IMHO, I would agree that XJT would be a crapshoot. Being and ASA employee, I'm by no means saying what we have is better, but the uncertainty of a 69 a/c drop would concern me. XJT is a great place to work, but you have to go where you get your PIC time & move on.

ASA is my 3rd airline and the grass is rarely greener on the other side. We have many faults and many positives. We are also in the tail end (I hope) of an exhausting 4 year fight on our contract.

I really don't care how much crap I get from others here, but if I were you, I would consider a carrier that is growing rapidly for the quickest upgrade that I can get. Our most junior Captain was hired in 2001 (that's a 5 year upgrade). Mesa and Chautauqua both have a quicker upgrade (because they are growing). Heck, for that matter, Mesa is hiring Capt's off the street for the Dash-8 for Delta Connection out of the Northeast.

Fact of the matter is that YOU have to get the PIC Turbine time if you want to go to a Major. Regardless of all the bitching and griping about the "*****s" of the industry, they are the ones moving up quicker, getting the PIC time and moving on to bigger and better things.

Don't let anyone try to convince you that the Mesa's, Chautauquas & Gulfstreams will hurt your chances of getting on with the majors. That's a bunch of bull**it. I know plenty of them now that are laughing all the way to the bank at CAL, SWA, etc.

Do what YOU have to do to get the PIC time in the quickest way possible and move on.