Originally Posted by
Electra
They are indeed backed up. Figure about 2.5-4 weeks before you'll fly. You won't necessarily do a Chicago trip, they will probably deadhead at least some people each way out of ORD to do a trip out of another domicile, anywhere they have a checkairman available. I have heard the wait times are coming down as the training department slows down and is putting fewer students out into the system, but checkairmen are still departing for majors just as fast as they can be trained.
As far as the super-positive comment from rcfd13 about choosing the 175 being a poor decision: It is the future of the fleet, and we will (eventually) be increasing the fleet size, so there is growth on it. However, you will be coming in with 3700 people senior to you, and as seat locks expire (and the quality of the CRJ pairings deteriorate) more CRJ pilots will transition in. The climb off the bottom, into the base of your choice and off of reserve will be potentially painful and arduous. Unless you live in ORD, don't pass up a CRJ class or two waiting for the shiny new underwing engines. My $0.02.
The last bid went senior for the 175 CA, some want a training event (not sure why I haven't seen a app that requires a date to be put in), it also went senior for the upgrade because people want to use ORD to eventually get back west to Denver, if you look at the award few people are already in ORD more are out west, will be interesting to see how next DVR looks.
As a FO the ERJ is junior and the best choice if you want ORD. Extremely few people are transitioning as a FO, my FO the other day had been with the company 10 months and bidding 50% in Chicago before 2 classss finish IOE so who knows. Upgrade is going senior, FO you're fine as a new hire it would be a good choice. HOWEVER I wouldn't pass up a class for the 175, rather transition later if you want it, at the rate we're hiring now 2 months can be 150-200 people difference, that's a lot.