I've flight instructed and worked for 4 regionals (U.F.S., Mesaba, Eagle, AWAC) as everything from lav cart boy to captain. Inbetween I've done research at the university mostly on my own dime. Of course everytime I leave an airline to do research I have to start over somewhere else when I go back to flying. My timing usually sucks as to when I get back in. I'd like to get back in at the front of the hiring bubble this time.

I don't think of Colgan as a step up. I think of it as a side step. In the larger scheme of things everything in the regionals is a side step. Even if one regional is a better place to be than another regional at a snap shot in time, that will surely change. It's all an exercise in whipsawing and concessions. In the grand scheme of things over a large period of time all regionals are pretty much the same. Colgan has the advantage of being growing right now, however.

For me a "step up" would be doing contract flying on a regular basis overseas. I don't really see any pathway for me to step up in this country... only side step.

Besides, sometimes the ability and mentality to side step is a good thing. I have nothing to lose.