All to happy to reply, at the time I was working at SKYwest, there where only 5 black pilots at Skywest out of approximately 1800 at the time, and I was and am still friends with them. Here is the funy thing that happened. I had a good friend that was in contact with the Chief pilot at the LAX station. He had told this particular chief pilot about me being a hard worker and that I would be a great FO candidate. the chief pilot indicated that he would be more than happy to write me a letter of reccomendation. When I told 3 out of the five pilots I mentioned earlier, they all indicated that was fine and all, but that once he saw me he would retract his offer. When asked why, they said I would find out , and that was that. To make a long story short. My friend took me to the chief pilot office and had me wait outside, while he reminded him about me. The Chief pilot was all go from the conversation. When my friend told me to come on in to the office, thats when things changed. His smile dissapeared and he immediatley turned back to his computer, and stated the following." If your already working here, that should be good enough". My freind looked at him confused and was dumbfounded. When we got outside he just said what the hell happened. I knew,and just thanked him. When I told the other black pilots about that, they where not shocked at all. Was I bitter? no. I just figured it was an isolated incident, but then another knucklehead showed the same attitude again when he stated that I belonged in the back of the plane loading it when I reaplied later on. It's not a race card. It's sometimes is though, and to point it out does not make me choose the race card. The other airlines that turned me down had there own reasons, but at Skywest I truly believe they have an issue with race. Are they a good company? NO! they are great! As I stated the folks that fly for MESA have theire reasons. None of us wants to work for a crappy company, but if you do work for one, make it work for you somehow someway. IM 38 years old and have had jobs from steel mills, slaughter housees to cleaning sewers in LosAngeles, so Mesa is a peace of cake. It all depends on your basis of camparisons, and how bad you want to reach your ultimate goal.