Well yes Mason I am, and I think I am a fairly educated person. I am trying to plan for a life long career in the airline industry, not the regional airline industry. I would like to be in the front wave of hiring at the majors not the end of it, so upgrade time is VERY important to my decision. I can make a few less bucks the next 3 years while I am in my 20s so I can get hired earlier at the majors, and upgrade there faster and make the really big bucks. I would rather make 10k less for a few years now, and make that extra 50k+/yr later. The pilot shortage is coming, period, they cant up the retirement age any further, and the mainline pilots are not going to allow the regional scope to grow much more than it is, over the next 5 years this is going to hit, and its going to hit hard.

If you think you can predict which regional is better to go to right now then you think foolishly, in 3 years Eagle could be CH 7 for all you know, after a very fouled up spin off.

So my friend, yes I am comparing the two, and with sound advice of many friends in the airline industry on all levels. I have met people who picked one job over another because at the time it paid more, and they did not get the PIC turbine time, missed hiring windows, and are now 50 and still an FO at a major, while another guy took the job at the other place is now 55 and a 777 capt.

For example my Dad in 84 took a job at Eastern, instead of Piedmont, which would have put him in with a group of guy that went to USair very soon after. He did this on the advice of my Grandfather who told him, "Piedmont, what is Piedmont? Places like Piedmont come and go, however one thing I can guarantee you, is that there will always be an Eastern Airline." As you can see, things changed quickly, and I doubt anyone saw that coming.

Regardless of that I still want to work at Eagle, its my pick of the two overall for reasons you can read all over this site. However, the point I was trying to make is, IF they both hire me, Colgan is going to give me class date 3 weeks later almost right away, however Eagle will give me the conditional hiring, pending the review board, bg check etc, I am not sure it would be wise to put off/possibly lose Colgan on the gamble it all works out with Eagle. Ever heard a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?