Did not know that. Thanks for the insight. The 175s I fly are only a few years old so maybe aren’t so uncomfortable. They’re definitely not noisy. But I sure second the comments above about commuting to reserve sucking.

I’ve considered the same for myself. I’m staying as a Bos 190 FO for now…

The reserve CA’s I fly tell me they’re flying the overwhelming majority of their days…most of the time breaking guarantee and apparently quite often by a lot. Few redeyes but the bottom reserve guys get the heinously early AM shows, etc.

The reserve rules are (and will be) better but, just my opinion, if the manning remains low then I’m not sure how much better it’ll be (regardless of the rules). The manning in my seat seems to be coming back up (from the previous six months) but will that translate into improved CA manning??

Oops, disregard everything I wrote...I just reread your first sentence:p

The seat is pretty dang uncomfortable...that's true. A seat cushion helps a bit. But otherwise I like the airplane...

Never flew the 190. Not sure how much extra money there will be unless I RSA/VDA a ton (I won’t)

I’ve flown both and have run the math on your dilemma, because it’s mine as well. The 190 is a loud, cramped POS. Make no mistake about it. And if as a bus FO you pick up one premium trip (or even straight pay trip) and work about the same number of days as you would on reserve making 75 hours (with 13/14 off), I put my credit on the bus around 90-95 hours. A premium trip would make that higher. Using 4 year pay (plug numbers from the last bid) 90x$151=13,741 75x$195=14,625. Bump it up to 100 hrs and you’re higher as a 320FO. But if you picked up a premium trip on days off as a 190CA you could do better. What’s it worth to fly with your favorite captain every day? Do you need TPIC to try to go to a legacy/FDX? Do you want weekends and holidays? Vacation? You prob won’t get them as the plug CA. But as a 50% FO you will get a lot.


Read the equipment freeze portion of the CBA. If it’s a new aircraft, you can bid it even within your 2 years. But it’s only a “new aircraft” for first 6 months of revenue service. So with a 1 year annual bid cycle, assuming no supplementals, that could be difficult to time.

Good question. Flying with my favorite captain is high on the list. Less red-eyes, more normal people sleeping hours.

Might be a sweet jet compared to a CRJ, ERJ, or a baron or something. But it’s a POS compared an airbus (minus fume events). And screw the HUD.

Really appreciate the time and effort you put into this response. I’ve done the math as well and come up with the same numbers.

Not planning on leaving. Excited to fly with my favorite captain. Weekends and holidays off are great, but I don’t expect to hold them off as a E190 ca if I put in.

I like the fly with my favorite captain, like there aren’t complete Ahole FOs.
I guess you could tell them to pound sand but there goes crm.


Now I went from 190 captain to bus FO. I just got tired of the same flying stuff that I did in the regional world 14 years of that was enough. 4 legs a day 4 different FAs to brief different planes 30 min turns were killing me. Not to mention the operation. It was just no longer worth it to me to miss holidays and stuff as well as be on a dying fleet.


You can still have an OK sked and I think you will make more money as a captain so it’s really a personal choice.
I was just done with it and wanted something different and jr bus captain was not appealing if you don’t live in base.

Now to be fair I haven’t really flown a bus sked yet but I definitely like bidding top 3rd. Also the new vacation system was part of it. If we must bid it I wanted more seniority. But unless you were hired here early everything is a trade off.

I liked the crj better than the 190. It’s good for passengers but not pilots.