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Old 01-09-2023, 08:20 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by rjpennell24 View Post
Does JB have a EWR base and if so is it easy to get out of training?
Yes, JetBlue has a base at Newark. By the way, this is information you can found on the
Airline Pilot Central page about JetBlue . You should familiarize yourself with the bases of any airline you are applying to.

AFAIK, it is not possible to get assigned EWR out of training; rather, you would get assigned JFK, and start work there when you finish the 6 to 8 weeks of initial training. Then you would request a transfer to EWR during the next vacancy bid, or on the system bid that occurs each November.

> What are they advertising for reserve time and upgrade time?
They don't advertise anything about reserve time or time to upgrade.

JetBlue operates three types of aircraft; the two smaller types have a shorter upgrade time than the A320. However the Newark base has only the A320. You get assigned an aircraft on your first day, based on seniority within your class. If you are assigned to one of the smaller aircraft on your first day, you would have to attend training on the A320 once you get the base transfer.

Reserve time (number of months of seniority you need in order to hold a line) varies a lot from one aircraft type and base to another. I don't have that data easily accessible, so will let someone else answer with specifics; I do know that JFK E-190 FOs can hold a line when they have been at the company six months. For A320 FOs I believe they need a few more months of seniority to hold a line (again, varies by base).

Upgrade time changes from year to year. As of the most recent system bid, the junior Boston E190 captain will be someone who has been at the company 1.5 years. At JFK it's about 2 years on the E-190 and around 4 or 5 years on the A320.

> Do they allow you to drop and trade trips?
Like every other airline, JetBlue allows you to trade trips with other pilots, and also allows you to trade a trip you've been assigned (if you are a lineholder) with a trip that is listed in the "Open Time Pot" - provided the airline has more reserve pilots available on the days of the trip you are trading into than on the days of the trip you are trading out of.

Likewise, every airline allows you to drop trips, but only if they have sufficient number of reserve pilots on those dates. So this is not possible very often.

> Average days worked per month?
There are three different answers to this, depending what type of schedule you have.
They range between 1 to 2 days worked per month (E-190 FO on long call reserve) to 18 days worked per month (junior captain on short call reserve) to 16 days worked per month (typical lineholder).

> Overall happy with the company and could see yourself there long term?

There are a few annoyances here, just as there are everywhere else; No airline is without faults. Personally, I have been very happy with my decision to come to JetBlue. It has been a much better experience (better pay and more days off) compared to the regional airline I came from. It is a major airline, but it is not a legacy (AA/DL/UA). Pilots often leave JetBlue for legacy airlines, in search of better pay or bigger aircraft. However, this is a perfectly solid company to work for, and there are several reasons why it is a very reasonable place to make your final career destination - particularly if you live near BOS, JFK, or FLL.
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Old 01-09-2023, 08:28 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by 2fly1034 View Post
Upgrade time? Under a year if you want the 190... don't do it.
"Under a year" is incorrect. Just wanted to provide correct info.

Facts from the most recent system bid in November 2022:
- The E-190 fleet has the shortest upgrade time. Captain upgrade on the A-220 and A-320 requires several years more seniority than upgrading on the E-190.
- In the last system bid, a BOS E-190 captain upgrade was awarded to a July 2022 hire, effective December 2023. So that person will be the most junior captain and will have 18 months at the company before upgrading.
- In the last system bid, the most junior JFK E-190 captain upgrade was someone with more than 2 years at the company.
- For all other bases and aircraft, most junior captain upgrade is typically 4 to 6 years. Others may be able to add more specific info.
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Old 01-09-2023, 02:42 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by rjpennell24 View Post
Yeah i would if i could. Just don't have the hour requirement just yet. didnt know if it were worth trying out jetblue and running with that or build my hours in 135 then try to switch

absolutely come here, get your type, and apply to United. They will call you. Probably quicker than staying in the 135 world.

if it doesn’t work out with a legacy then you are already here building seniority, at an airline that truly isn’t that bad in the grand scheme. Are there better options? Sure but it’s not a bad place to hang your hat if the other options don’t work out.

win win.
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Old 01-30-2023, 07:12 PM
  #14  
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Thumbs up Great info for newbie

Originally Posted by ComanchePilot View Post
Yes, JetBlue has a base at Newark. By the way, this is information you can found on the
Airline Pilot Central page about JetBlue . You should familiarize yourself with the bases of any airline you are applying to.

AFAIK, it is not possible to get assigned EWR out of training; rather, you would get assigned JFK, and start work there when you finish the 6 to 8 weeks of initial training. Then you would request a transfer to EWR during the next vacancy bid, or on the system bid that occurs each November.

> What are they advertising for reserve time and upgrade time?
They don't advertise anything about reserve time or time to upgrade.

JetBlue operates three types of aircraft; the two smaller types have a shorter upgrade time than the A320. However the Newark base has only the A320. You get assigned an aircraft on your first day, based on seniority within your class. If you are assigned to one of the smaller aircraft on your first day, you would have to attend training on the A320 once you get the base transfer.

Reserve time (number of months of seniority you need in order to hold a line) varies a lot from one aircraft type and base to another. I don't have that data easily accessible, so will let someone else answer with specifics; I do know that JFK E-190 FOs can hold a line when they have been at the company six months. For A320 FOs I believe they need a few more months of seniority to hold a line (again, varies by base).

Upgrade time changes from year to year. As of the most recent system bid, the junior Boston E190 captain will be someone who has been at the company 1.5 years. At JFK it's about 2 years on the E-190 and around 4 or 5 years on the A320.

> Do they allow you to drop and trade trips?
Like every other airline, JetBlue allows you to trade trips with other pilots, and also allows you to trade a trip you've been assigned (if you are a lineholder) with a trip that is listed in the "Open Time Pot" - provided the airline has more reserve pilots available on the days of the trip you are trading into than on the days of the trip you are trading out of.

Likewise, every airline allows you to drop trips, but only if they have sufficient number of reserve pilots on those dates. So this is not possible very often.

> Average days worked per month?
There are three different answers to this, depending what type of schedule you have.
They range between 1 to 2 days worked per month (E-190 FO on long call reserve) to 18 days worked per month (junior captain on short call reserve) to 16 days worked per month (typical lineholder).

> Overall happy with the company and could see yourself there long term?

There are a few annoyances here, just as there are everywhere else; No airline is without faults. Personally, I have been very happy with my decision to come to JetBlue. It has been a much better experience (better pay and more days off) compared to the regional airline I came from. It is a major airline, but it is not a legacy (AA/DL/UA). Pilots often leave JetBlue for legacy airlines, in search of better pay or bigger aircraft. However, this is a perfectly solid company to work for, and there are several reasons why it is a very reasonable place to make your final career destination - particularly if you live near BOS, JFK, or FLL.


Thank you for taking to post this.
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Old 01-31-2023, 10:09 AM
  #15  
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What is the current training pay? Did it increase at all with the new TA?
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Old 01-31-2023, 10:16 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by CareerPivot View Post
What is the current training pay? Did it increase at all with the new TA?
You'll take home approximately $2100 in the 45 days of training
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Old 01-31-2023, 12:01 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by flosd View Post
You'll take home approximately $2100 in the 45 days of training
So $2500/month or so is the gross? Plus the $26/day in food credit?
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Old 01-31-2023, 03:38 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by CareerPivot View Post
So $2500/month or so is the gross? Plus the $26/day in food credit?
No, it's $2000/month pay. You'll likely be in training for about 1.5 months so you'll gross about $3000 during those 6 weeks, or about $2200 after taxes and deductions. And yes, the food credit is $26/day at the Lodge that is use it or lose it.
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Old 01-31-2023, 07:06 PM
  #19  
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Default Time Building

Hello!

I am a crewmember and received a CJO last year through the gateway program. I am nearing the end of my training with ATP, and will have the option of either working for one of B6’s Part 135 partners (Cape Air, JSX, or Tradewind), or flying 1000 hours at a regional/Part 121 before returning to B6.

From the 135 side, I would be interested in working for Cape Air. As part of B6’s agreement with Cape Air, I would get hired at around 500-700 hours, upgrade to Captain at 1500 hours, and then fly for 1 year as Captain before going directly to B6.

From the regional side, I would need to fly 1000 hours at that regional/Part 121 carrier and then I can return to B6.

Factoring in instructing to 1500 hours along with class delays, training time, and reserve time at a regional, and assuming a Cape Air pilot flys about 80-100 hours/month (that seems to be the average), would it be better to pursue the Cape Air option as it appears to be much faster in getting back to B6? From my research, the Cape Air option should take about 2ish years (give or take) from initial hire to complete. I have until March 2027 to complete my time building and return to B6 for my CJO to be valid.

Appreciate any help!
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Old 02-01-2023, 07:51 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Arrow24 View Post
As part of B6’s agreement with Cape Air, I would get hired at around 500-700 hours, upgrade to Captain at 1500 hours, and then fly for 1 year as Captain before going directly to B6.
From the regional side, I would need to fly 1000 hours at that regional/Part 121 carrier and then I can return to B6.
[...]
would it be better to pursue the Cape Air option as it appears to be much faster in getting back to B6? From my research, the Cape Air option should take about 2ish years (give or take) from initial hire to complete. I have until March 2027 to complete my time building and return to B6 for my CJO to be valid.
It looks like you are thinking about this very rationally. You have done the math on both options, and come up with some pros and cons.

Cape Air:
Pros are that you can start there sooner, thereby spending fewer months instructing. And that you will get to B6 sooner. And that you will get a year of Part 135 multi PIC time.
Cons are that Cape Air's pay is incredibly low. And that you will be working harder there than you would at a regional. And that you won't be logging any turbine time or jet time or 121 time.

Spending 1000 hours at a regional:
Pros are that they will give you an ATP rating, a type rating, and 1000 hours of turbine time/jet time/part 121 time.
And the pay! Regional FOs start at $100/hour nowadays, which is a ton more than Cape Air. And of course that the experience there will be very applicable to working in the flight deck at JetBlue.
Cons are that you would have to spend more time instructing (all the way to 1475 hours instead of just 600). And that your class date at JetBlue would be delayed.

Conventional airline wisdom is: the option that gets you to your forever job soonest is the best one, even if that job pays less in the near term.

My two cents: If you can stand the low pay of Cape Air, it sounds like you will benefit by taking that job: (a) about a year less spent instructing and (b) quicker arrival at B6.
But if you are going to have to rent an apartment in Boston or Decatur or Billings or New Hampshire, and eke out a living on Cape Air FO pay plus food stamps... for two years... in a town where you don't know anyone and can't afford to rent a decent apartment... that prospect may sound miserable enough that you would rather spend an extra year living at home and flight instructing, then go straight to the air conditioned, well paying, jet-powered splendor of a professionally-run regional.
There is no wrong choice. Good luck!
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