Seeking Honest Advice
 

Hey guys, I'm a current E175 FO at SkyWest. Looking at XJT. I'm DEN based but will be moving back east in about a year.

I have a good chunk of CC debt and with my expensive rent in Denver, seems like I'll never dig myself out. The 27k bonus would be an easy way out.

The way I see it:

Pros of going to XJT:
1. Bonus. Pay off my debt. Save for house down payment.
2. Career progression with United.
3. Seems like a good contract.

Pros of staying at SkyWest:
1. Upgrade way sooner, but will be LGA or ORD based and will have to move anyways.
2. Won't have to start over with seniority
3. Won't have to go through initial again and fly the 145.

I'm not sure if/when I'd be able to fly the 175 at XJT but that would make the move a lot easier.

That bonus is a big motivating factor for me. Would I be shooting myself in the foot by leaving?

Thanks.

I jumped regionals... you will always wonder “what if I stayed”. You have to get over that.. because it will haunt you at some point... if your going to go. Get in now. ny waffling a few months could make a huge difference in upgrade time and QOL... my main concern about going to XJT is, UA i scoped out. And GoJet just pulled a hail marry with 50 aircraft for UA. Even though XJT was “purchased” (somewhat) by UA.. not leaving a lot of room for growth for XJT..

Couldn’t you make that extra 27K by taking the first upgrade at SKW? Upgrade to DTW CRJ CA, buy/rent a cheap house, fly hard, PIC, get hired at a major.
Debt can be major life sucker, it’s good you see it for what it is and are working a plan.

A few things that don't seem to make sense to me.


1. If you are going to be moving back east anyway it seems like the expensive Denver rent will soon be going away regardless.

2. Another type rating is not a negative for moving on, it's a positive.

3. Starting at the bottom again starts you at the bottom of another FO Payscale.

This seems to come down to a decision about selling your current seniority for $27K and a new type rating. So how bad do you need the money, now, how much of a salary hit will you take, and what's the difference in time it will take you - right now today - to upgrade at each regional?

Didn't you just get hired at OO?

Add ALPA and growth to the pro list. Make the switch.

I was hired in June. It would be a tough desicion to leave. Trying to do what's best.

Thanks for the input. I'm thinking that staying and upgrading would be a better plan.

Growth went to GoJet as 145's get parked for the 550's.. Eventually.

OO gets the next batch of 25 175's so it's gonna be awhile before you see growth.

I actually agree with you for once.
The GoJet announcement means that UAL has not changed their ways. They will continue to play one regional off against the other. Anyone hoping for some UAL homerun at XJT is fooling themselves. Just as ASA lost 50 seat flying to Endeavor and SkyWest and was fed a line that it was good news, XJT will lose 50 seat flying to GoJet. Yet somehow the lifers will convince themselves that it’s good need as a paltry number of -175’s show up.
For new hires, however, it’s not all grim. XJT does have a great training department. Go in, get your training, then move on after a year or so.

Move on to another regional? That is after Expressjet?

Can't answer the original Q, but I'm sorta in the same boat as the OP. I was recently offered a CJO by Skywest. The 22k bonus would be killer for me and these student loans, and I like what I've heard about recent changes at ExpressJet. I would have to commute for now, but would only want ORD base, as I could see myself moving there in the future (gf's job). Obviously Skywest has an ORD base too. Any advice here? What's the deal with the 175 in regards to base? Is the bonus worth the commute, and the trade-off between SW and ExpressJ?

Read my boy read! All the info is here in this thread and the other 100's of other threads...Just read.

What is this "read" thing..

You should apply to ExpressJet and see where that goes. ORD will probably be the next 175 base, so that’ll create more movement in what is already a junior base.

What is the training like at ExpressJet? AQP? Do they run a 90 day footprint much like other regionals?

To the OP: You do realize the bonus is taxed? So, you can pay off maybe 16K in credit card debt?

You'll incur moving expenses, etc.

Find a cheaper place in CO for now. There's always a cheaper place.

Upgrade quick. Live on your FO pay and put all the CA pay toward the debt.

Try to shop the credit card or talk to your bank and family about refinancing the debt.

And cut up your credit card until it's paid off. Don't cancel the credit card because that will hurt your credit rating. Use a debit card until the credit card is paid off. That will guarantee you don't build a balance.

Once the credit debt is paid, call your credit card company and report you cut the card up a while back and you need a new card.. Then get rid of the debit card, because they are not as safe as a credit card, theft-wise.

Then call Dave Ramsey and brag.

Said like the true recruiter that you are.

Not a recruiter but think what you want.

If you're coming with the idea that United is going to give us flow, better contract or anything like that. Then, think twice and don't come. We signed a clause of no flow, merging or staple with United pilots. No bueno

Now there's a funny joke.

No we didn’t. We signed a clause that we would not force an integration with United or CommutAir as a condition for the buyout, which is something very different.

This means it’s up to United if they want to offer such a thing to us in the future. Which was everyone’s prior assumption to begin with.

Even a recruiter wouldn’t be that in denial. Koolaids got him bad. Real bad.

[QUOTE=Flogger;2764307]To the OP: You do realize the bonus is taxed? So, you can pay off maybe 16K in credit card debt?


Most Folks don't really understand the Tax System. Yeah, the Company will take out Withholding at a higher percentage from your Bonus, but at the end of the year when you settle up with Uncle Sugar, you will get it back. Most F.O.'s won't breach the 12% Tax Bracket anyway. You can also run the IRS.gov Withholding Calculator every month and change your W-4 with the Company and get them to withhold less Federal Income Tax (you can't change your withholding on FICA Taxes). So, this allows you to keep more of your income, but then, not receive a Tax Refund, or much of one, the following year. This is particularly salient if you are relying on CC' s to bridge the gap. Additionally, as interest rates rise, it will be beneficial for you, and not the US Government to collect the interest throughout the year, instead of giving .gov an interest free loan.
Another way to forestall the Taxman is to max your 401k out & if you are real Bada$$, to max out an additional IRA on top of the 401k- a lot of Folks are unaware that you can do this. You can also get your MAGI down enough to qualify for the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and the Saver's Credit or Form 8880 (which gives you free money to encourage retirement savings in one's 401k, or IRA.
We have a Progressive Income Tax in this Country which means everybody pays zero until a certain amount and then everyone pays 12% of every dollar ABOVE that amount and it goes on and on till you hit the max bracket. Every Dollar that goes into the next higher Bracket only gets taxed at the higher rate for that, and all subsequent dollars. Hope this helps some Folks here. I too used to be a debt slave and didn't understand how the tax system worked. Good Luck!

Not a recruiter - I prefer flying the line. I just enjoy being a counterbalance to the mopey cynics that still can’t get hired at a major and love to spread their misery.

[QUOTE=DrunkenShytbird;2764741]I was swagging. The bonuses are tax withheld at a stupid rate, and yes, you get some back based on your tax filing, but it could very well be the OP was thinking he'd get a check for 27K. I was just letting him know that't not the case.

These jobs are some folks first jobs with things like bonuses.

For OP, upgrade at OO and get your PIC time. You’ll make far more money doing that that taking a bonus and making a lateral move.

Says the XJT lifer?

Seeking Honest Advice
 

Dave Ramsey would frown at the advice you gave: refinance debt and not cancel your credit cards.


A lot of good information. I would also add another item of interest for many pilots, that you can take advantage with a lower MAGI, is the student loan interest deduction. All these items mentioned, including being able to contribute to an IRA, have a MAGI phaseout and limit.

You're having a hard time seeing the positive change at Expressjet! Enjoy the Commutair life!

Nice try. Look in the mirror. Things went exactly according to plan, didn’t they?

If you upgrade and end up at LGA is t that good since your moving back east anyway?

The original poster came to that conclusion several posts ago. All the rest of this is just banter. Once he gets his 1,000 TPIC at SkyWest, he is pretty well set to move on to either Delta or Southwest.

Dave Ramsey is not right about everything. Credit cards have many advantages over cash or debit, if you have the discipline to not carry a balance.

I pay every bill and purchase I can with a no-fee credit card and use the reward points for airline tickets and over $1,000 a year in lowes gift cards which gives me $50 for $40 worth of points. Just don't carry a balance. Pay it off every month.

Further-disciplined use of a credit card helps build a good credit rating which these days afffects more than credit, ranging from insurance, qualifying for a mortgage, to employment opportunities.

Yeah, you can hack the CC Rewards System pretty hard (I do), but one time of not paying your Balance off every month can bite pretty hard. This is when they hack you.:(

Set card to auto-pay entire balance each month upon activation.

Would a new hire get any benefit of coming today? I have two class dates and I’m leaning on taking XJT due to higher pay and the likelihood of loggining more flight time.

I agree that he isn’t necessarily right for everyone’s circumstances. I believe he gives advice to the lowest common denominator. As an example of something I don’t agree with him on is not getting a mortgage unless you can put 20% down on a conventional 15 year term with a PITI of no more than 25% of your monthly gross income. I only replied to your post because you mentioned bragging to Ramsey. He wouldn’t approve of your advice.