Originally Posted by
TheDashRocks
I begin upgrade training on September 3. It is a pretty scary thought, but a couple of wise airline vets told me never to pass up an upgrade opportunity. All I can do is study my butt off in the meantime and try my best to rise to the occasion.
Choosing an airline, if you are lucky enough to have a choice, is a roll of the dice. For me it came down to;
- The easiest possible commute to SAN. (It seemed like years before I would hold SAN with SKW).
- I really wanted to fly the Dash.
- Upgrades and improvements in seniority seemed as if they would happen more quickly with Mesa.
Holy smokes. I absolutely would not be ready to go from new hire IOE to captain. Godspeed to you on that ! I wonder if it was like this in the last days of Nazi Germany... "hey private, you're a general now. Good luck with the war, but we're leaving for Argentina now. Sieg Hile !"
As to your points;
1. You could have probably gotten San Diego within the year. The most junior is a 35xxx number, probably hired in the last 6 months. Also, the FO's on the EMB are holding a line from just about day one. If you're commuting anyway, anything with a one leg and lots of service is good.
2. We don't have the Dash. What's the attraction to that plane ?
3. Upgrades and seniority certainly will happen faster at Mesa. No question. They lost half their pilot workforce last year.
I hope you get your upgrade, if that's what you want. Actually, I hope the company doesn't go under before you get the ATP. Good luck.
I do my type ride on the late night of Aug 4, at the SkyWest meca of St. George, UT.