What regional to go to??
 

I am currently working for a corporate company flying B1900 and citation encores. I have about 1350tt, 900 multi and 870 turbine. I have FMCS and glass experience as well.
I am getting ready to apply to the regionals and I have now idea on where to go. I am new to this and wanted to see if I can get some advice from you guys on here. The reason I am going to the regionals is because currently at my corporate job upgrade time are non existent.

I applied at all the regionals but have no idea on where to go, I am looking for a place that will have the quickest upgrade time!! So if any one has some insight I would really appreciate it!!

Thanks

You have good ME and turbine times, but you will need 1500 hours total time to get an interview in the 121 world nowadays. Keep building hours, and while that is going on take the ATP written exam to get that out of the way. Then get on AirlineApps and file your generalized application and target a few regionals on that system. You will probably get a few calls. Avoid airlines with

• training contracts
• very low pay
• high washout rates

Good luck!

Menards Inc.?

That's who the OP flies for? They just opened one a Menard's here in Wichita. I think it is just a Lowe's/ Home Depot with extra womens items.

Yes Menards.

I have gotten my ATP written done and already filled out my airline apps. Got two calls from Trans States and American Eagle but my friends told me not to interview there and try to wait for SkyWest or Republic. I should be at 1500 but end of July! I spoke to the recruiter at Trans States and he said upgrade times was 14-16 months but not sure if that's true!!

With your flight experience, the best Regional Airline to work for is going to be the one that offers you a job.:cool:

Sounds good thanks for the replies!

With that job, why go with any regional? You will be getting TPIC time soon enough, better pay and benefits, no commuting. What's not to like?

GF

I'll second that.

To upgrade at my current job is about 10-15 years if that, the captains that work here love it and don't want to leave. FO pay is about the same as first year pay at the regional and stays that way until you upgrade! The schedule is great but It's not worth to sit here for that long.

Don't take the TransStates interview. Pilots hate that place, we get disparaging posts from the pilots all day long. Nearly half the new guys wash out of training because they are too cheap to pay for extra sim if you aren't getting the point fast enough. Republic gets a lot of negative press, Eagle is much better, better still Skywest. The latter is not hiring right now. Maybe also try Expressjet.

No disrespect- but cub hasnt flown at any of them. Wait for reg guys to chime in. Eagle is a risk right now. Skywest has a decent contract along with wisco and xprsjet. Rahs contract sucks but if you live in base and hold a line, its not that bad. Piedmonts contract is alright but the planes are old and youll sweat yur ass off in the summers+6-8 leg days are tough. Mesa is mesa. Good luck bro.

Not all corporate jobs are a dream career. In fact, most aren't. I left a job as a CJ3 captain for a regional (SkyWest) several years ago, and don't regret it a bit.

What regional to go to??
 

Your first consideration should be where these carriers have bases that would allow you to minimize / eliminate a commute. Where do you live?

I live in Minnesota

Yea I know what u mean working at Menards is good but I cant see myself ending up here

Apply to Compass, should have the quickest upgrade and in MN. Hear good things.

Agreed. In the OPs situation, I would choose Compass, followed by SkyWest (they have a junior MSP base).

That's my plan but I don't think they are hiring till delta does something, according to the recruiters. Also Skywest is a good option but recruiter said about 6 years for upgrade! Any one know some guys at Skywest?

Eagle is in talks of adding a "B" scale from the rumors I hear. Not a true scale, but actaully an entire contract the closely mirrors GoJet's. Just rumors, but Doug Parker wants Eagle to operate cheaper to stay 'on cost'.

Republic or Trans States?? Or wait it out.
 

I am getting ready to apply to the regionals and have no idea where to go. Republic and Trans States are among the few that seem to be hiring at the moment. I was at a job fair last month in chicago and after talking with alot of the recruiters it seemed like Trans States had the quickest upgrade times. The Trans States recuiter told me I could upgrade in 16 months? Not sure if that's true or just a recruiting tactic.
my goals are to try and fly with a reginal that would potentionally have some quick upgrades. I have about 1350tt, 900 multi and 870 turbine, got my ATP written completed and airlineapps filled out. I have FMS and glass experience as well and should be at 1500tt by the end of July.

I am new to this and wanted to see if I can get some advice from anyone on here.

Thanks

Apply everywhere they are accepting applications. Then when you get offers, weigh your options and then decide what is best for you and your family. Don't limit your options (in spite of the turn this thread will take shortly) by limiting where you apply. Additionally it is good experience to have done multiple interviews. It will build your interview experience and improve your future performance at interviews.

I agree...I have three interviews scheduled for the last two weeks of June alone, still waiting to schedule the interview with TSA. Inevitably, the thread will turn into the standard XXX sucks nonsense, but that is the nature of the regional business it seems...

To echo gearwdownflaps30, apply EVERYWHERE. Learn where their bases are and which would have the easiest commutes.

Even though you're telling them you'll have 1500 by the end of July my guess is you'll get a lot more feedback from recruiters when you're AirlineApps account actually says 1500.

I'll let some actual Waterski folks comment on the upgrade times, but from what I know for a small group of folks hired at exactly the right time a very short upgrade is certainly possible as they add airframes and existing pilots move on to other positions. That said, the later it gets in a given hiring cycle the longer the upgrade has the potential to be.

At TSA those quick upgrades now will be for people who have the time, which the OP does not.

Don't count on 16 months. Most regionals are hiring. Don't limit yourself to just TSA and Republic. FWIW I was told I'd be on reserve for 6 months and upgrade in 2 years. Well 2 years later I'm still on reserve. Recruiters just tell you what you want to hear.

go to skywest if you can, then air whisky, then tsa, stay away from peidmont, psa and really far away from republic. anyone will hire you now a days

As far as Republic, where are the new hires going? They have a few operations with the E-170s, -135/145s, and Q400s.

Agreed! This is definitely the best approach and advice. Oh, and enjoy the experience and have fun with it! The regionals are a hell of a ride!

What he said. Worry about QOL and an easy commute, because in the end that is the only thing that will keep you sane when your raking in the big bucks as a first year FO<sarcasm>.

JESUS this thread is like reliving the nightmare that began in 2007. Do yourself a favor, if you have the ATP min YOU get to chose where you work. WHY is the world would you chose to work at TSA? Find a place with better pay, QOL, Benefits (yes benefits, uncle hooley treats his pilots like mushrooms, he keeps them in the dark and feeds them S&^*). Hold out for SkyWest, seems to be the place right now. Id say XJT but its a total charlie foxtrot.

I would say there would be a big difference between sitting reserve for years at a large company and not having to spend much time that way at a smaller one.

I would stay away from RAH & TSA. Hold out for Skywest, Expressjet, or Air Wisconsin. I would even go to Eagle over RAH & TSA.

And the reasoning would be? I have interviews with PSA, TSA, Eagle and XJT in the next three weeks and I am quite curious as to the actual rather than perceived differences...

Use your crystal ball. Every regional has their share of problems and all their futures are questionable. I'm sure it's been said earlier, but go to the airline that allows you to live close to home. You can't chase an upgrade at the regional.

Upgrades aren't my driving factor, even though I meet those mins just about everywhere, I'm merely chasing the least amount of reserve sitting.

With that time you can NOT upgrade in 16 months. Right now guys are leaving IOE and go straight into a line. By the time your class hits the line that may longer be the case and you'd be stuck on reserve for a while. TSA is very small so it doesn't take much for major changes to take place (7 planes took upgrade time from like 7 years down to less than 1 year) So keep in mind that losing just a few planes will mean a massive furlough and downgrade (again).

Another interesting thing that has happened at TSA over the past few years is that the captain list got fairly senior. Now this sets up an interesting scenario where its hard to say how many captains will leave TSA if given the chance. While some guys will leave others have now gotten to the point where they get paid enough and get enough days off to deal with TSA "awesomeness", other guys are lazy/comfortable and don't want to be "new" somewhere else. Others have had more kids, bought bigger houses, etc and now find themselves in circumstances where they literally just can not take the pay cut from what they are making now to first year pay somewhere else.

I guess long story short don't come to TSA for the quick upgrade....in fact don't go anywhere for the quick upgrade.

Best thing I can say is go where you wouldn't mind getting stuck for 10 years or longer...thats the way you need to look at it.

XJT, AE, PSA in that order. No, I didn't omit anything.

The "best" place to work today, will not be the "best" place to work tomorrow. It's a gamble.