waflyboy

Hi folks,

I am a CFI (approx 1,000TT/200ME) looking to relocate to Seattle. Horizon Air appears to be the only regional player with a base in Seattle, so I have some questions about working for them.

I have gathered from APC that upgrade times are looooong. However, I am also aware that their payscale appears to be much better than most. A few specific questions:

How long should a new hire expect to sit reserve?

What is typical 1st and 2nd year pay? I can do the calc based on the guarantee, but what can one expect to actually earn? More than the min?

Are my flight times competitive with other applications being received?

Any other thoughts you'd like to throw in about working for Horizon would be great (QOL, pilot group/mangement relations, etc). I'm just trying to evaluate the options avalable for my next career move and decide which direction I'd like to go.

Thanks.

WhiteH2O

I am still a CFI myself, but being from the Seattle area and knowing some Horizon pilots, I may be of a little use. From what I hear, your times are on the low end of competitive, but it the area. The reason that their upgrade times are soooo long (around 6 years) is that most people at Horizon are going to make it a career. Pay and QOL is good enough that there is no need to go anywhere else. That is about all I can answer to, feel free to correct me on anything as needed.

dash trash

As for QOL, It depends on what you get hired into. The CRJ has by far the best schedules. That is in transit though. There is a good chance that the DEN base will close within the next year. Frontier is looking for other carriers to do the JetExpress thing for cheaper and honestly, Horizon could use the planes back. As for the Q400, we just opened a SEA base, so that is mostly Montana flying and a little south into Cali. The Q200 guys get the worst of it. It is the norm to have 7 legs a day and a 13 hour work day. after 4 days of this you are hammered. Anyway, It is a regional. Work your butt off. Get paid better than most. Most advanced equipment. 5 years to the CA Q200, 7 years to CA of CRJ700. Great bases. Very Stable. That's the facts.

Velocipede

There have been several QX pilots that have turned down class dates with larger airlines recently. That says a lot about the pay and working conditions at QX.

waflyboy

Thanks to those who replied.

Horizon sounds like a great company to work for, and the Dash-8 sounds like a fun ship. I have pilot contacts at Alaska, but not Horizon. I'll just keep updating my resume and see if a phone call comes my way.

Thanks again!

Velocipede

As a jumpseater/commuter, the Q400 looks like a gas to fly. The good news is the Q200 will be gone soon from the QX fleet.

Now as long as the QX pilots can avoid the meat-axe pay cuts the Air Group likes to dish out, QX will be a good place to start your airline career for a long time to come.

FL410

You are going to have something to set you a part either 135 time or some 121. They look highly upon that. Oh yeah also a 4 year degree is nearly a must. I would recommend airpac, aeroflight or ameriflight ofr some 135 expirience. good luck.

waflyboy

Thanks for the info. I do have a 4 yr degree.

I am also considering 135 freight as my next career move. I have [tentatively] decided that if I get hired with a company such as Ameriflight, I will stay there until hired by a major or fractional (or similar gig). (Going from PIC on a t-prop to SIC on similar equipment at a regional seems like a backwards move to me, but maybe I'm wrong)

dash trash

I don' think that will be a problem. In fact, I can almost guarantee it will not happen. The pilots would have to vote for a pay cut. Why do that? We are stable, profitable, and showing record breaking loads and revenue. The company does not even seem to be looking for that. Anyway. It took us 7 years to get this contract. If we have to wait another 7 to get a look at another, I can deal with that!