Originally Posted by
Karloffstall
"Don't mind flying the CRJ"
I've never understood why people have a distaste for the CRJ after the ERJ showed up. It is still a jet, still has two engines, still flies 400-500 knots over the ground, and still has two flight attendants you can try to bang on overnights..
The ERJ makes you lazy, reliant on automation, and will not develop the skills necessary to become a proficient aviator if the ERJ is your first airplane faster than a 172. In my new hire class at brand x legacy, both people who washed out were former 175 pilots who had never flown anything but the 175. They had major major issues in the sim when it all went bad and had to fly raw data without auto throttles (amongst numerous other issues caused by lack of solid aviating experience.)
Do yourself a favor. Fly the CRJ, and drag your heels on accepting an ERJ slot, even if they beg you to take one. If skywest is still like it is now as when I was there, you will be flying a ton on the CRJ side and sitting at the crashpad watching guys with your similar seniority edge closer to upgrade.
If you got into this business with the dream of flying a 175 for a regional, then by all means find a way to get the 175...but if you, like most people, are using the regionals to finally one day find yourself in munich after flying a 777 there then don't shortchange your preparation and leave cracks in the foundation.
Lastly, remember, people still step into a 175 and say "ugh its a small plane."
The problem today is new hires who have shiny jet syndrome. They don't want to touch a CRJ200 even though a lot of them have never even flown a turbine jet.
If you want a better QOL your seniority will move on the CRJ list, not ERJ list. Not sure where people get their information but if you want "hours" you're picking the wrong jet.
Seriously, we had this conversation with another poster. You guys want senior bases on the senior jet and don't want to sit reserve. Some guys on reserve in West Coast bases don't get called once in an entire month. I've seen them show me their schedules. Certainly one can argue that's a good QOL but not really for a commuter. If you live in base and don't care about flight time/reserve status then sure it's a great jet for you. But I'm always baffled when I hear "I want the ERJ for Seattle/LA/Denver so I can hold a line and grind hours"?! Then what upgrade on the CRJ?
From what I've heard also (makes sense too) the upgrade from ERJ to CRJ is a lot more difficult. Unless you plan on waiting the extra years to upgrade to ERJ it sounds like your best option is the CRJ. Just don't get that bad attitude ERJ "I'm a mainline pilot" and you'll be fine here.