Regional Jets
 

I have a couple quick questions.

1.) What company had the first RJ in the US?

2.) What year?

3.) Did mainline pilots want to fly them?

Hang on a minute. Let me go make me some popcorn, grab a beer, and plunk down on my La-Z-Boy. This is going to get interesting.

I just wana know his angle

1. Comair - Delta Connection

2. 1993

3. Apparently not

Delta, or maybe United with the Caravelle. Yes, mainline pilots flew them.

From what I understand the CRJ was certified in 1992. I was 7 years old. I didn't even know I wanted to be a pilot at that point. A little history lesson from the older guys never hurt anyone.

It would be nice to know the situation that got us into this mess....

Not sure of the year, but early on in the history of America West, they flew Dash 8's within their own seniority list. This is how it should have been.

What are we counting as an RJ? Air Whiskey had the BAa 146 back in the 80s

In 1987, APA and AMR signed an agreement that allowed regional affiliates to fly aircraft with less than 50 seats and a limited number of 70 seaters. There were no RJ's on the drawing board at that time, and regional airlines flew routes deemed "flying we didn't want to do anyway". Almost all of the regional fleets were comprised of Shorts, ATR's, Metroliners, 1900's, etc. True, Air Willie had a handful of B-146's, So did Air Cal, but by and large, most small jets (DC-9-10, F-100's, etc) were flown by the mainline carriers. It was an easy sell at the time, AMR was hiring 100 pilots a month and had nearly 250 orders for new aircraft on the books. Moreover we were able to trade scope for significantly higher pay.

By the mid 90's, RJs had made their debut and the writing was on the wall, and in 1997 APA went on strike over the RJ issue (AAL pilots fly all the jets). Unfortunately the strike was halted by presidential order and a Presidential Emergency Board was convened.

It is believed that APA's independent status was cause for the AFL-CIO (read that ALPA) to actually lobby the president to stop our strike. Partly out of spite, and partly out fear that it's members would be hurt.

Anyway, the rest is history.

The DC-9 is not a regional jet. It is the first narrow-body two-pilot jet. It does fly the same routes as regional jets, but its pay separates it from regional jets.