Current Training Timeline
 

For current classes / early 2020 what would APC's collective guess be from ATP-CTP to completion of IOE time wise? The news I hear about XJT is so varied it's hard to get a clear picture.

I don't care if I fly the 175 or the 145, I just want to be IAH based as soon as possible with a decent upgrade. SKYW had the upper hand recently with 2 year(ish) upgrades but my buddy said the new bid came out and they're doing 1k hour 145 CA upgrades in Houston.. which changes a lot, especially since it was 6+ years a few months ago.

Any feedback would be appreciated for training or general QOL. I know the Aviate program is still TBD and Letter 2 is as well. It could still fit my non-commuting goal and have 100 hr/month potential though. Thanks!

The lowest time upgrade is now 8 months. An April 19 hire. Obviously someone who came in with prior 121/135 time.

I would allow 4 months to end of IOE. May be sooner than that. Should be sooner but who knows.

The next up in seniority after the 4/19 hire who was awarded CA in the 19-06 bid was 13 months. My Classes training footprint was 3 months from Day 1 to LOE checkride. That included a week break between Basic Indoc and Systems, and a week break between PV and Sims. IOE will depend on how fast you get a feel for the airplane and can put all the pieces together.

From 7 years to potential street captains in 2020. This industry changes on a dime.

No language in the contract for street captains...

The revised 19-06 bid was to combat any negative press from XJT losing out on the 20 175’s Mesa got awarded the day prior.

You may want to read the latest correspondence from the the v.p.

They can bring you in as an FO and then switch you to CA while you are in indoc. Doesn’t have to be in the contract.

Without violating seniority?

It will probably be done via a system bid. If F/Os who are more senior and are qualified to be a captain choose not to bid it, they will fill those slots with whoever is qualified and chose to bid those positions. That could mean a new hire still in indoc.


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They need more CAs than are willing or eligible. So yes

Does anyone that's gone through recently have an update on how long it's taking?

3-4 months. Bigger problem is reserves are sitting now on both airframes and not flying like some of those promised here.

Not enough flying left over so no open time to bed had. You’ll be on airport standby a lot and not flying unless they decide to give us more flying again.

How long are people sitting on reserve these days?

I have a slightly different view. If you get the 175 expect long reserve with not a ton of flying. It is now a small over staffed fleet with no growth opportunity.

The 145 is now a completely different story. It is very understaffed with 30 airplanes parked in need of crews. The company has stated the priority for 2020 will be to get those 30 airframes in the air. That is growth, even if it’s not from new planes. So I would say expect movement on the 145 to be rapid. Reserve time 2 months or so depending on base. Plenty of flying. I’m pretty sure Spin Two is expressing frustrations of the 175 group. If you come into training today on the 145 expect short reserve, lots of flying and upgrade to captain at 1000 hrs. If you come into training today on the 175 good luck to you. It’s going to be painful for the next year.

I don't start training until mid-Feb but I'm 100% hoping for the 145.

how many legs does the 145 fly on an average day?

Is ORD still a somewhat junior base for the 145?

Will be super senior here on out. IAH is the junior base now.

Why here on out, are they taking away 145 flying from ORD or something?

Yep. It’s already senior.

Go-Jet 50 seat 550’s displacing flying there. Commutair trying to move in too.

”The ERJ145 is the backbone of this airline and our now-through-next-year focus will be to fly many more of our 90+ aircraft in revenue service. United has told us that there are plenty of opportunities for ERJ145 growth and UA-Network continues to stay focused on growing the IAH hub. We will continue to evaluate our domiciles as United starts solidifying their United Express 50 seat feed structure. As United focuses on competing with American and Delta in the New York and Chicago markets and the North East in general, they will increase the deployment of 3-class CRJ550s (we have heard as many as 50 by the end of 2020). This will see our footprint in EWR, CLE and potentially ORD change. United is very focused on capturing the business traveler markets in EWR and ORD as they compete against Delta in LGA and American in LGA and ORD with 3-class aircraft. This will make ExpressJet fly more in the South and towards the West. And, as I mentioned above, United wants to increase the number of ERJ145 shells we fly and wants us to increase block hours as soon as we can produce them.”

Hm, is there any way to hold ORD these days withing a matter of months, rather than years?

You’ll be able to hold it within months likely. Nobody knows for sure going forward. Getting a line and anything more than 11 days off a month will take significant time.

how does 145 flying compare to 175 flying? how many legs per day/any major differences to what schedule would look like?

175 much more efficient with 2-3 legs a day vs 4 - 5 on the 145 for same credit.

Don’t see how anyone is awarded the 175 unless the next batch of 175’s is announced. Count on being awarded the 145..

Been on the 145 7 months have maybe 1 5 leg day a month. Usually a 4 day for me will be 2 2 leg days 2 4 leg days.

Subject to change ymmv.

Yep, 5 is outside the norm for sure.

Hah. I've been a lineholder for over 14 years and just finished a 4 day with one leg on day one, then 2, 4 leg days and today was 5 legs. Not unusual at all for a lineholder. If you're on reserve, you get lots of leftover flying that is often fewer legs and hours. This crackpipe is just like Twitter (or so I've been led to believe), it doesn't represent reality.

The 145 flies more legs as well as short legs compared to the 175.

As a pilot based in Houston for example, does each trip typically go through every base or pretty much just stay in Houston? Same for Newark and Chicago?

Every pairing is different. We used to get a line build report from Alpa every month that detailed statistics for each base. Line purity (a pure pairing flies out of it's base exclusively) happens at each base, but some pairings will touch more than one base over the course of a typical 4 day. It is possible to have a full month of flying that never leaves your base and vice versa. In Houston, there are still plenty of trips in open time during the line improvement window that you can change up your schedule to fit your needs. Typically, every trip is going to be different.

You must be IAH based. No other base has 5 legs a day anymore. So yes, it is outside the norm.

How much more can they really expand IAH? Don’t they already operate most express flights out of there?

Was one of those legs a deadhead?

The only five leg day I’ve had included a dhd as the last leg. Otherwise, it’s an average of 3-4 legs per day. With a four leg day usually there’s a real short leg somewhere in there.

I’ve also had plenty of two leg days. Normally longer flights.

so could a new hire on the 145 expect IAH or ORD as a base? any difference in the productivity/efficiency of typical trips from each of these bases (ie does one base have more efficient trips than the other?

If 145 is understaffed, reserve should be short, right?

You’ll get based wherever they need you, it’s a crapshoot right now. Supposedly our flying model will be changing, more “west and south flying”....drawing down flying from ORD and EWR. Wether or not that means new bases I’m not sure, maybe but a lot is up in the air right now. Now that it’s known no more 175s are coming, whether for the time being or permanently, we’ll be focussing on building the 145s.

Are the other 19 not coming to XJT for sure?

I’m not saying ‘no’ or ‘yes’ to that. The remaining 19 are not confirmed orders from UA, they are ‘optional orders’ to my understanding of things.

If you’re worried about flying the 175, right now I’d look elsewhere. If you want solid training from both ground/flight instructors and can ‘deal’ with flying a 50 seat jet for your first 121 gig I’d recommend this place. We have some of if not the best instructors who really have an interest in your success, my experience so far.

Thanks for your insight. Also, you might not know this, but if you do, could you say what specifically the union is pushing for in the current negotiations? better pay and work rules generally, or is there anything specific?

also do you know how the "soft pay" at XJT compares to Air Whisky or others? it's really hard to compare the compensation at different regionals because there's so much more than just the hourly rate on paper. does XJT have a minimum guarantee for a day or trip or duty rigs? sorry for all the questions, just want to make an informed decision

The Union is pushing hard for QOL and work rule improvements, not sure about pay. There is min day, but no trip or duty.

Talked to a recent new hire
145 KORD is being awarded
Looks like the shrinking at Newark has already begun

Does he know how long it takes to be awarded Houston?