VNAVsnoozer

Alaska just posted that they will throw out any application from a Horizon pilot unless they have at least 2000 hrs at Horizon. No flow to Alaska anymore, no upgrade for 13 years, no pay, and no jets. ***? Why would anyone go there if they could get a signing bonus, and a two year upgrade in a jet everywhere else? No wonder they can't fill a class and are canceling flights. They Q400 is a complete POS and turboprop FO time is worthless.

pete2800

Where did Alaska post this?


Just for the record, there was never any "flow" to Alaska from QX.

FLYZERG

Always figured people went there because the pay was good and they wanted to live in a particular base. Never heard of any flow to Alaska, please explain.

n25na

just a quick fact check....there was never any flow to AS from QX and a QX FO has ALWAYS needed 2000 hrs at QX to be able to apply at AS.

Classes are being filled and flights may have been cancelled because there was a logjam as trainees were waiting several weeks to be put through IOE.

There are plenty of reasons that applicants are still applying at QX. Part of it may be the opportunity to apply at AS as an FO (admittedly, many have not been called yet to interview, but that seems to be changing) but it may also be that many desire to live or stay in the Pac NW and quality of life issues are important.

The jet debate is an age old, tireless one. QX has had plenty of FO's leave with worthless POS turboprop SIC FO time to fly big fancy jets like 747's (that is a really big one) and a variety of fancy non-worthless narrowbody "mainline" JETS that even have fancy, awesome first class seats and engines under the wings!

The Q400 isn't the end all and has it's challenges. From personal experience, it has been mostly reliable, has cool technology (HUD, RNP, coupled VNAV) and is a less claustrophobic experience for the peeps in the back while they sip complimentary local mircobrew and wine.

This site is plagued with constant visceral swill loaded with inaccurate information that makes it frustrating for those looking to make a good judgement on their career choice.

flyingice

You beat me to it. Nicely done sir.

One thing I'd add: the best airplane to fly is an airplane that makes money: job security. SkyWest, one of the darlings of the industry, just posted a 14 million and change loss for 2Q2014. Horizons 2Q results weren't stellar, but the airline turned a profit. Playing the "Chase the Upgrade" game works great until your airline folds when you're in upgrade class...

Upgrade currently eight years, eleven months from hire to upgrade class. Not sure where the thirteen year figure came from.

TheTransporter

Because that is what it was a year ago. 7 years ago it 4.5. So yea, it has gone down, but not compared to what it was before most of you worked here. Most of the new QX posters only know what it is like now, not how it was before this CPA bull. CPA's exist to control and outsource! Once the name on the side of your plane says something other then your airline's, your days are numbered. Although, you could just be a management lackey posting for recruiting purposes?

Hacker15e

That's only if they don't otherwise have the requisite PIC Multi Turbine time, correct?

pete2800

Correct. Alaska's requirements frequently change each time they open their application window. The turbine-PIC requirement is one of those that seems to fluctuate quite a bit.

The window is open right now, and the only thing they ask for is 3000 total time, or a reduced total time for military applicants.

rcfd13

Skywest airlines posted a profit and Expressjet posted a huge loss which amounted to a 14 mil loss for Skywest Inc, not Skywest Airlines.

I've never heard anyone (recently) bring up Skywest in a chase the upgrade comment. The most junior captain is over 7 years.

flyingice

I should have separated the financial with the philosophical. ExpressJet is a mess, but if SkyWest can't work that kink out, and SkyWest is a good shop, then I'd be worried about places like PSA, Republic, and Mesa and others being viable when the regional model becomes more and more expensive. Which leads me to the second part of the post...

People are looking for a fast upgrade, and chasing that upgrade to a company that partakes in the five-year, cost cut, airplane shuffle model could get burned hard when those jets go away to the new lowest bidder. SkyWest isn't a good example of that, so my apologies on putting the two together.

Look y'all, Horizon by no means is the perfect place to be. But given the fact the airline isn't battling a contract with concessions, turns a profit, and is Pac NW centric, then I'd say its not bad either. QOL can be pretty good, pay and benefits are good, and FOs are going to other airlines, Alaska, Hawaiian, Spirit, Virgin to name a few. Upgrade is still long, but coming down. I don't have skin in the game to promote, but I at least want to give people a fair representation of the joint.