noshepherd

is there a single regional airline out there that is good enough to sit on? one that doesn't nuke your work/life balance, QOL and drive to even bother with this career?
i'm seriously considering it because i don't feel like dealing with the financials of both a bachelor's and the ridiculous flight training costs.

Myfingershurt

Just do a little networking and find a sweet corporate gig.

TransWorld

1. Several of the majors (the big 6) are hiring pilots without a bachelor’s degree. Read these threads and see which ones those are.

2. “The ridiculous flight training costs”… you have to have the same 1,500 hours before you can go to work for a major, just the same 1,500 hours that is required for a regional. The difference is most majors hire pilots who have some regional experience and additional hours with the regionals. You get paid while working as a regional pilot. There is no additional flight training cost out of your pocket.

noshepherd

actually in regard to the large airlines- i've been told atlas does not require a 4 year degree. is this true? it's honestly the only big one i have a strong interest in

QRH Bingo

You need to provide a little additional information to get any useful advice here. Your question is quite broad and sounds a bit naive as well, which is why you're here asking questions, right?

How old are you? Are you still in high school, with little income and just looking for options about what to do with your life? Or are you under 30, just starting a career you're not happy in? Or are you over 30, in an established career and potentially looking at a career change? These factors can change what advice you may receive and options available to you.

As mentioned above, training costs are sorta "pre-set" to get to a point where you are hirable. The biggest variable comes with the attachment of a college degree along with your pilot certificates. There are many ways to cut costs and trim the fat throughout the process which you can search for on here or google.

If you are young, or even looking for a career change, there is no need to complete the degree AND pilot certificates at the same time. The degree can be completed while working at a part 135 operator or while at a regional airline if you still feel the desire to complete it prior to going to a major. However, all majors have removed this requirement to apply, even if you loose some points for not having it.

You ask about best balance between work & homelife yet mention eyeing Atlas... Are you aware they utilize a schedule that typically has you gone 2 weeks at a time? Maybe that's appealing to you, I don't know. Building seniority at a regional will typically come fast, which will vastly improve your QOL should you choose to stick it out there. The biggest variable with that would be choosing a base to "settle down" in as they can change, and at times without notice.

hydrostream

I'm comfortable at my regional. I drive to work, make good money, fly a nice airplane, enjoy our overnights and generally like going to work. It's a good job.

The thing is that I know I can do better. The compensation, quality of life, career progression, variety, options that come with a job somewhere else are too good to ignore.

So yeah, you could stay at a regional. I dare say you could be happy there and you certainly wouldn't be the first to make a career out of it. But why?

TransWorld

Please go read the Altas threads, you can research that over the last 6 to 12 months of posts and get your answers. I am not up to speed with them, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

You can post on their threads and ask those that fly with Atlas, directly. They are listed under the Cargo folder.

JohnBurke

By "sit on," do you mean stay with that regional airline for the long term, or for one's entire career? What do yo mean by "good enough?"

What do you mean by "nuke," and what is your work/life balance?

QOL, meaning "quality of life?" That's subjective: what do you mean by quality of life, or more appropriately, what does it mean to you?

When you say "bother with this career," to what career do you refer? Specifically regional airlines? Career as a pilot? Career in aviation? You indicate later that Atlas is your target airline. Atlas is not a regional. What do you mean by "this career?"

You're seriously considering regional airlines because you don't want to bother obtaining a bachelor degree, and because you don't like the cost of flight training? How will obtaining employment with a regional change the costs of your flight training?

noshepherd

"You indicate later that Atlas is your target airline. Atlas is not a regional."




with a simple reading comprehension that you supposedly should have attained through your oh-so important bachelor's degree, you would have seen that i referred to atlas as "one of the large airlines" and a "big one" [obviously not regional]

already gave you a response in the other thread but i guess it's up to the mods whether or not the post will even show up (it likely won't)

Otterbox

Absolutely not. I’ve watched regional lifers with 20+ years dedicated to their company lose their job because their mainline partner nixed their flying because CASM was x% cheaper at the other place.

You don’t need a bachelors for most airlines anymore, even legacies.

You’re going to be better off working for a company that flies it’s own passengers or cargo, not one where the flight is “operated by” your company.