I wouldn't say it's animosity.

But regional lifer is a risky game as regionals come and go, especially smaller ones. Coincidentally, the number of regionals which have gone buy bye since I started in this business is roughly equal to the number of new regionals created. Coincidence?

The corporate G-V pilot's skill and compensation is relatively portable. A career regional pilot is not portable, he starts over at $30/hour slinging gear at 0530 on Christmas morning.

But everybody knows this stuff. Regional pilots pay a price for the opportunity to build experience for the majors. If you pay the price but opt out of the payoff you can only complain so much, I think that's where the pushback comes from.

A regional lifer (I almost was one) really needs to have a plan B. The happy lifers I flew with all had ranches, side businesses, sugar-mommas, etc. Assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised if you make it 65. About all you can do. It can be a comfortable ride, but temper your expectations.

 

as others have said, it has nothing to do with the airplane, but the nature of the business model, and how you are leaving yourself open to the type of scenarios we are seeing now. Although, from the looks of things, you could make a career at Skywest without ever worrying about a furlough or shut down.

 

It sucked, trust me every opportunity I had got snatched away like a lot of the aviate kids are right now. I found that corporate gig. Granted I probably stayed too long, but I did send apps out went to a few job fairs. Family, kids, life you know the drill. I tried I got a little comfy. When I saw opportunities in the 121 World I tried to make leaps. I came to YV with the hopes of being here year-year and half tops. Welp still here not complaining, I been reaching for the big fish but just like Geico says “yer almost had it”. It’s all good I’m mid 40’s. I have not given up hope yet, but I do understand everyone is not going to big dance even when you put all the hard work in. The important part is I tried.

 

That’s classic to big to fail, isn’t it? Skypest and Republic built large diversified FFD arrangements with some attempts at other revenue streams. They sign long term contracts with high cancellation fees and they lease their own aircraft. Mesa does the same thing but doesn’t make the list because their CBA is demonstrably worse.

When times get tough Skypest and Republic keep their flying by loaning money to their ‘partners.’

The rest of the wholly owned and partially owned contract carriers are just flight crew leasing companies at their core. Here today, gone tomorrow. They have no assets, no cash cushion and nothing to bargain with so they eat whatever crap sandwich their ‘partner’ (more like abusive spouse) gives them. Being shackled to only one network carrier makes it even worse.

Until the last round of pattern bargaining, top year pay and a cushy schedule could make a senior ‘good’ regional pilot think twice about Spirit or jetBlue. Everyone seems to forget that less than 10 years ago when I made the mistake (20/20 hindsight) of not moving to a national carrier, most of the FOs (even after several years) at those places made less than I did. This was also before 15% 401k contributions entered the contracts.

That round roughly doubled FO pay at both regional and national carriers. Captain pay didn’t adjust nearly as much which left regional captains severely underpaid on a relative basis and started the gloating from the pilots who escaped.

 

I suspect you may not interview as well as you think, or maybe they found something they don't like in your record?

 

How is the stability for those guys and gals who left a regional a year ago after putting in 10 years or more and are now about to be furloughed?

 

It is definitely a pick your poison decision. There’s no right or wrong. Me personally I’d rather be furloughed here and come back to a $170-200hr job than be at a contractor never knowing if my company will survive the next cpa bid with a major. But, There’s something to be said about the guys who stayed at express for life, never missed the holidays or kids events, and got the schedule they wanted.

 

doing great thanks. Gonna make 26k this month and not being furloughed.

 

Good for you! It takes a special kind of person to brag about making a ton of money and having a job, when thousands of his peers are about to loose their job and be unable to provide for their loved one!!!
Congrats on high morals!

 

I’d rather have a 6 figure job waiting for me but be on furlough than employer but wondering if airline Russian roulette is going to take out my regional.