SurferLucas

Gotta have the FAA waiver first for it, and if they're not working...no waiver.

(that's what I got from training scheduling)

Vanilla

(not including Q CA to ERJ CA transitions)

Q400
DoH

8/3/15
8/20/18
8/20/18

E175
DoH

8/1/16
5/26/17
6/12/17
6/12/17
9/11/17

Shifting gears slightly. For those QX hopefuls wanting Spokane, I noticed 5 GEG Q400 FO slots awarded to junior pilots. On property 3 to 5 months. GEG had been significantly senior in recent years.

afcraig2010

A classmate of mine apparently got a line in Boise. June 2018 hire. Meanwhile I’m near the bottom in PDX with like 20 people between me and a line. Just figured I’d provide this data point as well.

c140flyer

Do you know about how long for a new hire to get SEA on the Q400?

thwhite2000

Looks like the current jr Q FO in SEA was an 8/06/18 hire.

snackysmores

And it will take about 3 months to get trained.. so about two bids once you hit the line.

c140flyer

So realistically, 2-3 months commuting to MFR or similar before holding SEA?

snackysmores

I would be prepared to do that and if you're lucky you will get it earlier.

c140flyer

Thanks so for much for all the good info. A few more questions if you don't mind:

1. From what I've gathered, a new hire at SEA (once they get it) in the Q may be on reserve for ~12 months with little flying (20hrs/month), is that accurate?

2. How often can one switch base? For example, could a new hire on the Q who wants to fly a lot (but lives in Seattle) bid PDX for a month or two here and there to supplement the lack of reserve flying out of SEA? Or is one locked into a base bid for some period of time?

3. A new hire at SEA in the jet would likely be on reserve much shorter and get more flying while on reserve verses the Q, is that right?

WSPLT

Your assessment of reserve FO life in SEA in the Q400 seems accurate. There are in fact a few FOs that have done just what you are talking about, and have bid PDX for a few bids and commuted down from SEA area just to get some extra flying.

You would not be locked into a base provided you have the seniority to hold what you are requesting. Equipment yes, base no. You could certainly switch to PDX for a bid or two and then switch back to SEA as long as your seniority allows you to hold it, and as long as they still have availability. If SEA were to fill up while you were down in PDX, you can't displace someone junior to you that already holds SEA, you would have to wait until room opened up and hope that someone senior to you didn't request it as well.

I'm not certain about which airframe would allow you to hold a line soonest, but I would venture to say the jet. The Q side is shrinking, while the jet side is expanding. Even if the Q looks better today, that may not be the case 6 months from now, when it may actually matter to you. Unless you are wanting one of the Q400 only bases like BOI GEG or MFR, I would go after the jet.