I've read enough.

You're thinking of CRJ camping trips. If your day starts at 10 pm why the hell do you need a hotel for a 3-4 hour lay over, its done during daylight hours all of the time. Not that I am defending it, but seriously, would you like a back rub while you wait Mr. Hughes?

I am starting to think it should be mandatory for new hire to have had a real job in the real word before they come work as an airline pilot. Dig a ditch for 6 bucks an hour, stand a post, wait a table.

Fly for a ****ty cargo hauler, that will keep your money when you resign and sends releases out with crap like, "This should be enough fuel to make the flight". Room with your captain in a $35 a night hotel with double beds because they won't get you separate rooms. "That was the last straw by the way." Then get an airline job. You'll appreciate it more. As bad as this place screws with you, they've got nothing on Skyway.

Why isn't anyone up in arms about Great Lakes. These poor guys are working on the same rates as the late 1990's but no one is flaming them, nor should they.

To set the record straight as a B1900 FO, their is no sleeping on the aircraft. I will say this, I am twice the pilot for having flown it. There are no buttons to push, no FA's to bring you a coffee or open the doors for pax but its a great bird to fly. Its kind of funny when you’re in an interview with 30 other guys and the recruiter comes in saying they’re hiring for the 1900 and all of the young guys with bright shinny jets in their eyes groan. They can tell who not to hire right then. Saves a lot of time.

Everyone makes their own decisions for their own reasons. The pilots here during the last negotiations took a huge hit to get the freedom flying under the MESA seniority list and everyone should be grateful for it.

TSA is doing the same crap to their pilots and if your a GoJetter and get stuck renting a car because you can't get a ride, you have that coming.

The pay is not that different, a first year FO can make 25-30 if they cover a TDY or two. Outstation basing for the 1900s blows but that is the nature of EAS. Cost of living is a lot cheaper in the little towns though. Crash pads are a couple hundred bucks at most.

I am not promoting Mesa to up and comers by any means, in fact stay away. The interviews are sparse, we will benefit in the next round of contract talks. All I am saying is get the facts not BS from somebody throwing gas on the nearest flame.

As a final note you will not find a finer bunch of people then the pilots at Mesa, maybe its because we are all in this mess together but when a guy flying the same equipment for Colgan has the audacity to look down on you for flying at Mesa you just want to drop him on the moving walk, someday maybe…


Flame On!