Leave Regional for Wheels Up during COVID
 

Hello,

I'm struggling with a decision.

I'm was recently recalled as an FO to a WO AA regional. I also have a job offer from Wheels Up. I was on the senior side in the furlough and currently sit at around high 13XX out of 1850. Our airline has 130 planes. Wheels up is offering me more money. I calculated that over next 10 years I'll make more flying for WU. I've never flown charter before and always wanted to end up at a major, but I'm seriously concerned about the recovery since the vaccine roll out is slow, possible mandate for testing for domestic travel that'd kill the demand and overall poor financial health of the airlines and the economy. But I understand that to have a better shot at a good 121 job I have to stay at 121 which is what makes this a hard decision. I have no family.

If you've flown charter how do you like it? What would you do?
Looking for some wisdom on this one.

Just my opinion, If you are flexible lifestyle and don’t care about having specific days off, go for it. However, if you relish QOL and view “flow” as a benefit, then suggest being patient and supplement your income with a side gig.

Have seen both sides of this coin. PM me and I’ll give you a breakdown of the pros and cons of each. Big picture....it all comes down to your personal situation and lifestyle.

Wisdom? Who knows? A second opinion? Sure.

Regional 121 hours give you a better shot at many majors but AA mainline isn’t going to be hiring for a long time and when they are they’ll be hiring as few WO guys as possible to try to keep their feeders full. But you are also going to be stuck as an FO for a long time where you are, and not getting TPIC. And TPIC tends to be the price of admission at most majors, and certainly at the Big Four.

Truthfully, unless you aren’t hirable at a major except by flow or have your heart set on the Big Four, I’d put in apps to the two majors that are hiring right now (F9 & NK), maybe Breeze and Allegiant as well, and take the Wheels Up job. Make more money, see the world, get another type, maybe start getting TPIC sooner.

Right now it seems like SWA, and the ULCCs are going to lead this recovery, probably by at least two years. Will you make more money flying for the Big Three over the course of your career? Possibly. Over the next decade? Doubtful.

Yeah and I doubt there's going to be a lot of hiring going on at United or Delta either. So I doubt that there'll be a lot of movement at the regionals soon.

135 is a whole different animal. While we have dispatchers, at this point they’re just there to make sure that proposed trips will work and as a backup to us on decisions for weather, alternates, routes etc. We, as pilots, are ultimately in charge of planning flights, completing and submitting performance paperwork, submitting post flight paperwork, completing some MELs/NEFs (with input from maintenance control), light cleaning and restocking of the aircraft, loading/unloading bags, giving passenger briefs, etc.

If that sounds right up your alley, go for it. But if you like to board your aircraft turn left and close the door, probably not for you. Definitely more income opportunity at the Majors over a career if you can make it there and you like that kind of flying.

In 7.5 years of 135 on demand flying, I don’t think there has ever been 1, 8-day block where I didn’t visit at least 1 new airport.

Since you've already punched the 121 ticket, that helps for future progression to majors.

Normally it wouldn't look good in the eyes of majors for a regional pilot to switch to 135, especially if you're still on probation (they might think you were asked to leave or didn't like the lifestyle). But you got furloughed, and COVID, so I'm sure that would be fine under these circumstances.

But as you said, the safest path to 121, is 121, especially 121 TPIC and ideally LCA or sim instructor.

How long do you have to accept recall? If it’s some long period of time, you may be able to push that decision out for awhile. There are certainly a lot of people in your shoes that are part way through a training contract that know how to approach this.

I have a buddy from the same shop that was in a similar situation. He landed a Cargo T-PIC gig on the 135 side and will be turning down his recall. What do times look like for upgrades at Wheels up? Also, I have to ask, at your shop that you got furloughed from, are you a commuter and can you hold R1 consistently?

Upgrades are kind of up in the air. 2 years or so. I don't commute and was R1 before the furlough.