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Commutair or Expressjet?

Old 01-09-2019, 05:27 PM
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Default Commutair or Expressjet?

I have offers from Commutair and Expressjet. Both look like great options for new hires for reasons outlined below. Please let me know your input on a couple factors I'm using to make my decision:

My priorities are listed the following order:

1) New York domicile.
2) Maximum flight time.
3) Quickest class date and training pipeline.
4) Upgrade time
5) Variety of flying
6) Pay / Work rules

Here's how I see them measure up. Tell me if I'm wrong, or if you have something to add to this list.

1) NYC domicile: EWR is the junior base for both. Tie.
2) Most Flight time: Expressjet and Commutair pilots have both said a new FO at EWR can fly as much as legally allowed. Tie.
3) Quick Class date and training: Both have immediate start, and offer 80-90 day training (including IOE) without delays or long breaks. Tie.
4) Upgrade time: Commutair is upgrade at 1000 hrs with company (~18 months). Expressjet projects that "if the company gets all 171 airplanes, all current FOs will have the opportunity to upgrade inside of 24 months." Commutair wins. Commutair upgrade is based on current need for captains, Expressjet's "24 month" hopeful is based on projections. The junior captain at Expressjet was hired in 2011.
5) Variety: Expressjet flies to Canada, Mexico, and as far west as Colorado. Commutair flies to the east coast and the ohio river valley. Expressjet wins.
6) Pay / work rules: Expressjet wins. With EQO, they pay $50 per hour.

Intangibles: Expressjet has AQP and "best in class" training. Do you think this is worth considering?

Commutair IS ACTUALLY growing. Expressjet hopes to grow. Their addition of 4 E175s per month will create vacancies and movement in Houston, but probably not EWR.

Expressjet flew 376,627 hours in all of 2018 (source). With 1400 pilots, that's only 269 hours per pilot, and down by 38% from 2017. Going there with a top priority of getting flight time is putting a lot of stock into hope.

Commutair doesn't report their annual traffic, or at least I can't find it on the internet. Can anyone help?

What do you think? I am leaning toward Commutair because they match Expressjet in domicile, training time, and win out for upgrade time and are a better bet for the "most" flight time.

Anything else you think I should consider?
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Old 01-09-2019, 05:38 PM
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Guess you can’t wait for a Republic class date? Republic blows both out of the water on all of your other points. I certainly understand though.
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Old 01-09-2019, 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by knewyork View Post
Guess you can’t wait for a Republic class date?
Correct. Home domicile, lots of flight time, and quick class date: All three are deal breakers for me.
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Old 01-10-2019, 03:57 AM
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Originally Posted by watch View Post
Correct. Home domicile, lots of flight time, and quick class date: All three are deal breakers for me.
Republic has bigger bases in EWR and LGA than either of them but I understand the delay is an issue.
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Old 01-10-2019, 05:02 AM
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I’m at C5. Was at XJT. PM me.


Originally Posted by watch View Post
I have offers from Commutair and Expressjet. Both look like great options for new hires for reasons outlined below. Please let me know your input on a couple factors I'm using to make my decision:

My priorities are listed the following order:

1) New York domicile.
2) Maximum flight time.
3) Quickest class date and training pipeline.
4) Upgrade time
5) Variety of flying
6) Pay / Work rules

Here's how I see them measure up. Tell me if I'm wrong, or if you have something to add to this list.

1) NYC domicile: EWR is the junior base for both. Tie.
2) Most Flight time: Expressjet and Commutair pilots have both said a new FO at EWR can fly as much as legally allowed. Tie.
3) Quick Class date and training: Both have immediate start, and offer 80-90 day training (including IOE) without delays or long breaks. Tie.
4) Upgrade time: Commutair is upgrade at 1000 hrs with company (~18 months). Expressjet projects that "if the company gets all 171 airplanes, all current FOs will have the opportunity to upgrade inside of 24 months." Commutair wins. Commutair upgrade is based on current need for captains, Expressjet's "24 month" hopeful is based on projections. The junior captain at Expressjet was hired in 2011.
5) Variety: Expressjet flies to Canada, Mexico, and as far west as Colorado. Commutair flies to the east coast and the ohio river valley. Expressjet wins.
6) Pay / work rules: Expressjet wins. With EQO, they pay $50 per hour.

Intangibles: Expressjet has AQP and "best in class" training. Do you think this is worth considering?

Commutair IS ACTUALLY growing. Expressjet hopes to grow. Their addition of 4 E175s per month will create vacancies and movement in Houston, but probably not EWR.

Expressjet flew 376,627 hours in all of 2018 (source). With 1400 pilots, that's only 269 hours per pilot, and down by 38% from 2017. Going there with a top priority of getting flight time is putting a lot of stock into hope.

Commutair doesn't report their annual traffic, or at least I can't find it on the internet. Can anyone help?

What do you think? I am leaning toward Commutair because they match Expressjet in domicile, training time, and win out for upgrade time and are a better bet for the "most" flight time.

Anything else you think I should consider?
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Old 01-10-2019, 07:40 AM
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There are several of us that work at CommutAir that used to work at expressjet (some of us for 9 years). Commutair passes all of your priorities except the variety of flying. Our contract is weak, but I make a lot more money at commutair than I used to at expressjet. The morale is also a lot better at commutair as well.
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Old 01-10-2019, 11:33 AM
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Both are good but you can't go wrong with CommutAir. Better moral - more growth - receive a line within 1-2 months (if not less) in EWR - and faster CPP with United. ExpressJet may have the shiny E-Jets but the first few months will most likely go to the top and most senior pilots...good luck getting on that.
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Old 01-10-2019, 12:18 PM
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The morale* is just fine at ExpressJet these days.
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Old 01-10-2019, 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by PontiusPilot View Post
The morale* is just fine at ExpressJet these days.
Not from what I hear.
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Old 01-10-2019, 03:20 PM
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CommutAir is a great choice. Training and instructors (ground and sim) are top notch, growing route map, more planes coming, great pilot group. There are different regionals, not better ones.
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