My hope is to end up at a place I will be happy as I put in my time towards a regional, but I don't want to be stuck at a regional for 10+ years...
The pros and cons of going to Endeavor have been argued ad-nauseam with the retention bonus vs. upgrade time. My gut tells me the upgrade time is too much for me to accomplish my career goals. But, being Detroit based means I can save several thousand a year for the first few years by living at home.
Everything I have heard about ExpressJet tells me to avoid it like the plague.
So, is it really worth going to one of these carriers to avoid commuting, or would commuting be a better option...
PSA is feasible but depends on where in the DTW area you live.
I lived north of DTW in the late 80s/early 90s. If you're south of DTW, the DAY crew base is drivable in 2-3 hours. The reserve call out time is two hours.
I was DTW-based my last two years with Comair. The drive time from my driveway to the DTW employee parking lot was 3:45 with no stops. I live south of DAY, half way toward CVG.
There are rumors of a ORD base at PSA. TSA also has a ORD base and is hiring. Commuting to a base you can also drive to is a good option if you feel you must commute.