Originally Posted by
DarkSideMoon
Biggest thing is the schedule. I had one day where they wanted me to airline at 5AM (so up and out of bed by 1), land in Boston, get a rental car, drive an hour and a half to Portsmouth, pick up an airplane, pack catering/preflight etc in 20 minutes to fly a 4 leg day with 20 minute turns in a plane with no autopilot or flight director. This was probably the most egregious example but not unusual by any means. Management pilots wouldn't change anything after I called them about the situation. We're constantly set up to be late (I've had 3 minute turns scheduled before), which means we're constantly dealing with angry pax. I've flown 3-4 6-7 leg full duty days in a row, getting minrested every night. I've had them pull crew meals and not eaten from noon until midnight because they ran the schedule too tight to find food on our own. Scheduling will consistently break company policy (NOT the regs) to make the schedule work. They're not a bad company but they're severely understaffed and doing absolutely nothing to improve pilot retention. Only 1/4 of the FO's stick around long enough to upgrade. Captains that were one class away from the jet have left. Jet captains have left. The seniority list got massacred over the time I was there. Like I said, we were down to 44 line captains for the -12, with 35 airplanes. You do the math.
If you're a low time pilot and you're sick of flight instruction, it's a great change of pace and a good way to get some real world flying skills before moving on to bigger and better things. It's not a place to anticipate making a career at.
Most of this is on you. The times are what they are. Run the schedule and to hell with the turn times. People get themselves worked up over the dumbest things. Run the schedule or day your given. If you're late, you're late. That's on the FOC to explain and worry about, not you. You have to act like an adult and get food. You going without is your fault and your captains. Regardless of the turn times, you just do the best you can and be done with it. I also disagree about the retention rates. They are doing what they can and more changes on the horizon. As an F.O. I averaged 3k plus per check with the O.T. and I made nearly 65k first year. First year captain nearly 100k. There are plenty of opportunities as an IP that can add a TREMENDOUS amounts of $$ just as in anything you have to work for what you want in life. 6 days extra a month nets around 5k plus per diem. Add that to the base captain rate plus per diem equals 106 to 108k. Insurance is extremely good. It cost us around $800 to have our child. The main lacking here is the 401k match. Regionals are 6 majors top out depending on years of service around 12 or more depending on carriers. I have 25.2% rate of return on my investments as of the close of market today. I put 20% in per check. I don't do the company 401k. This is a fun job and you can make your day the best or miserable. It teaches you finesse and other things too. You'll be the same one after 4 months at the airlines complaining too. Same 6 airports each week and having to actually fly without the autopilot. Rotate positive rate gear up autopilot on. 100 above autopilot off powr and land. Upgrade in 2 years or 4 years doing the same thing. The odds of flying a heavy is slim to none. There are 20year guys still on the 88 or smaller. Never hold the holidays. I have a good friend with 25 plus at AA that still doesn't have seniority to hold Christmas. In fact this year he just will be able to hold. 24 years. He missed 24 Christmases and thanksgivings with his kids. Never saw them. It's not worth it for me. Travel is ok when you can get on the plane. No Positive space. The bonus is ok until year two you're back making 35 an hr. Yeah 75 guaranteed a month. Do the math. No thanks. Hell with the regionals. Stay here for 3k hours or more and go direct to the majors or atlas. Net jets.