Braniff DC8

Your points are valid Garrett but, do you have turbine PIC time? The Candian Barbie dream jet is not a piece of cake. You will still have to get through the DEC program. Also, do you think recruiters, not the Chief Pilot, lie to get people to come? Well, I, and many others, can tell you they do, ALL THE TIME.

Again, don't get the cart ahead of the horse. You don't want a failure, and a failure at Gojets, on your record. Where's the fire? And as Highflight pointed out, you're not going right to the top of the pile as soon as you get 1000 turbine PIC. You're going into the same pile a lot of others are already in.

The wholy owned are the only way to go. The upgrade as PDT is very quick if that's what you really want. Always be careful what you wish for.

So, don't take this personally as I don't know you. Slow down, have a decaf, enjoy what you have, really seriously think about what you're doing and where you REALLY want to go. Make a plan and THEN follow through. I know this sounds crazy but I would stay put, get a command, get your time and then try to get to a major. Starting all over again, and promises of DECs, again, why do they need DECs and a Mesa FO at that, is always risky.

My two cents.

SEPfield

First and foremost, are the bases commutable? DTW is the most junior right now for captains, but you may also be able to hold STL, ORD, or RDU with a few months or less. DEN would be longer, I don't know how much longer.
GoJet allows you to change bases every month, so you should get whatever choice quickly.
Next, the DEC course is fairly demanding. You will need to be able to fly the jet, obviously, but you are also changing and adapting to new procedures as well as being responsible for all the knowledge in the manuals. Aircraft,SOPs, maintenance procedures, cold weather ops, on board delay etc. The program is challenging but not impossible as long as you have good study habits.
The instructors Ive dealt with are all very knowledgeable and they want to see you succeed, if you have the proper attitude.
If you feel confident you can commute and can succeed then it is not a bad move. You will receive full captain pay in training and I've yet to have a pay issue. As a reserve captain at GoJet you will be flying, bear in mind you can be used to fly right seat while on reserve. Other DECs Ive spoken with tell me this is a rare occurrence. Something like 50hrs over 6 months. However you will still be paid as a captain for that flying, and personally I would much rather fly in the right seat than spend 8 hours sitting around a crew room on airport reserve like you will experience at a wholly owned.
PIC time will help your resume but it's not as much of an issue anymore, unless you want to go to southwest.
Training failures will hurt your resume but they aren't the career killer they used to be.
As far as the alter ego stuff. Most pilots don't care and the ones that do aren't doing the hiring. Do you really think the HR people at DL, UA, or AA have any idea who GoJet is or what may have happened 15 years ago?

Caveat to all of this; Taking career advice from a pilot is a terrible idea.

flyviper

Good assessment,

I'm not saying this pertains to Garrett but many think upgrading is a given and easy, the fact is not everyone that goes through upgrade training will make it, its the ultimate test and you better be ready for it. I have seem 6 year FO that failed and also seem 1.5 year FO that passed, so obviously it really depends on the individual.

To Sept's point about ready reserve at the WO, we at pdt doesn't have airport ready rsv. (just want to clarify)

minimwage4

DEC positions never really work for most people. Most of them quit within 6 to 12 months. You can't bypass everyone and be a CA and expect to eat the cake too. Unless your mom works at United hr I would not go to a Dec position thinking it would make you more marketable you will just get more frustrated as the months go without a call from somewhere you want to go while being junior manned every other trip. You've only been at your airline a very short time on a nice jet, mesa is a revolving door anyways you will upgrade eventually.

garrett490

Hey guys thank you for the feedback. I think everyone's situation is unique to them. Older fellas need stability and don't have time on their side to bounce back. Younger fellas can make riskier moves and have time to recover if necessary. I do have 650 turbine PIC in Twin otters, caravans, king airs - all single pilot. I realize that upgrade is a daunting task - especially at a new company and in a new to me airplane. That being said I am up for the challenge. Right seat in the E Jet has made me a very lazy pilot in general and the challenge is non existent anymore. I live for the challenge of flying and constant learning in aviation. Being 26 years old I feel that I can make this decision and either benefit greatly or fail and not have to wonder if I could have done it. Living in fear (potential to bust a checkride) only slows me down and holds me back in life. I am going to move forward with the DEC position at GoJet as I feel I have far more to gain than to lose.

Words like "eventually" or "sooner or later" just don't hold much weight with me as I have no control over the decisions that a airline makes which effect me directly. Flows and upgrades based on seniority are not guaranteed. However a CA position at GoJet is there for me to have - I just need to put in the work during training. Its on my back. I like having as much control over my career as possible and 121 PIC time is indisputably valuable in aviation. Yes there might be easier and or safer routes - but I'm not looking for the path of least resistance.

barabek

Don't expect TPIC time will get you a job at majors. There are thousands of qualified pilots with many thousands TPIC at 121 carriers, with clean records, MA degrees, networking and volunteering, and still not getting a call. I'm not trying to convince you either way, and it looks like you already made up your mind. Just looks like you're being impatient and overestimate the value of what you're chasing. Remember you were warned. Good luck!

Smutter

Do you just like bad airlines

HighFlight

If you're going to take the risk of a failed event at a new company, at least do it in an upward direction, not a lateral one. You have just as much of a chance of passing with PDT or EDV, and the promise of a heck of a lot more money to be made while you sit on RSV for a couple of years watching all the FOs who upgrade bypass you on their way to a line.

At GoJet, you won't get any bonus. You will at the other two.

At EDV, you'll make $80,600 FY CA pay on the 900, though you may have to sit as a FO for a bid period or two, lowering that amount a bit. It will still be about $23K more than GoJet. Not sure how the pay would pan out at PDT, but certainly less than EDV. At both places, it makes more sense to start as an FO to get the max bonuses, then bid for CA after you have flown for a bit as an FO.

Just my 2¢. I think at GoJet, it's a lateral move, while at the other two, it would be more of a vertical move for you.

Jet Jockey 00

If you want PIC time you can go to Piedmont. Our junior captain was hired 6 months ago. We have many guys from Mesa in our classes they are doing great. Many of our captains are making over 100k with overtime pay at 300%. Example picking up just 1 day of flying 4 hr. block get's paid 16 hrs. Some guys are making Airbus Capt. wages picking up OT.

Agree with HF EDV is good option as well depending on where you live. The 900 is a sweet plane.

moflyer

I have plenty of PIC time , I just don't want to commute anymore. GoJet has a base in STL, which is where we are moving. Also if I know someone that already works there do I put their name on the application so they get the money for referring a pilot?