I sent an application to Delta, United, Continental, Southwest etc. I guess they weren't impressed with all my flight instructing time. They said something about needing turbine time.

I thought ASA was a better choice than Mesa, GoJet, TSA, or Gulf Stream Academy. ASA certainly doesn't have a mainline contract but it's better than the aforementioned so since I have to get my turbine experience somewhere (like all of us do when we sign up for a regional hoping to go to a major) I thought ASA would be a "lesser of two evils."

I certainly didn't want to pay $32,000 (I didn't have it anyways) to join the First Officer program at Gulf Stream.

I didn't take the 50 seaters from the majors, chapter 11 and a lack of foresight by mainline pilots relaxed scope and allowed them to end up at the regionals. If I could give them back I'd gladly would even if I couldn't find another flying job for years. I'm definitely encouraged by every Delta mainline pilot I meet that wants to hold the line on scope and stop the growth of the regionals and I'll do everything in my power to help them keep 100 seaters at mainline.

Since the 50 seater ship has set sail and I need turbine time to get to the majors I'd thought I'd work for a regional with a better contract (even if it is only slightly better) than one that simply had quick upgrade times.