For those who thinking to apply
 

Training: it’s getting better than it use to be and I believe we getting AQP soon.
For CFI with no jet or turboprop experience it’s going to be just fine. Training department will work with you unless your have a bad attitude and don’t want to learn. No delays so far. And we have LCP for IOE for now

Reserve: it’s sucks. You will have 11 days off per month but it’s standard for regionals. As a junior reservist you will be on airport stb. You will be seating at crew room or terminal for 8h unless they assign flying for you. You will fly from 20-70h a month on reserve depends on your luck. Also you will be able to pick up flying from open time 72h prior your reserve shift. But normally it’s a 0 open time at this point. We also have short and long call reserve but you need seniority to hold it. Short call is 2h call out and long call 12h call out. I believe at some cases scheduling can convert you to airport stb. Some times you will be extended to your days off but they pay you extra money for that and restore your day off. You will have 6 hotels per bid period (month) and per new LOA you will be able to use it during your reserve block.

Line flying: you will have 12-14 days off as junior line holder. You may not receive days off what you want and your trips probably going to be low credit and have a long seat between legs. Some of them won’t be commutable but we have a bunch of commutable trips. Also we have ability to trade our trips during line improvement period LIP and also during a month you could trade your trips with open time or other pilots (crew scheduling have to approve it via email or phone call). You will be extended on your days off and in some cases they won’t restore your lost day but they will pay your extra money.

Upgrade: you will be able to bid upgrade only when you have 950h of qualified flight time (121 135 or 91k) and you most likely be awarded a class in two months. You must have 950h before bid closes (I believe 18th of the month) if you shay 1 hour no bueno you will wait next month. You will get a CA pay as soon as you pass your upgrade PC. IAD is senior on CA side if you get IAD as a CA be ready for long reserve.

Aviate: we still have ppl who interviewed back in 2019-2021 and opt in ppl (flow) few days ago all of got email with projected transition date. Opt in (flow) ppl who were here since 2018 got for transition dates from April 2023 to December 2024. Ppl with less seniority looking for 2026. Who knows how long it takes for new hire.. I would say 2026 at best and remember it’s no pure flow u have to be a “good” pilot. No more than 4 sick calls in rolling 365 days. No more than one training failure. No sick call over company holidays etc.. you see some pressure here right.

Pay: the best advice here just go to company page on this website and do the math. Hourly rate * 1000h = rough number for your annual wage. And sign in bonus. Insurance is average here nothing special. 401k is peanuts compare to majors. Vacation its garbage here. For first year you will have only floating vacation days and to use them you have to submit your request during LIP or on daily basis to crew planing and crew scheduling. 90% of the time they won’t approve it due reserve coverage. I’ve ask what is sufficient reserve coverage answer was “it depends” clear as mud.

Retention bonus: unless you want to wait 4-5 years to flow to UA don’t take it because you will have to pay back all and deal with IRS to get your taxes back. In current hiring climate I don’t know who is willing to wait at C5. FOs with little as 250h getting CJO from Frontier Spirit JB Avelo ABX Amerijet ATI Atlas. With more experience ppl leaving for AA FedEx SouthWest Delta Alaska.

Equipment: ERJ145XR good old loud slow jet ! I would say it’s a good first jet. You need a good head set with noice canceling. You will see MELs from 0 to 3-5 time to time. Lately I see less and less MELs.
It’s a rumor we may get E175 but so far it’s just rumor (company working on E175 program)

QOL: it’s a regional.. if you live in base it’s a okay gig to build your experience and leave asap.

Personal Advices
1. Avoid commuting if possible. If it’s not possible try to avoid it if it’s again impossible think twice and avoid it!
2. Do not trust to flow! Don’t wait unless you really lazy and don’t worry to be furlough in few years with C5 seniority number

Thanks for the write up - it's about what I've been told to expect.

Any tips for flying the 145?

You will learn from instructors in school house a lot of tips and technics.. show app prepared and have few jokes to share and you will be just fine! Good luck and welcome on board

How long would you say to expect reserve time in IAH? Is it really only 2 to 3 months?

I do see that there is open time for both FO’s and Captains but the rest everything you said is correct.

Speaking to a recruiter and she said currently (as of about a month ago) IAH was the junior base with reserves being 4-5 months. However, I spoke with her last week and she said Dulles was now the junior base with reserve times of 5 months.

The thing is, I think it is changing so fast that what you hear today, may not be the correct answer tomorrow.

One good thing about the crazy hiring is that after 6-8 months you should be able to hold FO in any location. If I am thinking about it correctly. (If I’m wrong, someone please correct me).


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Thanks for the updated information. I texted my recruiter after reading this. I was driving a vehicle down from Alaska and about to put a deposit on a place that would have been a super easy commute to IAH. I assumed IAH was guaranteed if you wanted it. In fact my buddy currently in class all of them got IAH and they were bidding for other places. Reading this changes a lot for me and I see I need to put the brakes on my current plans. Please let us know if you hear further and I will do the same.

Will do!


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You were right. I am in shock. I was told during my interview it took over a year to get IAD. That was a relief to me because I have absolutely no desire for IAD nor would it be commutable for me.

She confirmed and my friend currently in sims text me tonight. The entire class that just started all got IAD. She said they had retirements and upgrades and they needed help there. She did say IAH remains to be the junior base and the largest base but there is no way of knowing where you would be assigned. I read here and heard there is not much flying out of IAD. I know I looked at crashpads online. They are much more expensive.

Thanks for sharing what you heard. I am trying to decide what direction I am going. My buddy did say the training department is pretty organized and he is enjoying it.

Crew planning plays with the block hours in each base every month to suit staffing by increasing/decreasing trips that crossover base to base. It also appears, unless you were interviewing for a DEC position, that the recruiters do not know what they're talking about. While it is true that IAD is a senior base, it has been short on FOs all year, though reserve times have been long due to lack of movement in the upper half of the list.