Originally Posted by
EngineOut
CRJ is better if you want to fly...a lot. You'll learn a lot, get valuable experience in every sort of environment you could imagine. Your seniority will skyrocket, you'll be able to better your schedule sooner, fly the 700/900 (much nicer, nicer trips, more pay). PLUS, you won't be hesitant to upgrade into the CRJ (pretty quick now), as a lot of FOs have been who never experienced the CRJ. Most of the growth will be Central and East.
ERJ is a nice airplane, pay is ok. Easy (almost too easy at times) to fly. Training is excellent and improving. Bases are arguably better. You could always transition to it after a year (I think). Most of the growth will be West.
All the pros could be cons. It's all how you look at it. Either way, you'll get into a groove and feel comfortable in 6 months to a year.
SkyWest is a great place to be. Not perfect, but you have every opportunity to get what you need out of them if you stay away from the gripers and moaners. I rarely ran into any, though. I think APC magnifies our perceptions of negativity. There are 4,500 pilots at SkyWest. How many SkyWest pilots are posting here regularly?
Seniority for me over the last few months has been an average of 10% a month in ORD on the FO side. I'm sure it'll slow down soon though as I start to get below the people who live here.
700/900 trips don't pay extra until after your first year.
Upgrade is indeed fast. Like, you have the hours, you're good fast...street captain fast.
I'm a positive guy, but I have plenty of things I can moan about if desired. Screw support will live up to their name. If you're CRJ, I hope you live in base, otherwise your life will probably suck. Minimum days off, then include getting extended into days off (for whatever reason, mx, wx, etc.) and then trying to commute home would be rough.
Do NOT expect scheduling flexibility on the CRJ. I'm by no means senior yet, but bidding for minimum credit nets you 95 hours credit in ORD. I have all Fridays and Saturdays off this month though, as well as some Thursdays (weee). That's with a weekends off bid. I also burned my first 4 layers trying to get the 1st-4th off, decreasing to just the 1st off on layer 4. No other parameters. Was awarded a 4-day starting on the 4th
