Generalaviator1

That's the biggest thing that I'm seeing through all of this. ExpressJet has an ATL base, which is my home. Reserve commuting for any amount of time really sucks.

I'm optimistic that the first year pay will rise by the time that I get there (would definitely help a lot, especially considering that I will have $1200/month in student loan payments)

wmupilot85

Well you will be happy to hear that we should be releasing a new LOA soon with pay increases. From what I've heard, first year will go up quite a bit, and all other pay bands will see a modest pay raise as well.

tvlawyer

That's the primary reason I'm leaving 9E for XJT. A good QOL is more valuable to me than the "retention bonus." Besides, the expenses of being on reserve in the NYC are will eat up a lot of that bonus each quarter.

I can't imagine regional FO pay ever increasing enough to make a significant impact on your student loan debt. You'll WILL need a second job or side business. That's another reason I'm making a lateral career move. I can't run my business from the LGA/JFK crew lounges.

MikeB525

[QUOTE=

This being said, everything posted about this industry is what has happened in the past. We just signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the company that will allow for Hybrid Lines that is so new it hasn't gone into effect yet. Hybrid lines will take some of the people that would have been on reserve and give them a line for part of the month, for the remainder of the month you will be on reserve. Being a line holder is very much preferred to being on reserve. As a line holder you are Pay Protected (100% for trip cancellation), you can pick up and trade trips, and you're not on call. The LOA also allows reserve people to pick up open time and anyone can pick up trips during vacation if they want. All of things things are going into effect in the next few months, some of them as early as December.[/QUOTE]

That sounds great. A couple xjt pilots I spoke to a couple months ago alluded to this.

We use this system at DAL (FA) and it really is great. We do 6 days a month of reserve (usually in 2 3-day blocks) and you get hard trips for the rest of the month. The system is great and allows junior people to have more control of their lives and make more money while also having more days off. When you're on reserve and not flying, you're not getting per diem, which really adds up. I'm bidding at 80% in my base and my December bid award had 16 days off and approx. 84 hours of credit (depending on what I get for my reserve days). In November I had 13 days off with 95 hours credit. You almost always get something on reserve and can preference assignments in open time (including airport stby), which are awarded in seniority order the day before.

Overall, people like it a lot, especially those who came to us from other carriers and lived under the pure reserve system.

Oh, and as of Dec. 1 I'm making $28.89 at step 2. Plus $3.20 for working lead. Step 1 is $27.xx. The pay situation certainly needs to change at xjt.

Rubicon

From talking with our Instructor Pilots, new hires are able to "demand" a particular base. Most are choosing the CRJ in ATL.

It really is a pilot's market (for new hires), right now.

And yes, commuting sucks!
We cannot staff our Detroit base well enough. So, many of our trips begin in ATL and fly through Detroit for four days, then you get off in ATL on the last leg. At least I can get in my car immediately and drive home.

Generalaviator1

A big impact isn't necessarily what I'm going for or expecting at the beginning of my career. As long as food and shelter can be covered on top of student loans then I'll be alright until the Delta paycheck rolls in

Famos_Amos

$23/hr plus an ATP and Type rating. Some regionals are CURRENTLY slightly better, but things change rapidly. XJT will be voting on a contract extension in the next few months that should significantly increase pay rates and include dual-class equipment. I'd be surprised if they don't follow suit with some of commutair's commuter benefits as well.

tvlawyer

Once you're on first year FO wages, get yourself on the federal Income Based Repayment program.