Would it be wise to leave a ULCC like spirit for envoys direct captain? While the pay is great I realisticly would not be upgrading for a few years out and then I would be a reserve captain. Would it be better for me to leave now, get the PIC time, and if things dont work out atleast I have a flow in backpocket? Or am I talking crazy talk? Note I do not have the 1k turbine PIC time.

 

Flow is 10 years and climbing.

 

Curious, why would you leave the right seat of a ULCC flying an Airbus for left seat at a regional? I know PIC time is desired, but job security-wise that seems counter productive.

 

Ship has sailed on flow. If you flow after coming here now (big if because anything can change on this kind of timeline), it’ll be after AA has refreshed the seniority list with a huge hiring spree and you’ll be junior forever.

 

Just looking at the numbers for retirements the next few years at delta/united/fed ex, kinda wish I had the PIC time before I came here. Sure I hear stories of FO's getting hired, but seems hit and miss. I thought the AA flow was 5-7 years?

 

If you're serious you should go to Piedmont. Their flow is the fastest according to all their recruitment stuff, and you can sit in the crew room in PHL for hours on end looking out over the Spirit aircraft on the E concourse talking to anyone who you can get to listen how you left Spirit to join them for the next half decade or two.

 

flow is of now value for anyone joining now

 

whats the reserve time for a direct captain? Would not be just for the flow, but also the PIC time.Would one be able to get 1k PIC time within 2 years? Has there be any issues with DEC's on probation?

 

You get hired as a FO then displaced to captain since the DEC program is a contract violation that our union won’t fight. You’ll be on reserve for a few years, Regardless of where you get based. So you won’t build much time over the 3 yrs you could’ve been making more money and getting close to be being a bus captain at a ULCC. Stay there, don’t take 2 steps back.

 

It would appear you have two options:

option A: Continue with Spirit. Although first year pay sucks the next two average $110 K a year with a 15% 401K DC. Then you upgrade and start logging PIC at 80 hours a month for $204 an hour and in 14 months have 1000 TPIC. Elapsed time - roughly 4 years.

option B: Take the DEC job. Get the DEC bonus, go through training for the same or different type, then go through upgrade training, and then go on Reserve, taking the dregs if the schedule as every FO who has the hours and cojones jumps over you in seniority while you make first, second, and then third year captain pay. Because counting going through training again, you’ll be three years getting to 1000 TPIC.

BOTH OPTIONS WILL GET YOU 1000 TPIC. My hunch is that 1000 TPIC of A320 time is going to be more valued by the other majors than 1000 of RJ time, but that’s only a hunch. The DEC option gets you the hours a year quicker but you make less money doing it. I doubt you are going to flow as quickly as you would get hired off the street in four years in any event, since flow generally goes in seniority order and though you make captain immediately, every FO on board when you get there is senior to you.

pick the option of your choice. It’s your career.