"Alaskan"...the brewery in JNU. Makes a great Amber, Summer, and White Ale. Good dudes there too...

Mookie

 

Shoot for SkyWest: Bases in SEA, PDX, SFO, SLC, DEN. Currently flying for Alaska, United, Delta. Just added another partner with USAir. Significantly understaffed and hiring into next year. Largest RJ operator in the world.

Not that everything is perfect, but you have to make the best decision you can with the information you have available at the time.

 

I spent six years at QX, during that time I was able to witness the transformation of Horizon from an airline that most pilots wanted to go to, to a place that is a dead-end job. There will be some attrition to Alaska, WN, DAL, etc., but the top third of the seniority list is in it for the long haul. AAG BOD gets nervous when QX has more than 60 airplanes on the property. Horizon is not the same place that I was hired at seven years ago, that's why I left. Upgrade is at least going to be eleven years and maybe closer to twelve. That a long time to sit in the right seat of a turboprop. They will not get any jets in the foreseeable future. Glenn Johnson is on record saying that QX will not even bid on any flying requiring a jet.

 

Exactly what DashTrash said...I left in 2007, just before things really went downhill, and it's the best decision I've ever made. Horizon has good people, good equipment, and interesting flying, but other than that it is career suicide. Don't waste your time there.

 

Dont care about holding the left seat at Horizon... Have over 2000 hours of PIC turbine time in a sewer pipe with two engines. Just need the 121 time, and would prefer to live in that part of the world.

Thanks for the advice; I might keep SkyWest in mind. I know nothing about how hard it is to get a base in that part of the country though with them.

Yes... Ill admit, I botched the airline name. Sorry... Alaska. I work very odd hours in the morning, and sometimes things don't get typed the way I visioned. Sorry if I offended you.

Take care every one, have a good weekend.

props

 

If you want to fly bigger equipment, for a bigger airline someday, then why would you go to a place that only flies T-Props now? I say that with a heavy heart and not to stir the pot at all, what happened to QX was horrible. It just sucks.

They used to be a crown jewel of a place to aspire to, where pilots were actually getting time at other regionals on purpose to step stone to Horizon with the intention of a career. If you’re a local kid from the area, sure, it makes sense, but not if you want to compete with all the other 28 year olds with 2,000+ Jet PIC.

I agree with the ealier poster, target SkyWest or maybe Republic and get to the DEN base.

And regarding T-prop time, we all know friends that made it to "_______" airlines with nothing but that time, but in this job market, why handicap yourself? You are setting yourself up to be hired deep into the next real hiring cycle.

 

Quite honestly, if you're going to make such a big change already for the sake of your career, don't half-arse it. Limiting yourself to the Pacific Northwest greatly, greatly limits your options. There's essentially CFI, Pt 135 cargo, Horizon, Alaska, and senior Skywest bases. That's it. If you absolutely must live in the PNW and cannot commute, you might as well stay in your current job, make a better wage, get more T-PIC, and network your butt off. I really don't see 121 t-prop SIC time being the key that finally unlocks the doors to the majors for you. Heck, who exactly is hiring right now that you're so sure you're unqualified with your current turbine PIC??

 

What's wrong with staying in the PNW if that's where you want to live? so many pilots sell themselves out just to "Fly a Jet" and wear a pilot cap. A handful of people understand a lifestyle is what you want to pursue, not metal. Those people are the happiest, generally.

 

I have to agree with you here. While I'd love to have a major airline job and lifestyle with a 3-400K house and a nice car in the driveway theres more to the picture than income and equipment. For me where I live and proximity to family and the outdoor activities I love top the list and is why I'm here in Seattle flying greasy old pt 135 airplanes rather than an RJ in Florida or Newark. I"m much happier in my current gig than being a jet capt out east.....for now anyway. Count me in as another Seattle based 135 guy interested in Horizon. Besides, I can forget about selling my house any time soon!

 

Nothing is wrong with staying in the PNW, but the CA's I flew with while I was at QX who stayed there as a lifestyle choice, and are now QX-4-lifers were genererally the least happy. I could see one reason why; they watched their airline go down the tubes over the years. On the other hand, they've spent the majority of their career earning a barely liveable wage for the region. Once they finally got captain pay, they started to play financial catch-up. It's easy to say that all you need is to be a Q400 CA in your career, but say that after 15 years, and you're juggling a mortgage, 401k, student loans, 529 plan, etc. Especially when you could've gone someplace that is a stepping stone to the legacies, been at one in 4-5 years, and making 5 -10 year FO pay (which would likely exceed 15 year QX CA pay), based in SEA or SFO, working 12-15 days / month

Edit: I could see QX being a great place to land for young people (<35) who want to end up at AS. Or if you already have a stack of cash under your mattress and money is not an issue.

If you want a job to suit your lifestyle right now, forget the airlines. Become a cop, a firefighter, an accountant, etc. You have to build your life around this job for the first 5-10 years. If you accept this fact, you'll probably be better off (and happier) in the long run. JMHO