Originally Posted by
Excargodog
If you are a military rated pilot with those times you are looking at a relatively quick advancement to a major airline. I wouldn’t even let upgrade time at a regional be a consideration. Every extra MONTH you spend at a regional is going to cost you $20k in lifetime earnings.
So go to a regional that can give you a PROMPT class date, gets you through training expeditiously, and then will fly your butt off. A big signing bonus would be a plus but it pales in comparison to what you will gain or lose if you end up with a prolonged period on reserve.
Get in, get a line, and start cranking out hours. Put apps out to the majors as soon as you have a couple hundred hours of 121 TSIC - or even sooner. The worst move you could make economically is to go to some place you will sit reserve, even if the QOL is great and you’re living in base. Over the next three years there will be a huge increase in hiring. Seniority is everything in this business. Try to be in the vanguard of that surge.
I couldn’t agree more. A few weeks / months seniority is the difference of base, seat lock, and pay / QOL for YEARS considering what happened back when 9/11 happened and even the recession in 2008. Many guys spent their careers on the 73 or mad dog in the right seat for 10+ years instead of right seat in a 777 or left seat in something smaller due to seniority and lack of movement. Postponing upgrade, or larger equipment for any number of reasons turned out to be a horrible decision.
Get in, get your time ASAP, and get out.