Originally Posted by sargeanb

Hello all. Long time lurker, but I don't post much these days. This one is a bit long-winded...my apologies😁 I'm a 12th year regional capt. I'll start off by saying I have two 121 failures.

I know you all will ask, so I'll briefly explain them. The first was a PC as an FO. After an ILS to a pub missed, once in the hold the CKA pulled the throttles back and said to give him a stall to the left. I did, but I recovered to 250 kts instead of the 210 we started at. I also did not remain in the hold since I leveled the wings to recover. He told me to re-enter the hold immediately. I cranked it over a bit too much and got a bank angle warning. That was it, pink slip.

The second, and worst of the two was my upgrade fed ride. We had to load ballast due to a fwd CG, which was rare in that airplane. It was close to departure time and I got in a hurry. I asked the ramp if it was OK to release the parking brake (to get on the clock) and they said yes, so I did. However, I forgot that they were still loading ballast, which I would have noticed if I'd run the before start check like I was supposed to. It was over before it began. It was a very stupid mistake from a brand new capt, and needless to say I never made that mistake again.

That was over 5 years ago. I passed the rechecks on both no problem. Since then I've had 5 PCs, an aircraft transition with another fed ride, and plenty of line checks, all without issue. I'm 37, have nearly 10K hrs with 4K 121 PIC, a masters degree, and plenty of letters of rec. I've been applying to 4 of the big 6 for years, and can't get a call...I'm sure the failures are why. The worst part of it is I can't even get to an interview to have a chance to explain them.

My question is, should I give up on the big 6 and shoot for an LCC? I currently drive to work, have enough seniority to hold a good schedule, and am making decent money. My regional flies for 3 legacies, which provides some job security. I really see no reason to leave unless a major calls. Job security, a decent amount of time at home, and earning potential are my three biggest concerns, in that order. I just keep seeing my peers moving on, and I'm happy for them, but I'm starting to feel left behind. I'm not sure if it's the right move to stay where I am and keep hoping. Thanks for your time.