This thread really got taken over by a**holes. Well, to be the contrarian, I like it at Colgan Air. I work about 4 days a week, give or take. I only work about 10 hours a day (pretty average as regionals go), and aside from mx and weather problems here and there, as at every other air carrier in the world, I'm pretty well back every night when I plan to be, and generally get about 14 hours rest. I don't live at my base, I commute to it, and I choose to do so, so I don't want to hear any idiots say I just like it because I'm home every night. I would also disregard anyone who accuses me of only liking it because I am new, because that's not the case either. This is a great place to work, if that's what you want it to be, but it could also be really bad if that's what you made out of it. It's all up to you.

Colgan will not, contrary to the opinions of these morons, make you fly a plane that is, in fact, not safe. They will also not force you to fly a plane when you've been on over 16 hours and you do not think it is safe for yourself to do so. They do not do these things because they do not want to loose their certificate, and certificate action against any carrier would be certain if they were shown to engage in those activities. I challenge anyone with stories to the contrary to provide evidence other than little anecdotes.

I am not saying it is not important for pilots to understand and be vigilant about the rules they're operating under, on the contrary, it is of the utmost importance, as it is at any airline. But it is also important to make sure that you really do understand all the rules. There have been a lot more arguments between pilots and scheduling or dispatch that ended in the pilot being the one who was wrong, but I've never seen one of those stories told here. And for the guy who thinks our only goal should be to unionize or put the company under, you might be an idiot. I'm willing to bet your time here was characterized by a lot of petty arguments with scheduling, and payroll, and probably every other department that had the pleasure of dealing with you, and now that you're out, you're taking pride in your little crusade against the jerks. Well shut up, it's obnoxious.

That Saab guy, who has evidently concluded he is an industry expert, pointed out that North American and Miami Air are not major airlines. That is true. But UPS and Continental are. If his point is that time as a Colgan pilot does not make one marketable to major airlines, and I think that is the point he is driving at, he is also an idiot. I am not going to question his career choice in moving to another regional, I wish he wouldn't insult my choice in staying here until I can move up instead of simply over.

I also hear a lot about planes with 9 MELs (or 7, whatever). I've never seen that, I've never heard of that, and I don't expect that I ever will. I did fly a plane tonight with an MEL, it was for the logo light. OOOOHHHHH. I'm lucky I made it through that one. I did have dispatch try to sneak a release by me last week without an MEL on it that should have been there. So I called them. Then they pen and inked it onto the release. Then they apologized to ME for forgetting. WOW, I don't know who those jerks think they are, I'm lucky my super pilot wit allows me to stay a step ahead of evil/nincompoop dispatchers.

Don't get me wrong, I don't intend to retire here either, but I do intend to enjoy myself until the time comes for me to move on, and if anyone reading this thinks that is a bad way to go through life, I encourage them to commit suicide.

Congratulations on getting the call for the interview. You said you are 20, so, in all honesty, you might find that you would be happier at an RJ carrier where you will be able to make more as an FO since you won't be upgrading soon anyway. On the other hand, flying here is a lot of fun, and most of the crews are pretty cool. It's up to you though, best of luck with whatever you decide.