Originally Posted by
Slim11
I spent time at TSA and left for PSA. The primary reason was being able to sit short-call reserve from home and 45 miles to DAY. I turned down an upgrade because it would be in ORD, TSA converted long-call reserves to short call as soon as they were legally able to and I had a PSA job offer in my back pocket.
I don't know if TSA has changed the way they're handling long-call reserves. I upgraded in less than a year. Upgrade is 2-2.5 years and we're running two classes monthly. I teach the next upgrade ground school and have 12 in it.
I can compare the EMB-145 to the CRJ-200 and prefer the CRJ. There are quirks about each airplane and some things I like about the 145. Overall, IMO, the CRJ is more reliable.
TSA has some models of the 145 ( the EP) which can't handle a full load of passengers with an alternate. The CRJ usually can take a full load of passengers.
Since DFW seems not to be an option for you, PSA has bases in CLT, TYS, CVG, DAY and DCA. AA has two daily flights to DAY plus one Mesa CRJ-900. Everything between CVG and DFW is Envoy/Mesa. Avoid commuting if at all possible. If not, your best bets may be CLT or DCA. Don't forget IAD if you get the DCA crew base.
Good luck!
Haven't seen an EP in a year. I think they are all gone. All we are flying now are XRs and a few LRs and 90% of flying is the XRs on the United side. I think all the AA birds are LRs. Haven't been on reserve in a while so I can't comment on that or the length of Reserve. Pay issues are chronic, but we are *hoping* rainmaker fixes it next month. Chief Pilots and DO are all great guys and will do everything they can to help you. You just need to decide what are the most important issues to you personally and go from there. For me QOL and Pay are the two most important, but others may disagree. If you can live in base do that, but keep in mind you can always get stuck where you are for a while and bases can close on a whim at the regionals, so even if you have to commute it might be worth looking at one carrier over another due to the contract. Good luck.