Originally Posted by
cessnamann
Mountain Air flies boxes and most of the pilots there fly 300-500 hours a year and make in the mid 30's, as ATR FO's. I clearly stated that I thought it was wrong to be hired at my times. If it meant a better career for me, I would have stayed at my old job for a few extra months to get the 1500 hours. When were you hired at Colgan? If it was the only outfit hiring then I can kind of see going there. But if it was during the regional hiring "boom," what made you choose Colgan?
It may be hypocritical for me to say that there should be higher hour requirements to get hired at a regional now than what I was hired with, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
1. Mountain Air IS a good company. I have applied to them, and would again.
But again you are talking out your a$$: a fourth year FO makes $31,500. To make "the mid 30's" right out of the gate, you need to fly the Caravan (or get hired as an ATR street captain, but I don't think they do that). Unfortunately,
you do not have the
flight time to be hired into the Caravan (heck, you barely have 135 IFR mins).
But many of the folks flying today, would never take a job flying:
- An overgrown 172 with a steam gauge six-pack, no GPS, and no FMS
- five stand-ups per week (effectively, that is the schedule)
- in Toad Lick, Arkansas (been there, done that, got the skeeter bites to prove it) and NOT be able to commute
And do it all SINGLE PILOT, with nobody there to keep you from flying into a mountain.
2. I
will say why I chose Colgan.
I could get and hold a base where I wanted (I have never and probably will never commute).
Colgan flies turbo props. For old fashioned puddle-jumping, there will always be a market for turbo props, so less chance of being furloughed.
And with 5000TT, 2500 PIC AMEL, and 1000 turbine PIC, most regionals wouldn't consider me: too experienced.
3. Yes, you are a hypocrite.