The situation at Lakes isn't the way it was a few years ago. I was able to upgrade when I had 1500 total, and immediately had a DEN base from day 1 (As FO and CA). If I were to think about doing it all over again today, with Lakes having 2+ year upgrades, I wouldn't do it. And, with outstation-basing being a very realistic near-future possibility, I would not come here if I were you. Imagine trying to commute home from a Great Lakes outstation, with Great Lakes being the only air service...Our OT departure performance is...shall we say, just a bit below average, which could easily turn your average commute, from an outstation, into a complete nightmare. Have fun being home about 1 full day per week, with outstation-basing, if you don't want to live in BFE, Kansas. If you get on now, you'll get on at Lakes with a FMN base, get stuck with the 15 month training contract, and then we'll switch to outstation basing, and you'll get moved to BFE, Kansas, all with a 2+ year upgrade.... There's a chance that Lakes could be a good investment, if this industry starts moving in a big way. You could, possibly, get your thousand PIC within a little over 3 years, and catch the hiring wave....that's IF the hiring wave happens, and IF we keep upgrading. Or, you could get stuck in the right seat, have a BFE base, get completely disgruntled and frustrated with your career progression, and income, and just end up quitting flying airplanes all-together, like I've seen a few others do already. Lakes will either be the best thing for your career, or the worst. It's about 50/50 odds right now, as I see it. Do you really want to gamble everything you spent on flight training on those kinds of odds? That's thousands and thousands of dollars at stake. I would wait for the odds to improve for you. The odds of it turning out to be a good idea seem to fluctuate with Lakes every couple of years. Right now, they're not really in your favor. It's up to you....I was working with better odds when I came to Lakes. I don't like bashing Lakes (except around other Lakers), not only because I'm here, but also because it feels like I'm bashing those who made the decision to come here. Don't get me wrong, we have a great pilot group, with not only high quality pilots, but high quality people, as well! For all I dislike about Lakes, the pilot group is one thing I have no complaints about. If you desperately want to come to Lakes, I would wait for our new contract. It should contain provisions which significanty soften the blow of most of what I mentioned above.