I know the guy in charge of recruiting. They do care and would like to hang on to someone for more than six months, but in today's hiring environment if they can get a good candidate for 6 months that is better than no one at all.

Somehow some way regionals have to pay people a much better wage. I know the way the mainline pay us is jacked up in how they pay the regionals, but the old system of make crap so we can go to a major is broke. I don't care if you are in an rj or a 757 we are flying mainline passengers in and out of major airports doing the same thing the majors are doing. I don't expect 757 wages since an rj doesn't produce the revenue that the 757 produces and both airplanes have two pilots onboard. No one should start at this job for less than $45 an hr - I know I'm dreaming for the new comers.

Ultimately it's up to the company to find ways to attract and retain pilots. If someone finds something better then good for him or her.

Well said. I don't take the prospect of short timing a company lightly, it's not my style, and I've tried to avoid that. At the end of the day, just like everybody else, I must act in the best interest of my family.

Please don't take my comment as a slam against you.

My point is, recruiting can look at a guy like you and know that are a short term guy, yet they are willing to spend the training money to get you current so you can move on.

Instead of saying "hey, why don't we take some of that money, invest in better wages to attract more applicants, and choose people that have a better likelihood of sticking around for awhile".

I get that nothing in life is a sure thing, but if you had one more spot to fill in class, does it go to the high time, ex-mil with lots of TPIC who hasn't flown in 6 months? Or the part 135 guy looking to make the next step in his career? I know who I'd choose if I wanted my training dollars to last more than 6 months.

Hear hear. I think ALPA needs to get behind some sort of universal pay formula for ALL carriers. Something like an FO starting at an hourly wage equal to half the seats in the plane, and the Captain at a wage equal to the seats in the plane.

Anyone notice that there just so happens to be more airplanes going to delta (and RJs), as well as EFBs coming out, and contract negotiations all at the same time? In all honesty if this is the umph, that both parties need to get things rolling, then thank sweet baby jesus. Maybe they can negotiate some money into the deal to attract longer staying FOs and CAs. *fingers crossed*

U are new to the airline world ...eh?

With due respect, I think we're all new to this current airline world. Having looked over its history on more than one occasion, I've never seen regional airlines digging like they are for pilots. The cutthroat bonuses and "record cancellations" due to crew availability among other things are showing that the airlines are in interesting territory that is really uncharted and that doesn't even speak to tothebigblue 's point of all the aforementioned happenings coming together at once. It seems like the airlines attacked it with the business as usual mentality and are realizing that it isn't working. Wouldn't you agree?

Tony, do you care to elaborate at all on this statement? I'm not disagreeing, just trying to understand what's going on. The MEC emails will obviously never tell you about anything of this nature. I believe it is our right as line pilots to know what is going on and keep people accountable. Unfortunetly we can't all be in the MEC or committees to see this stuff first hand.

I am aware of the ATL 700 CA plug issue, but anything else?

+1 on this. as volatile as the regionals are becoming and as long as its been without a new TA, there needs to be constant emails on whats going on. I dont want to get anyone in trouble but dialogue needs to be occurring. We shouldn't have to email the union and ask, they should be telling us whats going on!

So new hires should start at $25/hr and and captains should make $50/hr? Brilliant.